Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin and is essential for basic biochemical reactions in the human body. Key functions of vitamin B12 associated proteins and enzymes include DNA synthesis, DNA repair, cell division and growth.
Certain foods are higher in vitamin B12 including meat, eggs, dairy products and seafood and are often suggested as a ways to increase vitamin B12 blood levels.
Clinically speaking low or deficient levels of vitamin B12 are associated with anemia or a lack of red blood cells.
More recently, studies have begun to suggest that low vitamin B12 can contribute to degenerative diseases such as stroke, dementia and osteoporosis.
A recent clinical study of Koreans determined vitamin B12 status with the results published in the journal Nutrition Research.
Here are the details of the study
– Patients: 141 Korean adults 20 to 64 years of age living in the Seoul metropolitan area were enrolled in the study.
– The interpretive criteria for plasma vitamin B12 concentration were <125 pmol/L for vitamin B12 deficiency and 125 to <250 pmol/L for marginally deficient vitamin B12 status.
Here are the results
– The top 10 major food sources were Pacific oyster, laver, mackerel, anchovy, beef, blue crab, Venus clam, Pacific saury, whip-arm octopus, and cow’s milk. The top 10 foods provided 60.66% of the dietary intake, whereas the top 30 foods provided 89.35% of the dietary intake.
– The average plasma vitamin B12 concentration was 254.8 ± 98.8 pmol/L in the men and 228.3 ± 125.5 pmol/L in the women.
– Approximately 17% of the subjects had plasma vitamin B12 concentration < 125 pmol/L, indicating a biochemical deficiency of vitamin B12.
– 36% of the subjects had marginal vitamin B12 status (125 to <250 pmol/L).
Here are the results of another clinical trial evaluating vitamin B12 levels in pregnant women
Here are comments made by the authors of the study
The mean dietary vitamin B12 intake (8.7 μg/d) in this study was similar to the intake levels reported in a recent study of Korean adults (8.9 μg/d)
And
17% of the subjects were vitamin B12 deficient, and 36.2% had marginal vitamin B12 status.
And
The bioavailability of vitamin B12 varies from 11% to 89% depending on the type of food source [32], and major food sources of vitamin B12 differ between Koreans and people in Western countries.
Take away message
The results of this study found that the average vitamin B12 consumption from food was similar to other studies performed. Most remarkable for this study was that in Korean population more than 50% of the people were vitamin B12 deficient or had ‘marginal’ vitamin B12 status.
For vegetarians and individuals who consume little to no meat or fish supplementation of vitamin B12 is essential. Vitamin B12 is essential for our health and supports our red blood cell function, bone health, brain function and mood, and can prevent nerve damage.
Reference
One-half of Korean adults studied had marginal vitamin B12 status assessed by plasma vitamin B12. Nutrition Research. Volume 50, February 2018, Pages 37-43
His research on plant medicine has led to more than 45 publications and abstracts.This research has been presented at international meetings in the USA, France, Turkey, Peru, Israel, Austria, and Italy.
Categories: Clinical Trials, Food, Heart, Vitamins