Saturday, January 31, 2015

Clinical Update: The best Form of B12 is......


Vitamin B12? Are you taking the best form?'
The best form of Vitamin B12 has two active co-enzyme forms: methylcobalaminUsed in folate metabolism and brain development, and adenosylcobalaminPlays a role in energy metabolism and the formation of myelin around nerve cells
 

According to this review suggests vitamin B12 deficiency should be treated with a combination of these two forms to achieve the best clinical results, stating also that oral versus intramuscular routes can be equally effective.

Regarding the route, it has been proved that the oral route is comparable to the intramuscular route for rectifying vitamin B12 deficiency.

(European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, January 2015)
LINK to ABSTRACT Treatment of vitamin B12 deficiency - Methylcobalamin? Cyancobalamin? Hydroxocobalamin?-clearing the confusion.

Deficiency Symptoms:

Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms  are both Hematological (pernicious anemia and neurological.  Megaloblastic anemia may result because of the effects of the B12.

Clinical signs of folate metabolism deficiency: shortness of breath, fatique, weakness, irritability, ore tongu, decrease in blood cell counts (red, white and platelets).

Neurological symptoms are seen as a progressive neuropathy with loss of position sense and ataxia. If repletion of B12 is not performed then permanent neurological damage, including degeneration of nerves and spinal cord can result.

Recent evidence suggests that mental symtoms of depression and fatique are detectable before anemia develops.  

B12 is vital to prevent of homocystine accumulation (toxic metabolic byprodduct linked to cardiovascular disease connective tissue abnormailities.  

Dietary Sources:

Cobalamins are strictly from animal food, not in plant food.

RDA:for B12 as of 1989  is 2.0 μg daily (micron, or microgram 1x10−6 )

No toxic effects of oral Vit 12 have been shown, even in doses over 1000 μg a day

Here as Santa Cruz Spine and Sport we like using SpectraCell for intracellular micro-nutrient testing

In Health,

Dr. Justin McLeod

http://santacruzspineandsport.com/meet-our-team/dr.-justin-mcleod.html