Some of the Test Studies

An article appearing in THE LANCET entitled "Importance of both folic acid and vitamin B12 in reduction of risk of vascular disease" tells us "This finding suggests that a fortification policy based on folic acid and vitamin B12, rather than folic acid alone, is likely to be much more effective at lowering of homocysteine concentrations, with potential benefits for reduction of risk of vascular disease".

The CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION in an article titled "Folic Acid Helps Prevent Some Birth Defects" has this to say: "Folic acid is a B vitamin. It is used in our bodies to make new cells. If a woman has enough folic acid in her body before she is pregnant, it can help prevent major birth defects of her baby’s brain and spine. These birth defects are called neural tube defects or NTDs. Women need to take folic acid every day starting before they are pregnant to help prevent NTDs".

Another study appearing in the JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY, NEUROSURGERY AND PSYCHIATRY titled "Homocysteine, folate, methylation, and monoamine metabolism in depression" tells us that "Although folate deficiency is often the result of depression due to poor diet, there is evidence from controlled studies that whether the deficiency is secondary or primary, folate replacement will enhance recovery of the mental state, probably by a mechanism linking methylation in the nervous system to mood"

A study appearing in the JOURNAL OF NUTRITION titled "Folate and Carcinogenesis: An Integrated Scheme" has this to say "Folate deficiency induces breaks in chromosomes and such breaks are associated with an increased risk of cancer in humans". The study goes on to say "Folate depletion appears to enhance carcinogenesis whereas folate supplementation above what is presently considered to be the basal requirement appears to convey a protective effect"."

Many studies have shown the

relationship between Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 and Vitamin B6 and a significant lowering of our homocysteine levels ... and along with lower homocysteine levels, a significant lowering of our risk for vascular disease.

Vitamin B12 deficiency and ulcer drugs
DENVER, COLORADO. Researchers at the University of Colorado School of Pharmacy warn that prolonged use of acid-suppressing drugs such as cimetidine (Tagamet), ranitidine (Zantac) and omeprazole (Losec) can lead to a serious vitamin-B12 deficiency. . The researchers point out that other studies have shown that omeprazole also lowers vitamin B12 levels and conclude that older people on long-term acid-suppressing drugs should be monitored for vitamin B12 deficiency and supplement if necessary.
Ruscin, J. Mark, et al. Vitamin B12 deficiency associated with histamine2-receptor antagonists and a proton-pump inhibitor. Annals of Pharmacotherapy, Vol. 36, May 2002, pp. 812-16

Diabetes drug linked to vitamin B12 deficiency
A Wisconsin doctor reports a case of a 63-year-old man who developed a severe vitamin-B12 deficiency after having taken metformin (Glucophage) for five years. Replacing the metformin with sulfonylurea and taking 1000 mg of cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12) for two months reversed the deficiency. Dr. Mary Ann Gilligan estimates that 10 to 30 per cent of patients on metformin develop a vitamin B12 deficiency and points out there is some evidence that calcium supplementation will prevent it.
Archives of Internal Medicine, Vol. 162, February 25, 2002, pp. 484-85

Helicobacter pylori and vitamin B12 deficiency
ANKARA, TURKEY. It is estimated that more than 50 per cent of adults in developed countries are infected with the Helicobacter pylori bacterium. H pylori has been implicated in stomach ulcers, indigestion (dyspepsia), gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining), stomach cancer, and MALT lymphoma.
Kaptan, Kursad, et al. Helicobacter pylori - Is it a novel causative agent in vitamin B12 deficiency? Archives of Internal Medicine, Vol. 160, May 8, 2000, pp. 1349-53
Stopeck, Alison. Links between Helicobacter pylori infection, cobalamin deficiency, and pernicious anaemia. Archives of Internal Medicine, Vol. 160, May 8, 2000, pp. 1229-30 (editorial)

Vitamin B-12 increases efficiency of folic acid
BONN, GERMANY. There is increasing evidence that high blood levels of the amino acid homocysteine increases the risk of vascular disease, coronary heart disease, neural tube defects, and Alzheimer's disease. Folic acid supplementation is known to lower homocysteine levels and laws have recently been passed in the United States mandating folic acid fortification of bread and cereal. Now researchers at the University of Bonn report that folic acid's homocysteine lowering capacity can be markedly increased by also supplementing with vitamin B-12 Bronstrup, Anja, et al. Effects of folic acid and combinations of folic acid and vitamin B-12 on plasma homocysteine concentrations in healthy, young women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 68, November 1998, pp. 1104-10

Major new risk factor for heart disease discovered
VANCOUVER, CANADA. It is becoming increasingly evident that an elevated blood level of homocysteine is a potent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Recent studies also suggest that high homocysteine levels may be associated with kidney disease, psoriasis, breast cancer, and acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Extensive past research has shown a close link between the development of neural-tube defects in babies and the mother's homocysteine level prior to and during pregnancy. They point out that elevated homocysteine levels can, in most cases, be safely and effectively lowered by supplementation with as little as 400 micrograms per day of folic acid. Other researchers have found that a combination of folic acid (0.4-10 mg/day), vitamin B-12 (50-1000 micrograms/day), and vitamin B-6 (10-300 mg/day) is highly effective in lowering homocysteine levels. (153 references).
Moghadasian, Mohammed H., et al. Homocysteine and coronary artery disease. Archives of Internal Medicine, Vol. 157, November 10, 1997, pp. 2299-2308
Fallest-Strobl, Patricia C., et al. Homocysteine: A new risk factor for atherosclerosis. American Family Physician, Vol. 56, October 15, 1997, pp. 1607-12

