Schuyler W. Lininger, Jr. DC
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 See a discussion of pernicious anemia in the vitamin b12 chapter.
Several human trials suggest that gamma oryzanol (p. 298) might help people with gastritis and other gastrointestinal complaints. In one study, twenty-two individuals with chronic gastritis were given 300 mg of gamma oryzanol per day.30 After 2 weeks, five of these people reported that gamma oryzanol was extremely effective and twelve said it was moderately effective. Overall, 87% experienced some benefit. Another study revealed similar results. |
Joe Graedon and Teresa Graedon
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 One careful study showed that the potent ulcer and heartburn medicine Prilosec (omeprazole) can reduce absorption of vitamin b12 dramatically.1 Zantac (ranitidine) and Tagamet (cimetidine) may also affect vitamin Bi2 absorption. Over a long period of time, it is certainly possible that the chronic depletion of vitamin Bi2 could have a negative effect on a person's health, even resulting in pernicious anemia. Neurological problems may also result. Symptoms to be alert for include burning tongue or feet, numbness or tingling, depression, and irritability. |
Velma J. Keith and Monteen Gordon
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| It is an integral part of vitamin b12. Cobalamin is important for function axid maintenance of body cells. It is essential for adequate red blood cell formation. Vitamin B6, iron and calcium also help Cobalamin with its functions.
Most food sources that contain cobalamin are animal protein. For this reason strict vegetarians may need supplements. The body requires at least 3 micrograms a day. Suggested supplements range from 5 meg to 25 meg. a day depending on your diet, age and deficiency problems. 5 meg. suggested for healthy people and up to 25 for those with suspected deficiencies. |
Gary Null
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 The most common reason for this abnormality is a vitamin b12 deficient anemia. Treatment is different for each specific type of anemia. (See chapter 34.)
TESTS OF SEDIMENTATION RATES AND THYROID FUNCTION People should also be tested on a routine basis to determine sedimentation rates and thyroid function.
The sedimentation rate is a very inexpensive test. In women, if the sedimentation rate is above 20, there is an indication that some inflammatory process exists or is developing. If there is no cold, sore throat, or other obvious infection, one has to seek out other possible causes. |
| He also had a pernicious anemia picture in the bloodstream—the megaloblastic anemia where one gets abnormally large blood cells, which is generally due to a deficiency of vitamin b12 and/or folic acid. We put him on vitamin B)2 injections. Because he lived some distance from my office, I trained him to give himself the shots. A person has to have a series of these injections; usually one or two won't cure the problem. With these injections, he became considerably better. |
| So, with a series of vitamin b12 injections, this woman is now up and about, no longer depressed at all, and perfectly capable of taking care of her financial affairs. There is a good chance that this would have been missed by traditional psychiatrists because they would not have thought to look at the body in this way. It is not part of the routine testing of traditional psychiatry."
Addressing Nutritional Deficiencies_
Dr. |
Patricia Hausman & Judith Benn Hurley
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 It supplies vitamin b12. Just a little of this nutrient can help prevent the serious nerve damage that occasionally afflicts those who eat no meat for many years (only meat is proven to contain this important vitamin). But as the RDA committee notes, "it [is] unnecessary to consume vitamin Bi2 every day" because the vitamin is continually "recycled" by the body. So even small amounts of meat can go a long way toward keeping enough B12 on hand.
• It enhances the nutritional value of grain foods by making more of their protein useable-a help when the protein content of a diet is marginal. |
Gary Null
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| In addition, miso and tamari are among the few vegetable sources of vitamin b12, which is actually manufactured by fungi and bacteria in the fermenting mixtures just as it is synthesized in the human intestine.
Miso and tamari are useful in all cuisines, but because of their high salt content—11 percent for the saltiest of hatcho miso and 18 percent for tamari—they should be used sparingly. Miso diluted with water can be used as a base for a sauce made with tahini; a dash of tamari brings out new flavors in familiar grains. |
Patricia Hausman & Judith Benn Hurley
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| Note: The USRDA for vitamin b12 is 6 micrograms. Foods listed as "good" provide 10 to 20 percent of the USRDA; "better" foods provide 25 to 35 percent; and "best" foods provide 40 percent of more.
Vitamin C: The Controversy Continues
If you take vitamins, you almost certainly take vitamin C. We doubt that there are any health-conscious individuals who haven't been curious about what this now-famous vitamin might do for them.
Some of C's benefits go without question. |
Schuyler W. Lininger, Jr. DC
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| See the vitamin b12 information above for more information.)
A deficiency of the B vitamin folic acid (p. 297) can also disturb mood. A large percentage of depressed people have low folic acid levels.17 Folic acid supplements appear to improve the effects of lithium in treating manic-depressives.18 Depressed alcoholics report feeling better with large amounts of a modified form of folic acid.19 Anyone suffering from chronic depression should be evaluated for possible folic acid deficiency by a nutritionally oriented doctor. |
| Ubbink JB, Vermaak WJH, van der Merwe A, Becker PJ. vitamin b12, vitamin B6, and folate nutritional status in men with hyperhomocys-teinemia. Am J Clin Nutr 1993; 57: 47-53.
12. Ubbink JB, Vermaak WJH, ven der Merwe A, et al. Vitamin requirements for the treatment of hyperhomocysteinemia in humans. / Nutr 1994; 124: 1927-33.
