1930年代,美國內科醫生卡斯爾(W.B. Castle)發現在正常人胃部可分離出一種「內因子」,但卻無法在惡性貧血病患的胃分泌物中發現,而這類惡性貧血的患者食用動物的肝臟之後,能改善病情,卡斯爾醫生便假設能預防惡性貧血的「外因子」存在於動物的肝臟當中。1934年,乔治·惠普尔、乔治·迈诺特、威廉·莫菲因为“发现贫血的肝脏治疗法”("for their discoveries concerning liver therapy in cases of anaemia")获得诺贝尔生理学或医学奖。1948年-1949年,兩位化學家在美國分離出這個抗貧血的因子,並確定此因子為維生素B12。現時,我們知道人體靠胃的上半部來吸收維生素B12。
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