39) B12 deficiency from our mothers' exposure to N2O (laughing gas)?
According to vitab12.com, xposure to nitrous oxide (N2O), often called laughing gas, can cause cobalamin deficiencies in the brain. This may occur to women given the gas in labour or otherwise during use of this anaesthetic.
If a woman is becoming B12 deficient as a result of medication given to her during her babies birth, it is reasonable to believe that her child will get less B12 from mother's milk.
40) B12, free radicals and lack of vitamin E
From http://vvv.com/healthnews/vitamin_B12.htm
Quote:
Vitamin E protects vitamin B-12
LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS. Adenosylcobalamin is an important coenzyme which is involved in the metabolism of branched-chain amino acids, cholesterol, methionine, and odd-chain fatty acids. It is synthesized in the cell nucleus from vitamin B-12 (cyanocobalamin).
Now researchers at the University of Arkansas have found that the synthesis of adenosylcobalamin is impaired if the cell membranes have been subjected to peroxidative (free radical) attack.
They also found, through experiments with cell cultures, that vitamin E effectively prevents the peroxidation and thereby allows the enzyme synthesis to proceed unhindered.
Turley, Charles P. and Brewster, Marge A. Alpha-tocopherol protects against a reduction in adenosylcobalamin in oxidatively stressed human cells. Journal of Nutrition, Vol. 123, July 1993, pp. 1305-12
The researchers conclude that short-term (five weeks) administration of folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12 will reduce post-methionine load homocysteine levels and eliminate or ameliorate endothelial dysfunction (an early manifestation of atherosclerosis). Chao, Chia-Lun, et al. Effect of short-term vitamin (folic acid, vitamins B6 and B12) administration on endothelial dysfunction induced by post-methionine load hyperhomocysteinemia. American Journal of Cardiology, Vol. 84, December 1, 1999, pp. 1359-61
Re: 50 ways to develop B12 deficiency
39) Potassium supplements
http://hkpp.org/physicians/b_12_pp.html
Quote:
Patients who take potassium supplements long-term, i.e., potassium chloride and potassium citrate, are at high risk for developing vitamin B-12 deficiency. Potassium supplements such as K-Dur, Micro-K, Slow-K, K-Lyte, etc. interfere with the absorption of vitamin B-12 and eventually lead to the depletion of body stores of this crucial vitamin. (1, 2, 3)
Unlike other B vitamins, vitamin B-12 is stored in the body. Most people have enough B-12 stored in their liver and other organs to last from three to four years. But if the supply is interrupted long enough a deficiency can result, which can be devastating if not recognized and treated appropriately.
Patients and their physicians should be aware that neurological symptoms of B-12 deficiency may begin well in advance of any laboratory evidence of disease.(4)
Re: 50 ways to develop B12 deficiency
does the b12 disappear from garden veg when washed free from dirt though or does the b12 penetrate the skin??
- or, to put it another way, is the b12 taken in when the veg is eaten having been absorbed from the earth during growth in a pesticide/herbicide-free soil? or does the b12 exist only in the soil itself and when veg is washed clean of soil before eating, the b12 will be washed off too?
Re: 50 ways to develop B12 deficiency
Hi Cedarblue,
B12 has been found in root nodules of leguminous plants / roots of nonleguminous species, in some cases in stems, and also in various leaves. In the Mozafar study, they also reported that B12 could be found in grains - if the soil contained B12. So yes, B12 can be absorbed into the plants... the theory about B12 being washed away when the plants are washed clean isn't a very documented one, I'm afraid... it's based on the idea that most of the B12 that can be found in plants exist on the surface of the plants, and not inside the leaves, roots etc., but I can't remember having seen any studies that document that the B12 is only on the surface (or on the dirt on the surface) of the plant, or a comparison between B12 levels in a plant before and after washing it. If you see any reports, please let me know!
Another thing is that we normally wash plants (and cook them) in chlorinated water, which may affect the level of the possible B12 it contains, or possibly covert the 'real' B12 into inactive B12 analogues.
Since B12 has been found in both (natural, unprocessed) water and soil, and there's a common conception that B12 can't be found in (inside) any plants, maybe someone has assumed that all the B12 we can get from plants is from the dirt/soil that may come with it.
Re: 50 ways to develop B12 deficiency
there's so much b12 information from various studies - it makes my head hurt sometimes...:o sometimes its provided in such a way using scientific language that either i dont quite follow it or i give up on reading it - and hope that i am getting enough myself to prevent deficiency...:confused:
Re: 50 ways to develop B12 deficiency
It's confusing, I know, partially because real studies often are mixed with assumptions or 'facts' that aren't documented. Due to all the 'B12 destroyers' in our modern world I guess most long-term vegans either check their levels every year or so or take some supplements 'to be on the safe side'... although almost no vegans or non-vegans will ever be 'on the safe side' re. B12 - both because we know too little about what's safe and because even if people consume enough B12, they may also be exposed to a lot of B12-killers or have an absorption problem (the latter is rare, but there's probably no way to find out if you're among the people who actually have a B12 absorption problem without actually testing yourself).
