2 important studies about B12 and B6

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Vitamin B12 by mouth as good as injection

By Pippa Wysong TORONTO (Reuters Health) -

People who need vitamin B12 replacement may not need to get a shot in

the arm after all. Instead, they can use a form of the vitamin that

dissolves under the tongue. In a study presented at the 28th World

Congress of the International Society of Hematology, researchers

revealed that a sub-lingual form of the vitamin is just as effective

as an intramuscular shot. The vitamin is available in the form of

small nuggets, which need to be placed under the tongue to dissolve.

Dr. Pinhas Stark, from the Institute of Hematology and the Department

of Gastroenterology at the Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tiqva,

Israel, reported that blood levels of 18 patients deficient in vitamin

B12 increased to normal levels after only a few days of treatment. Of

the patients, five had pernicious anemia, two had Crohn's disease, and

seven were vegetarian. All started off with blood levels of vitamin

B12 (also called cobalamin) close to half of what it should have been.

Four of the patients had been long-term blood donors, but were not

anemic. The study was done because B12 injections are a problem with

some patients, leading them to stop treatment. ``Injections can be

painful, problematic in patients with bleeding tendency, or in

patients who are extremely thin. It can be difficult to provide for

patients who are elderly or disabled, and costly when given by health

professionals,'' Stark said. The patients were asked to take two of

the sub-lingual nuggets daily for 7 to 10 days, half an hour before

breakfast, but after drinking a glass of water. Each nugget contains

1,000 micrograms of vitamin B12, and are available over-the-counter.

All the patients eventually attained normal blood levels of the

vitamin. Most either doubled or quadrupled their initial deficient

levels, and no side effects were reported.

Source: May 8 issue of Neurology

Research Ties Vitamin B12 And Folate Deficiencies With Alzheimer's

Disease

ST. PAUL, MN - People with low levels of B12 or folate may have a

higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. The long-range Swedish

study of persons 75-years-old and older found that more than half (46

out of 78) of those diagnosed with dementia had both low levels of

vitamin B12 or folate and Alzheimer's type dementia. Study authors

theorized that vitamin B12 or folate deficiencies affect Alzheimer's

disease by influencing neurotransmitters or the levels of the amino

acid homocysteine in the body. Either vitamin B12 or folate deficiency

can increase homocysteine levels. Homocysteine has a neurotoxic effect

that could lead to cell death or neurological conditions such as

Alzheimer's disease. " In our study, we found that low levels of either

of these two vitamins were related to an increased Alzheimer's disease

risk, " said study co-author Hui-Xin Wang. " Monitoring B12 and folate

levels is important in order to avoid unfavorable conditions, even for

those elderly people who are quite healthy in terms of cognition. " For

more than thirty years, researchers have observed low vitamin B12 and

folate levels in elderly people, according to Wang. It had also been

previously theorized that this vitamin deficiency might be tied to

neurological or psychiatric disorders. This study breaks new ground by

connecting these deficiencies with Alzheimer's disease. Vitamins B12

and folate (a form of water-soluble vitamin are found in common

foods. Vitamin B12 is naturally found in animal foods including fish,

milk and milk products, eggs, meat, and poultry. Leafy greens such as

spinach and turnip greens, dry beans and peas, fortified cereals and

grain products, and some fruits and vegetables are rich food sources

of folate. Study data were pulled from a population-based longitudinal

study in Sweden called the Kungsholmen Project. A random sample of 370

non-demented persons, age 75 and older, and not treated with B12 or

folate dietary supplements, was followed for three years to detect

cases of Alzheimer's disease. Within the timeframe of the study, 78

people developed some form of dementia. The American Academy of

Neurology, an association of more than 17,000 neurologists and

neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care

through education and research. For more information about the

American Academy of Neurology, visit its web site at

http://www.aan.com.