Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D.
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 Getting some, but not enough, of several other vitamins, including vitamin Bi, vitamin B2, niacin, folic acid, and vitamin b12, and vitamins C and D also might contribute to depression.
Folic acid: A deficiency of folic acid, a B vitamin essential for normal nerve cell growth and maintenance, causes several personality changes, including depression. Poor folic acid intake is found in up to 38 percent of people diagnosed with depression, while some of these people show improvements in mood when they consume more folic acid—rich foods. |
| Researchers at England's
University of Liverpool and the University of Surrey examined the association between folic acid and vitamin b12 status, depression, and weight loss in forty-five anorexic girls and compared the vitamin status of this group with the vitamin levels in normal-weight bulimics and normal-weight girls without eating disorders. They found that 37 percent of the anorexics and 14 percent of the bulimics, but only 11 percent of the healthy controls, were deficient in folic acid. The anorexics also were more likely to be vitamin Bu—deficient. |
| The ability to absorb vitamin b12 decreases with age, so gradually increase your intake in the middle and later years, from 5 to 25 micrograms daily.
Vitamin D: There might be a connection between plummeting vitamin D levels and an increased risk for depression in rhe wintertime, according to researchers at the University of Newcastle in Australia. In their study, people battling depression showed marked improvement in mood when they supplemented their daily diets with 400 IU to 800 IU of vitamin D. |
| Nutrients such as protein, zinc, vitamin iodine, folic acid, and vitamin b12 are essential for the normal development of the nervous system. Insufficient intake of these nutrients from conception through the early years of life results in potentially irreversible damage to the nervous system, thus permanently altering personality, mental function, and behavior. 5. |
| Vitamin B(„ Folic Acid, and Vitamin Bl2
Even marginal deficiencies of vitamin B6, folic acid, or vitamin b12 contribure to a variety of mental problems, including dementia, depression, poor concentration, moodiness, confusion, reduced learning ability, and even convulsions. Vitamin B6 also might help soothe the mental distress experienced during times of grief. |
Russell L. Blaylock, M.D.
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 They proposed that the dementia and other nervous system disorders were caused by poor nutrition resulting in a deficiency of vitamin b12 or folate.
But recently researchers have found a more likely cause. It appears that the critical link is the activation of brain excitotoxins. Doctor Stuart A. Lip-ton and his coworkers discovered that the protein coat of the HIV virus could activate the NMDA receptor of neurons causing calcium to pour into the cells, triggering their death.480
Dr. Melvyn P. |
Annemarie Colbin
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 They are especially helpful in the synthesis of vitamin b12.
In addition, fermented foods improve the intestinal flora, thereby aiding in the digestion of dense protein and carbohydrate foods. Probably for this reason corned beef and pastrami are always served with pickles or sauerkraut, and the Japanese surround rice with miso soup and rice-bran pickles.
Too much fermented food—wine, beer, pickles, sauerkraut, miso, tempeh—will cause some problems, though the nature of the problems will vary greatly according to the particular foodstuff involved. |
Earl Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D.
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 For example, I prefer the sublingual form of vitamin b12 because it is the one that is best absorbed by the body. I also recommend calcium ascorbate for vitamin C because it is the form that I have found to be gentlest on the stomach, and the dry form of vitamin E because I feel that it is the most potent. I want to stress, however, that there is nothing wrong with the other forms of these supplements, simply that these are the forms that I myself prefer.
Supplements should be stored in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. |
Dr. Gary Null
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 Another cause of decreased iron absorption is chronic diarrhea.
"Vitamin B12 deficiency is most often due to a defect in absorption. B12 must be liberated from food via hydrochloric acid and bound to a substance called intrinsic factor, which is also secreted in the stomach. In order for B12 to be absorbed then, an individual must secrete enough hydrochloric acid and enough intrinsic factor. Women with this type of anemia may need to take supplements of B12, hydrochloric acid, and intrinsic factor.
"Folic acid deficiency may also cause anemia. |
Ruth Winter
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 Used as an absorbent for vitamin b12 in nutritional supplement products. No known toxicity.
RESIN, PETROLEUM HYDROCARBON • A chewing-gum base synthesized from fuel oil. No known toxicity.
RESINS • The brittle substance, usually translucent or transparent, formed from the hardened secretions of plants. Among the natural resins are dammar, elemi, and san-darac. Synthetic resins include polyvinyl acetate, various polyester resins, and sulfonamide resins. Resins have many uses in cosmetics. They contribute depth, gloss, flow adhesion, and water resistance. Toxicity depends upon ingredients used. |
| METHACRYCLIC ACID-DIVINDYL BENZENE COPOLYMER • Used as a carrier for vitamin b12 in nutritional supplements.
METHANEARSONIC ACID • Used in or on cottonseed hulls used for animal feed. See Arsenic.