Vitamin deficiency implicated in Alzheimer's disease
STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN.  Researchers at the Karolinska Institute now provide convincing evidence that a deficiency of either vitamin B12 or folic acid (folate) is associated with an increased risk of AD and dementia.
Wang, H-X, et al. Vitamin B12 and folate in relation to the development of Alzheimer's disease. Neurology, Vol. 56, No. 9, May 8, 2001, pp. 1188-94

Vitamin B12 deficiency and Alzheimer's disease
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA. Vitamin B12 deficiency is associated with the development of megaloblastic anemia, mental dysfunction, and dementia resembling Alzheimer's disease. Vitamin-B12 (cobalamin) is a very important cofactor in several biochemical reactions including the conversion of homocysteine to methionine and the synthesis of SAMe (S-adenosylmethionine). These reactions are believed to be crucial in maintaining neurological health.Researchers at the University of Milan now report that a vitamin B12 deficiency is associated with higher levels of the inflammatory cytokine, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and reduced levels of epidermal growth factor (EGF).TNF-alpha is also implicated in the progression of HIV to AIDS and vitamin B12 has been found to slow this progression. Editor's Note: Vitamin B12 deficiency is widespread among older people. Taking a 1 mg sublingual B12 tablet daily could prevent a lot of future health problems.
Miller, Joshua W. Vitamin B12 deficiency, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and epidermal growth factor: a novel function of vitamin B12? Nutrition Reviews, Vol. 60, May 2002, pp. 142-51

Oral vitamin B12 and pernicious anaemia
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA. Pernicious anaemia can be treated with intramuscular injections of cobalamin (vitamin B12). These injections can be painful and expensive, but are still widely used despite the fact that research done 30 years ago clearly established that oral doses of one mg/day of vitamin B12 are effective in treating pernicious anaemia and other cobalamin deficiency disorders.Lederle, Frank A. Oral cobalamin for pernicious anemia: back from the verge of extinction. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, Vol. 46, September 1998, pp. 1125-27

Effectiveness of vitamin B12 supplementation
DENVER, COLORADO. It is estimated that about 16% of older adults are vitamin B12 (cobalamin) deficient. This deficiency is mostly related to an inability to absorb cobalamin bound to food. Several experiments have shown that this problem does not affect people's ability to absorb free or synthetic B12. A lack of vitamin-B12 can lead to megaloblastic anemia and, if untreated, to irreversible neurological damage that may mimic Alzheimer's disease.
There is ample evidence that injections of B12 can quickly correct a deficiency as can oral supplementation with 1-2 mg/day.A team of researchers from the universities of Washington and Colorado has just released a study designed to determine just how much oral cobalamin supplementation is required to reverse a deficiency.19 out of 23 patients (83%) normalized their MMA level and eliminated their vitamin B12 deficiency at a daily intake of 1000 mcg/day. The 1000 mcg/day dose was also effective in lowering homocysteine level in 75% of the patients, but folic acid supplementation was required in 4 of the patients in order to bring homocysteine concentrations down to an acceptable level.
The researchers conclude that most cobalamin-deficient older people require more than 100 mcg/day of oral cobalamin to correct their deficiency.
Rajan, S, et al. Response of elevated methylmalonic acid to three dose levels of oral cobalamin in older adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, Vol. 50, November 2002, pp. 1789-95

Vitamin B deficiencies are common in elderly people
LEUVEN, BELGIUM. An international team of researchers have confirmed that elderly people often suffer from a deficiency of vitamins B-6, B-12 and folic acid. Recent experiments have shown that weekly injections of vitamin B-12, B-6, and folic acid are highly effective in normalizing the elevated metabolite concentrations in elderly people.
Joosten, Etienne, et al. Metabolic evidence that deficiencies of vitamin B-12 (cobalamin), folate, and vitamin B-6 occur commonly in elderly people. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 58, No. 3, September 1993, pp. 468-76

Vitamin B12 deficiency and breast cancer
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND. Researchers at the Johns Hopkins University report that women with breast cancer tend to have lower vitamin B12 levels in their blood serum than do women without breast cancer. In a subsequent review of the findings Dr. Sang-Woon Choi, MD of Tufts University points out that serum levels of folic acid are a poor indicator of levels in tissues and that it may well be that there is a correlation between folic acid levels in breast tissue and breast cancer risk. Dr. Choi speculates that a vitamin B12 deficiency may lead to breast cancer because it could result in less folic acid being available to ensure proper DNA replication and repair.
Wu, K., et al. A prospective study of folic acid, B12, and pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (B6) and breast cancer. Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., Vol. 8, March 1999, pp. 209-17
Choi, Sang-Woon. Vitamin B12 deficiency: a new risk factor for breast cancer? Nutrition Reviews, Vol. 57, August 1999, pp. 250-60

A daily vitamin pill helps combat atherosclerosis
CLEVELAND, OHIO. A high blood level of the amino acid homocysteine has been linked to an increased risk of atherosclerosis and thrombosis. It is known that oral supplementation with folic acid will lower homocysteine levels to acceptable norms, but it is not clear just how much folic acid is required to achieve this effect. Now researchers at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation report that the amount of folic acid (400 micrograms) found in most multivitamin preparations is sufficient to lower homocysteine levels in heart disease patients.The researchers conclude that a daily dose of 400 micrograms of folic acid combined with vitamins B6 and B12 will normalize homocysteine levels in heart disease patients.
Lobo, Arlene, et al. Reduction of homocysteine levels in coronary artery disease by low-dose folic acid combined with vitamins B6 and B12. American Journal of Cardiology, Vol. 83, March 15, 1999, pp. 821- 25