I was going to write about all the B Vitamins this week, but realized pretty quick that that would be WAY too involved for such a short post. So B12 it is, since it is the one in particular in which many people are deficient. Vitamin B12 (also known as cobalamine) deficiency causes pernicious anemia, a deadly blood disorder in which the red blood cells are immature, very large, and don't carry oxygen well. Symptoms include, paleness, weakness, fatigue, rapid heart beat, shortness of breath, and dizziness.
Vitamin B12 along with folate, is inversely related to homocysteine levels, and high homocysteine levels are not only associated with depression, but are much more closely related to cardiovascular disease than cholesterol is. More and more studies are backing up the idea that bringing B12, B6 and folate levels back up to optimum reduces homocysteine levels, arterial inflammation, and heart disease. I go back again to the fact that at around 1900 there was virtually no heart disease. Since that time we have lowered our intake of nutrient-dense foods (particularly quality meats and organ meats) and raised our intake of nutritionally-deplete processed foods. Drugs are not going to fix this problem, but eating nutrient-dense, quality food will.
B12 deficiency mimics the symptoms of Alzheimers, and some studies seem to indicate that bringing B12 levels back up to optimum can go a long way to improving memory in those with early cognitive decline. If the deficiency has gone on too long, nerve damage may result, and at that point B12 supplementation won't help. Gut function is frequently compromised with age, which may be why B12 deficiency is extremely common in those over 60, as are symptoms of dementia and cardiovascular disease, not to mention osteoporosis and hearing loss. Vitamin B12 also plays a role in DNA repair.
B12 deficiency is linked to cardiovascular disease, depression, osteoporosis, asthma from sulfite sensitivity, low sperm count, diabetic neuropathy, shaky-leg syndrome, bells palsy, tinnitus, hearing loss, among others.
So why is B12 deficiency so common? The molecule is huge, and is very hard to absorb due to the many steps required in the process. So, if for any reason, one's body does not have enough hydrochloric acid (very common), pepsin (the enzyme that breaks down protein), pancreatic enzymes, calcium, adequate good gut bacteria (take probiotics after antibiotics!!) and an enzyme called "intrinsic factor", B12 cannot be absorbed by the gut, even if it is consumed in adequate amounts.
Which brings me to the other reason many of us are deficient. The best food sources of Vitamin B12 are liver and kidneys, and unfortunately, those foods have pretty much disappeared from our plates. (I'm thinking I should write a cookbook - 100 Delicious Ways to Cook Organ Meats" - what do you think?) There are small amounts of B12 in dairy products, but it is exceedingly difficult for vegetarians to obtain adequate B12 from a plant-based diet. Furthermore, due to the fact that vegetarians tend to eat a diet high in green leafy vegetables, (a good thing!), they consume a great deal of folic acid or folate, and high amounts of folate decreases absorption of B12 even further. Therefore, due to the lack of food sources and the poor absorption issue, especially for vegetarians, B12 supplementation is quite necessary. Monthly B12 shots or daily sublingual supplementation are the methods used, in order to successfully get the B12 into the bloodstream. Many people notice a significant boost in energy levels once supplementation has commenced.
I think that B12 blood levels should be tested as part of a routine annual check-up, as so many problems would be avoided if low levels of this vitamin were treated.
I am teaching Diane Lee and LJ Lee's Connecting to Your Core course in Vancouver BC at the end of the month. If you have low-back pain, hip pain or pelvic pain, click here for more info and how to register.
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Linus Pauling Institute: Micronutrient Research for Optimum Health Vitamin B12
Sally Fallon and Mary Enig, PhD Vitamin B12: Vital Nutrient for Good Health Weston A. Price Foundation
Robertson J et al. Vitamin B12, homocysteine and carotid plaque in the era of folic acid fortification of enriched cereal grain products. CMAJ 2005 Jun 7;172(12):1569-73.
Ray JG et al. Persistence of vitamin B12 insufficiency among elderly women after folic acid food fortification. Clin Biochem. 2003 Jul;36(5):387-91.
Ray JG et al. An Ontario-wide study of vitamin B12, serum folate, and red cell folate levels in relation to plasma homocysteine: is a preventable public health issue on the rise?. Clin Biochem. 2000 Jul;33(5):337-43.
Sumner AE et al. Elevated methylmalonic acid and total homocysteine levels show high prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency after gastric surgery. Ann Intern Med. 1996 Mar 1;124(5):469-76.
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Osimani A et al. Neuropsychology of vitamin B12 deficiency in elderly dementia patients and control subjects. J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol. 2005 Mar;18(1):33-8.
Malaguarnera M et al. Homocysteine, vitamin B12 and folate in vascular dementia and in Alzheimer disease. Clin Chem Lab Med. 2004;42(9):1032-5.
Dimopoulos N et al. Association of cognitive impairment with plasma levels of folate, vitamin B12 and homocysteine in the elderly.Association of cognitive impairment with plasma levels of folate, vitamin B12 and homocysteine in the elderly. In Vivo. 2006 Nov-Dec;20(6B):895-9.
Kitchin B et al. Not just calcium and vitamin D: other nutritional considerations in osteoporosis. Curr Rheumatol Rep. 2007 Apr;9(1):85-92.
Copyright 2007 Vreni Gurd
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