METHANE DICHLORIDE • Colorless, volatile liquid with the odor of chloroform used to dilute color and extract chemicals. It is used to decaffeinate coffee, fruits, hops, spices, and vegetables. FDA permits residues of 30 ppm in spice oleoresins, 2.2 percent in hops extract, and 10 ppm in decaffeinated coffee. Moderately toxic by ingestion. An experimental cancer-causing and tumor-causing agent. |
Earl Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D.
See book keywords and concepts |
| Vitamins
B12—Adequate levels of vitamin b12 may help protect the hearing of people who are continually exposed to loud noise. Researchers in Israel examined a group of 113 whose average age was thirty-nine years. Fifty-seven of the men had tinnitus as well as measurable hearing loss caused by ear-splitting work environments. Another twenty-nine had some hearing loss, and twenty-seven had normal hearing. |
| The utilization of choline in the body depends on several other nutrients, principally vitamin b12, folic acid, and the amino acid L-carnitine.
The body uses L-carnitine to produce the enzyme acetyl-L-carnitine transferase, which boosts choline metabolism and releases acetylcholine in the brain. According to the results of an Italian study published in November 1991 Neurology (November 1991), 2 grams of carnitine taken daily for a year improved the attention span, long-term memory, and verbal ability of Alzheimer's patients. |
Ruth Winter
See book keywords and concepts |
| Aminoglycosides, colchicine, para-aminosalicylic acid, and chloramphenicol (see all) cause malabsorption of vitamin b12. Cobalt and its compounds are on the Community Right-To-Know List (see) and on EPA Genetic Toxicology Program (see). Causes adverse reproductive effects in experimental animals. VITAMIN B COMPLEX FACTOR • See Panthenol VITAMIN C • See Ascorbic Acid.
VITAMIN D2 • Calciferol. A pale yellow, oily liquid, odorless, tasteless, insoluble in water. Nutritional factor added to prepared breakfast cereals. |
Earl Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D.
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| Anemia could also be the result of a defiency in key B vitamins,
'notably folic acid and vitamin b12, which are essential for the production of red-blood cells which carry the hemoglobin. A diet deficient in either of these vitamins could result in too few red-blood cells. Clearly, the right combination of diet and supplements can help to prevent anemia.
Vitamins
B12—Several studies have shown that many people over fifty are deficient in this vitamin. A deficiency in B12 will cause classic symptoms of anemia, such as excessive fatigue, mental confusion, and difficulty concentrating. |
Ruth Winter
See book keywords and concepts |
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Sheldon Saul Hendler
See book keywords and concepts |
 Vitamin B2 Niacinamide Pantothenic acid Vitamin B6 vitamin b12 Biotin Folic acid Vitamin C Vitamin D Vitamin E
Vitamin K (as K1 or phytonadione) Minerals
Calcium Copper Chromium
Iron (as ferrous sulfate, ferrous fumarate, or carbonyl iron) Magnesium Manganese Molybdenum Selenium Zinc Iodine
(See Basic Formulas for Men and Women for recommended form of each nutrient) mentary calcium may help in the prevention of this disease. More recently, there is some evidence that the trace mineral boron and vitamin K may also help. |
James A. Duke, Ph.D.
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 Excess folic acid can cause progressive nerve damage in people with vitamin b12 deficiencies. Doses as low as 400 meg a day can mask a B12 deficiency.
Glucosamine May cause upset stomach, heartburn, or diarrhea.
Hydrochloric acid Magnesium
Niacin
SAM-e
(S-adenosylmethionine) Selenium
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
Vitamin C
Vitamin D
Vitamin E
Zinc
Use only under the care of a qualified practitioner.
If you have heart or kidney problems, check with your doctor before beginning supplementation in any amount. Doses above 350 mg a day can cause diarrhea in some people. |
Sheldon Saul Hendler
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| Deficiency leads to an anemia which is very similar to that caused by vitamin b12 deficiency. This type of anemia is called megaloblastic anemia. Folic acid deficiency can exist, however, without anemia and can produce a broad spectrum of symptoms including generalized weakness, easy fatigability, irritability and cramps.
Most folic acid deficiency results from unbalanced diet. Alcoholics are good candidates for this deficiency. So are the elderly because of their frequently poor diets, malabsorption problems and drug interactions. Pregnancy puts women at risk. |
Ronald L. Hoffman, M.D.
See book keywords and concepts |
 Folic acid, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, riboflavin, and vitamin b12 all play an important role in sustaining immune function. Of all the B vitamins, pyridoxine, or vitamin B6, has the most profound effect
TU
UN 1 CLUOCIN 1 IVltLUl^IlNll on the immune system. Low levels can globally suppress immunity, inhibiting both antibody production and cell-mediated immune response. Curiously, vitamin B6 deficiency is one of the most common of all vitamin deficiencies, especially among the elderly, who typically have a reduced immune response. |
Sheldon Saul Hendler
See book keywords and concepts |
| See sections on choline, methionine, folic acid and vitamin b12 for more information.)
