Martyn Hooper founded the Pernicious Anaemia Society after being forced to give up full time work as a lecturer in Further Education owing to the long term effects of undiagnosed pernicious anaemia and vitamin B12 deficiency. He now runs the Society full time, and campaigns for improvements in diagnosis and treatment of these conditions.

• 1. My story; 2. Blood, vitamins and B12; 3. Sources of B12; 4. The symptoms of B12 deficiency; 5. Problems with diagnosing B12 deficiency; 6. Pernicious anaemia, intrinsic factor and vitamin B12; 7. Problems with diagnosing pernicious anaemia; 8. Treating pernicious anaemia; 9. Sub-acute combined degeneration of the spinal cord secondary to pernicious anaemia; 10. The future.

"'This book is to be warmly welcomed. It is a vivid and very well-written account of a 'hidden chapter' in medicine that ought to be widely known among the public at large, among policy-makers, and among medical professionals. A major reappraisal of how we define, diagnose and treat B12-deficiency is needed, and this book is a trail-blazer for this mission.' A. David Smith, Professor Emeritus of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, UK, and Helga Refsum, Professor of Nutrition, University of Oslo, Norway, and Visiting Professor of Human Nutrition, University of Oxford, UK"

Martyn Hooper founded the Pernicious Anaemia Society after being forced to give up full time work as a lecturer in Further Education owing to the long term effects of undiagnosed pernicious anaemia and vitamin B12 deficiency. He now runs the Society full time, and campaigns for improvements in diagnosis and treatment of these conditions.

• 1. My story; 2. Blood, vitamins and B12; 3. Sources of B12; 4. The symptoms of B12 deficiency; 5. Problems with diagnosing B12 deficiency; 6. Pernicious anaemia, intrinsic factor and vitamin B12; 7. Problems with diagnosing pernicious anaemia; 8. Treating pernicious anaemia; 9. Sub-acute combined degeneration of the spinal cord secondary to pernicious anaemia; 10. The future.

"'This book is to be warmly welcomed. It is a vivid and very well-written account of a 'hidden chapter' in medicine that ought to be widely known among the public at large, among policy-makers, and among medical professionals. A major reappraisal of how we define, diagnose and treat B12-deficiency is needed, and this book is a trail-blazer for this mission.' A. David Smith, Professor Emeritus of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, UK, and Helga Refsum, Professor of Nutrition, University of Oslo, Norway, and Visiting Professor of Human Nutrition, University of Oxford, UK"

Martyn Hooper founded the Pernicious Anaemia Society after being forced to give up full time work as a lecturer in Further Education owing to the long term effects of undiagnosed pernicious anaemia and vitamin B12 deficiency. He now runs the Society full time, and campaigns for improvements in diagnosis and treatment of these conditions.

• 1. My story; 2. Blood, vitamins and B12; 3. Sources of B12; 4. The symptoms of B12 deficiency; 5. Problems with diagnosing B12 deficiency; 6. Pernicious anaemia, intrinsic factor and vitamin B12; 7. Problems with diagnosing pernicious anaemia; 8. Treating pernicious anaemia; 9. Sub-acute combined degeneration of the spinal cord secondary to pernicious anaemia; 10. The future.

"'This book is to be warmly welcomed. It is a vivid and very well-written account of a 'hidden chapter' in medicine that ought to be widely known among the public at large, among policy-makers, and among medical professionals. A major reappraisal of how we define, diagnose and treat B12-deficiency is needed, and this book is a trail-blazer for this mission.' A. David Smith, Professor Emeritus of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, UK, and Helga Refsum, Professor of Nutrition, University of Oslo, Norway, and Visiting Professor of Human Nutrition, University of Oxford, UK"