Which vitamin pairs play a role in red blood cell formation?

1 Answer
Jul 12, 2016

The vitamins B9 and B12.

Explanation:

The vitamins B9 (folate) and B12 (cobalamin) are essential in the formation of red blood cells (erythropoiesis), together with iron. A lack of one of these three nutrients can significantly decrease red blood cell production causing anemia.

The vitamins function as co-enzymes in the extensive amount of DNA synthesis that has to take place in the development of red blood cells.

The vitamins are sometimes referred to as a pair because both are required for erythropoiesis. It is a quite complex interaction, but one important mechanism is that vitamin B12 provides a methyl-group that is used to turn inactive vitamin B9 into active vitamin B9.