B12 is a a hot topic, and there are fanatics on both sides of the discussion - some people insist that as long as you eat enough green, organic vegetables or seaweed you're always safe (wrong!), while others claim that unless you take B12 daily or weekly, you'll necessarily living a dangerous life (also wrong!). So - you're confused for good reasons, and it doesn't get any simpler when looking at all these studies and sites that doesn't come to the same conclusions!
Ultraviolet radiation is known to degrade B12
From http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...518125629.htm:
Quote:
Bertrand and Saito said. At the same time, climate changes could affect the availability of B12 by causing changes in ocean temperatures, bacterial populations, and other factors. The ozone hole produced in the austral spring above Antarctica could also induce a cascade of effects by allowing more penetration of ultraviolet radiation that is known to degrade B12, they said.
I came across this was I was reading about ultraviolet radiation being used to remove bacteria from drinking water. The ultraviolet radiation could be one of several reasons that normal tap water contain practically no B12, while B12 has been found in sea and river water.
50 ways to develop B12 deficiency: amalgam
Read about the link between amalgam fillings and B12 here:
http://www.veganforum.com/forums/sho...15&postcount=4
From http://www.vitab12.com/b12.html
Quote:
The transport of vitamin B12 into the brain can be disturbed or prevented by heavy metals such as inorganic mercury or lead. These affect the blood-brain barrier by causing leakage and restricting the active transport of nutrients. Also exposure to nitrous oxide (N2O), often called laughing gas, can cause cobalamin deficiencies in the brain. This may occur to women given the gas in labour or otherwise during use of this anaesthetic, and may result in permanant brain damage to someone with B12 deficiency. It is also worth bearing in mind that since metals can cause deficiency, then anyone exposed to sufficient quantity of metals may suffer permanent brain damage, even when ingesting RDA levels of the vitamin.
meat or other animal products and refined carbohydrates (sugars) when used generously may more than double B12 needs ([adapted from; Thrash & Thrash, "NUTRITION FOR VEGETARIANS", 1982, "Heavy Metal Bulletin" Vol 2, Iss 3, Dec 1995 and Thorsons "Complete Guide To Vitamins and Minerals"]
*B12 detoxifies cyanide in food and also tobacco smoke)
With dental amalgam now banned in Sweden and Germany, we can only wonder at the fate of populations who are continually exposed to this major mercury source in other nations. It would be sensible for people with amalgam fillings to have them replaced by a non-metal material. Vegans should also be careful to avoid alocohol, refined sugar, smoking and the other risk factors listed above. It would also be advisable to filter tap water. Dietary fibre helps to remove heavy metals from the body as does sweating. Unfortunately the half life of Hg in the brain/CNS is 25 years, thus steady accumulation, leading to neurological disorders is virtually guaranteed.
…
Dr. Britt Ahlrot-Westerlund from Stockholm is an advocate of this hypothesis. She recommends high doses of B12 for those suffering from heavy metal exposure, such as from dental amalgam, since in the presence of metals in the blood-brain barrier ( plexus chorioideus ), most of the vitamin B12 is consumed depending on the level of metal, such that regular B12 intake will not be sufficient.
Re: 50 ways to develop B12 deficiency
Or you can switch suddenly from Rice Dream (with B12) to almond milk (w/ no B12, I just assumed it had it) and watch your B12 go to 90 something. Big d'oh on my part.
A good bloodtest for B12 is to get your homeocystine checked, too--FYI.
Re: 50 ways to develop B12 deficiency
A lot of pharmaceuticals will affect or deplete B12. I'll post more detailed info later - but meanwhile, you'll find some interesting information in these two threads:
Pharmaceuitcal drugs that can cause or contribute to B12 deficiency
Drugs in drinking water
Re: 50 ways to develop B12 deficiency: Growing up!
Serum homocysteine, folate, vitamin B12 and total antioxidant status in vegetarian children.
Quote:
Ambroszkiewicz J, Klemarczyk W, Chełchowska M, Gajewska J, Laskowska-Klita T.
Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Mother and Child, ul. Kasprzaka 17A, 01-211 Warsaw, Poland.
jagodam7@yahoo.com
Abstract
PURPOSE: The results of several studies point to the positive role of vegetarian diets in reducing the risk of diabetes, some cancers and cardiovascular diseases. However, exclusion of animal products in vegetarian diets may affect the cobalamin status and cause an elevation of the plasma homocysteine level. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of vegetarian diets on serum concentrations of homocysteine, folate, vitamin B12 and total antioxidant status (TAS) in children. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 32 vegetarians (including 5 vegans), age 2-10 years. Dietary constituents were analyzed using a local nutritional programme. Serum homocysteine, folate and vitamin B12 were determined with fluorescence and chemiluminescence immunoassays. The concentration of TAS was measured by a colorimetric method. RESULTS: Average daily energy intake and the percentage of energy from protein, fat and carbohydrates in the diets of the studied children were just above or similar to the recommended amounts. It could be shown that vegetarian diets contain high concentrations of folate. In vegan diets it even exceeds the recommended dietary allowance. Mean daily intake of vitamin B12 in the studied diets was adequate but in vegans was below the recommended range. The serum concentrations of homocysteine, folate, vitamin B12 and TAS in vegetarian children remained within the physiological range.
CONCLUSIONS: The presented data indicate that
vegetarian children, contrary to adults, have enough vitamin B12 in their diet (excluding vegans) and normal serum concentrations of homocysteine, folate and vitamin B12. Therefore, in order to prevent deficiencies in the future, close monitoring of vegetarian children (especially on a vegan diet) is important to make sure that they receive adequate quantities of nutrients needed for healthy growth.
PMID: 17357323 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE
This is interesting, because not only does it show that in this study, the inclusion of dairy products (eggs don't help much) is enough to ensure proper homocysteine and vitamin B12 levels in kids, but the 'contrary to adults' part also indicates that there's something happening in the process from being a child to growing up that's not very good for the B12/homocysteine levels.
What could it be? Alcohol, tea, coffee, smoking, (passive smoking ain't good for the homocysteine levels either), stress, oral contraceptives and much more...
Re: 50 ways to develop B12 deficiency
Sound like it's pretty much inevitable no matter what :P
Re: 50 ways to develop B12 deficiency
This is not such a hot topic.... B12 is only found in animal products. The form of B12 in plants cannot be absorbed by our bodies. While this may be so, if you are determined to stick to a 100% Vegan diet, B9 is known to mask the the symptoms of B12 defficiency. Not too sure whether "masking" the problem is the right way to go. I myself eat Vegan, but do take B Vitamin suppliments, which like most, are probably derived from animal products....
www.jackrabbitfreedom.weebly.com
Re: 50 ways to develop B12 deficiency
I appologize, not a troll, just made a mistake...lol. I wrote "only found" not "mostly found" like I should have. You are right, B12 comes from bacteria, and yes you can buy that from labs in pill form, but it was my understanding that the major source used to harvest that bacteria is still derived from animals or their byproducts. Though, some people live long healthy lives just by not washing the produce they eating in an effort keep all the enzymes and bacteria alive for consumption, but a lot of my personal reading has stated that most of the B12 consumed from plants alone will not absorb in our bodies. Thanks for the reply. Keeping me on my toes! :-)
P.S. I only "eat vegan" mostly because I still wear an heirloom leather belt.... it's more a health issue for me, not ethics; though, I do not condone the enslavement and slaughter of any animal for any thing.
P.P.S. I really hope you are right and that my vitamins are not coming from animals at all....would be great!
P.P.P.S. LOL, guess it is a hot topic! :o
Re: 50 ways to develop B12 deficiency
Acid reducing drugs are also linked to B12 deficiency:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/1...ype=blogs&_r=0
An excerpt:
Quote:
People who use certain acid-suppressing drugs for two years or longer are at increased risk of vitamin B12 deficiency, which can lead to anemia, neurological problems or dementia, researchers reported on Tuesday.
The drugs in question are called proton-pump inhibitors, or P.P.I.’s, and histamine 2 receptor antagonists, and they are available by prescription and over the counter under brand names like Prevacid, Prilosec and Nexium. Nearly 157 million prescriptions were written for P.P.I.’s alone last year.
“People who are taking these medications are more likely than the average person to be vitamin B12 deficient, and it’s a potentially serious problem,” said Dr. Douglas A. Corley, senior author of the new study, published in The Journal of the American Medical Association. “This raises the question of whether people taking these medications for long periods should be screened for vitamin B12 deficiency.”
Dr. Corley has received funding from Pfizer, which makes a P.P.I. called Protonix.
He and his colleagues at Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, Calif., examined the medical records of 25,956 adults who received vitamin B12 deficiency diagnoses between 1997 and 2011, comparing them with 184,199 patients without B12 deficiency during that period.
Patients who took P.P.I’s for more than two years were
65 percent more likely to have a vitamin B12 deficiency, the researchers found. Higher doses of P.P.I’s were more strongly associated with the vitamin deficiency, as well.