Active forms of the lipotropes choline and methionine are cytidine diphosphate choline, or CDP-choline, and S-adenosylmethionine, or SAM. CDP-choline is available as an injectable drug in Japan and Italy. It is used as a brain-circulation stimulator to treat disturbances of consciousness that may follow a brain injury or brain surgery. The drug has also been used in Alzheimer's disease, severe depression, Parkinson's disease and other degenerative brain disorders. |
| Comfrey has been said to be an excellent source of vitamin b12, which does not appear to be true. Comfrey ointments may be useful in the treatment of wounds because of the high allantoin content. The topical (external) use of comfrey should be safe, since the alkaloids require the liver for conversion to toxic metabolites. However, because of the herb's toxicity, I would recommend not using it internally at all.
Cruciferous Vegetables
(Cancer Fighters)
Once again, your mother was right when she told you: "Eat your vegetables; they're good for you. |
Earl Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D.
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| For many people over age sixty, a lack of vitamin b12 may be responsible for certain neurologic symptoms ranging from weakness, lack of balance, mood changes, disorientation, and memory loss. Doctors at the University Hospital of Maastricht in the Netherlands have found that otherwise healthy people with lower blood levels of B12 don't perform as well on mental tests as people with higher levels. |
Donald R. Yance, j r.,C.N., M.H., A.H.G., with Arlene Valentine
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 Angelica also contains vitamin b12 and is therefore useful in the treatment of anemia caused by chemotherapy.70
Echinacea {Angustifolia and Purpurea)
Echinacea is perhaps the best-known herb for the enhancement of immune function. It promotes T-cell activation, interferon production, natural killer-cell activity, antibody binding, lymphatic function, and macrophage phagocytosis. Echinacea increases the reticulo-endothelial layer to boost production of alpha, beta, and gamma globulin, which increases antibodies. |
Dr. Gary Null
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| Causes
Reasons for infertility include endometriosis (see chapter 9, Endometriosis); poor diet; deficiencies in folic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin b12, and iron; heavy metal toxicity; obesity; immature sex organs; abnormalities of the reproductive system; hormonal imbalances: and genetic damage from electromagnetic radiation. In men, saunas and excessive vigorous exercise can diminish sperm production.
It may be surprising to learn that the birth control pill, and other sources of estrogen, can add to the problem. |
| Glycosylated Hemoglobin (HbAlc) in Iron and vitamin b12 Deficiency," Journal of Internal Medicine 227 (1990): 33-136. d BIRTH CONTROL
In the United States of the 1990s, no subject is more volatile or more politicized than that of birth control. My goal in this chapter is not to add to any side of the debate but merely to make sure that the information already available to some in the alternative health community is available to all.
No currently available form of birth control is 100 percent effective and risk free, and no single form of birth control is right for everyone. |
Natural Prescriptions: Dr. Giller's Natural Treatments & Vitamin Therapies For Over 100 Common AilmentsRobert M. Giller, M.D.
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| Vitamin B12:1,000 meg. daily dissolved under the tongue.
• Ginkgo biloba: 40 mg. three to four times daily.
• Choline: 650 mg. three times daily.
• Zinc: 50 mg. daily.
IN ADDITION: In one recent study, thirty patients with Alzheimer's took the following supplements daily: 6 g. of evening primrose oil, 90 mg. of zinc sulfate, and 2 mg. of selenium. These patients had significant improvements in performace tests.
Another study found that patients who received supplements of L-carnitine had less deterioration in attention span and performance of tasks. They received 2.5 g. |
| Many Alzheimer's victims have significantly low levels of vitamin b12. Since typical blood tests often do not reveal this deficiency, there has been some skepticism about B12 supplementation for Alzheimer's sufferers. But the fact is, a deficiency need not be severe enough to reveal itself in a blood test in order to cause symptoms, and sometimes changes in the blood never occur even though there are severe deficiencies in other tissues. B12 deficiency is associated with depression, memory lapses, confusion, and neurologic degeneration—all symptoms shared by Alzheimer's victims. |
| Finally, magnesium and vitamin b12 supplementation can also be helpful.
Natural Prescription for asthma
• Become familiar with the triggers to asthma listed on pages 24-25 and try to avoid them.
• If you suffer from nighttime or early-morning asthma, consider an allergy to dust.
• Drink plenty of fluids, ideally one half cup of liquid every hour.
• Drink warm liquids, including herbal teas and soups, to relax bronchial passages.
• If you feel an attack coming on and medication is not available, drink one or two cups of caffeinated coffee. |
Ruth Winter
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| More than one in five older Americans may need to take vitamin b12 by injection to prevent neurological disorders, because their stomach acid does not enable them to absorb the vitamin from foods. The condition, known as atrophic gastritis, affects at least 20 percent of people over the age of sixty. Recommended daily allowance: neonates and infants to six months, 0.3 meg. Infants six months to one year, 0.5 meg. Children over one year to three years, 0.7 meg. Children four to six years, 1 meg. Adults and children eleven years and over, 2 meg. Pregnant women, 2.2 meg. Lactating women, 2.6 meg. |
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