Vitamin B12 Information

Summaries of the Latest Vitamin B12 Research Studies!

• Vitamin B12 May Help With Periodic Fever in Children
• Does Vitamin B12 Help With Dementia and Depression?
• Pharmacological dose of vitamin B12 is as effective as low-dose folinic acid in correcting hyperhomocysteinemia of hemodialysis patients.

Periodic fever responds to vitamin B12 treatment.Naimer S, Volkov I.

Department of Family Medicine, Siaal Research Center for Family Medicine and Primary Care, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Beer-Sheva, Hogla street, 6, Lehavim, 85338, Beersheba, Israel.

Periodic fever of childhood is a group of diseases that cause repeated febrile illnesses with various associated symptoms. In our article, we present the case of a 6-year-old girl with unusual appearance of periodic fever syndrome. Our patient suffered from repeated episodes of high fever from the age of 2 years old. Each episode usually lasted 24-48 h, the interval between events was 1-3 weeks long. During high fever episodes the child usually felt well, without associated accompanying complaints. As a rule, the physical examination did not reveal any pathologic finding explaining the fever. During the 4 years of follow-up the patient sustained treatment attempts with prednisone for a number of months and half a year with colchicine without any response. We considered treatment with sublingual tablets of vitamin B12 (VIT B12). Beyond all expectation, we witnessed complete resolution of attacks during the first 2 months following treatment. After a long episode-free period, the parents withheld the treatment on their own accord, and in a short time the disease recurred. We advised to renew the treatment with VIT B12, and during approximately half year of follow-up there were no recurrences of periodic fever. Conclusion: we believe that our observation raises interest in systematic evaluation of the therapeutic role of VIT B12 as a treatment option for disorders of the periodic fever spectrum.

Vitamin B12 Information - Study 2

Homocysteine, folate and vitamin B12 in neuropsychiatric diseases: review and treatment recommendations.Stanger O, Fowler B, Piertzik K, Huemer M, Haschke-Becher E, Semmler A, Lorenzl S, Linnebank M.Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Clinic for Heart Surgery, OGK Institute for Applied Aminoacid and Vitamin Research, Müllner Hauptstrasse 48, A-5020 Salzburg, Austria. o.stanger@salk.at

In Europe, neuropsychiatric diseases currently make up approximately a third of the total burden of disease. In 2004, 27% of the overall population was affected by at least one of the most frequent neuropsychiatric diseases such as Alzheimer's dementia, Parkinson's disease, stroke or depression. The annual costs of care exceed those of cancer, cardiovascular conditions and diabetes. In order to delay the onset or course of neurodegenerative diseases, the available potential should be utilized. As well as improving quality of life of patients and relatives, this may reduce the great financial burden caused by neurodegenerative disorders. However, the availability of established drugs or therapeutic agents is very limited. This paper reviews the state of current knowledge as to how homocysteine metabolism is relevant for neurodegenerative and other neuropsychiatric diseases, with particular emphasis on the evidence for prophylactic and therapeutic strategies. In the European countries, many people do not take the recommended daily minimum amount of folate and vitamin B12. Deficiency of these vitamins and secondary changes in the concentrations of associated metabolites, such as methylmalonic acid and homocysteine, may contribute to the onset and progression of neuropsychiatric diseases. This paper reviews the evidence regarding whether substitution of folate and vitamin B12 is beneficial, for example, in cerebrovascular disease, dementia and depression.

Vitamin B12 Information - Study 3

Pharmacological dose of vitamin B12 is as effective as low-dose folinic acid in correcting hyperhomocysteinemia of hemodialysis patients.Chiu YW, Chang JM, Hwang SJ, Tsai JC, Chen HC.

Division of Nephrology, Departments of Internal Medicine and Renal Care, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

Various regimens of folic acid-based and vitamin B12 (Vit B12) supplementations have been tried for lowering plasma homocysteine (Hcy) levels in uremic patients. However, the therapeutic potency of low-dose folic acid and Vit B12 alone is not properly understood. In this study, seventy-five patients on chronic hemodialysis (HD) therapy were randomized into three groups. The FNA group received intravenous (IV) supplementation with folinic acid 3 mg weekly; the Vit B12 group received IV supplementation with vitamin B12 1 mg weekly; and the combination group received IV supplementation with both agents weekly. Blood levels of Hcy, folic acid, and Vit B12 were measured monthly for three months. After three months of treatment, plasma levels of Hcy decreased significantly in all three groups when compared with their baselines (all p < 0.05). The final Hcy level was significantly lower in the combination group (11.5 +/- 2.3 micromol/L) when compared with that of the FNA group (15.9 +/- 5.6 micromol/L, p < 0.05) but not with the Vit B12 group (15.9 +/- 11.6 micromol/L), although their baseline levels were similar. The percentage decreases of tHcy at the end of the treatment in the FNA group, Vit B12 group, and combination group were 16.4%, 29.3%, and 38.9% respectively. Our study showed that IV pharmacologic dose of Vit B12 alone is as effective as low-dose folic acid in correcting hyperhomocysteinemia in chronic HD patients, and combining both drugs in low doses may have added effects.

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