The Syndrome of Food-Cobalamin Malabsorption: A Personal View in a Perspective of Clinical Practice

Until the 1990s, the most common recognised cause of cobalamin deficiency in adults was pernicious anaemia [1]. Thanks to progress made during the last 10-20 years in the understanding of vitamin B12 metabolism, “new” physiopathological concepts have emerged or recognized, including a controversial medical concept entitled food-cobalamin malabsorption (FCM) in Anglo-Saxon literature, also known as “syndrome de non-dissociation de la vitamine B12 de ces protéines porteuses” in French literature [2,3]. This clinical condition is the leading cause of cobalamin deficiency in a number of recently published series, especially in elderly patients [4]. It’s to note that currently, FCM continues to be intensively studied and discussed because of the controversial nature of the disorder [3,5].