13. Wilcken DEL, Wilcken B, Dudman NPB, Tyrrell PA. Homocystinuria—the effects of betaine in the treatment of patients not responsive to pyridoxine. N Engl J Med 1983; 309: 448-53.
14. Jancin B. Amino acid defect causes 20% of atherosclerosis in CHD. |
| Individuals suffering from pernicious anemia require high-dose supplements of vitamin b12. Older people with urinary incontinence3 and hearing loss4 have been reported to be at increased risk of Bp deficiency.
Vitamin Bl2 Has Been Used in
Connection with the Following Conditions*
Ranking
Health Concerns
Primary
Crohn's disease (p. 48) Depression (p. 50) High homocysteine (p. 84) Pernicious anemia
Secondary
Atherosclerosis (p. 17) Bursitis (p. 30)
Chronic fatigue syndrome (p. 36) Infertility (male) (p. 103) (shots)
Other
Alzheimer's disease (p. 1 1) Asthma (p. 15) Diabetes (p. |
Patricia Hausman & Judith Benn Hurley
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| With a microscope, you can see that blood deficient in vitamin b12 or folate looks very different from blood that is lacking in iron. When iron deficiency is to blame, the red blood cells are unusually small, but when too little of these B vitamins is the problem, the cells are abnormally large and irregularly shaped. The technical name for this condition is nutritional megaloblastic anemia. Among its many symptoms are fatigue, sore tongue, pallor, weight loss, tingling sensations, back pain, digestive upset, irritability, and depression. |
| Many nutrients in animal foods also occur in plant foods, and vegetarians usually can get enough from nonflesh sources. But vitamin b12 is an exception: Only animal products are known to contain it. That poses no problem for the vegetarian who eats dairy products or eggs. But those who eat only plant foods may eventually develop B12 deficiency It usually takes at least several years of a strict vegetarian diet before the deficiency develops in adults. However small the risk, we don't think it worth taking, and do recommend B12 supplementation in this case. |
Ralph W. Moss, Ph.D.
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 This provided evidence that such precancerous changes "may be reduced by supplementation with folate and vitamin b12."
However, writing in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the scientists cautioned that "the results should not be construed as pointing to a potential way of preventing lung cancer in individuals who continue to smoke or as supporting self-medication with large doses of folate or B12 by smokers" (6).
Cervical cancer is the ninth most common cause of death among women in the US. |
Gary Null
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| Comfrey also contains allantoin, a natural cell healer; it is one of the few plant sources of vitamin b12.
A tablespoon of dried leaves steeped in hot water for three to five minutes makes a gentle tea. Fresh leaves can be chopped and added to salad.
DANDELION is an unlikely healer to most of us who know it as a lawn pest, but in fact the entire dandelion plant is a valuable herbal source. Dandelion is rich in potassium, which makes it an ideal diuretic as it does not leach potassium form the body as diuretics tend to do. |
Elson M. Haas, M.D.
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 Some meats and dairy products may be used to obtain appropriate amounts of protein and vitamin b12. Supplemental amino acids with good levels of methionine and lysine are helpful for protein building when protein food intake or energy is low, since they may be more easily utilized as they do not need to go through digestion. It is important to include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables (raw and steamed, and even vegetable juices and soups), and the whole-grain cereals and legumes. These high-nutrient foods contain some calcium and other nutrients that are helpful to bone health. |
Michael Castleman
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 If you consume no animal products, you may become deficient in vitamin b12. This deficiency can damage the nervous system, so make sure your supplement contains at least the DV forB12.
Keep supplements away from children. This is especially true for iron, often taken to treat iron-deficiency anemia or iron loss from heavy menstrual flow. Although iron—and supplements in general—are safe for most adults at the optimal daily requirement, it takes only a few tablets of a high-potency iron supplement to kill a child. |
| Vegetarians risk neurological damage from vitamin b12 deficiency." Vitamin Bn is found primarily in meats and animal foods. Not surprisingly, levels in vegetarians, particularly in vegans, are low. On the other hand, the RDA for Bn is tiny, just two micrograms (two-mil-lionths of a gram), and because humans evolved largely as vegetarians who ate meat only now and then, the body evolved the ability to store vitamin Bn, typically socking away a two-year supply. |
| Those with tinnitus were significantly more likely to show low blood levels of vitamin b12. Bn supplementation provided some tinnitus relief for several people in the study.
Walking
Terrific Exercise, One Step at a Time
CL^ur ancestors did not set aside time to exercise. They simply led physically active lives. They walked almost everywhere they went. They also chopped wood, pumped water, gardened and tended farm animals—all activities that involve a great deal of walking.
Walking upright on two legs is a key attribute that separates humanity from other animals. |
Michael Lerner
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 Krumdieck, "Role of vitamin b12 and Folate Deficiencies in Carcinogenesis." In Lionel A. Poirier et al., eds.. Essential Nutrients in Carcinogenesis (New York: Plenum Press, 1986), 313-30.
24 Hans A. Ladner and Richard M. Salkeld, "Vitamin B6 Status in Cancer Patients: Effect of Tumor Site, Irradiation, Hormones and Chemotherapy." In George Tryfiates and Kedar N. Prasad, eds., Nutrition, Growth and Cancer (New York: Alan R. Liss, 1988), 273-81.
25 Ibid., 278.
26 Robert D. Reynolds, "Vitamin B6 Deficiency and Carcinogenesis." In Poirier, et al., eds. |
Sheldon Saul Hendler and David Rorvik
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 The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences has recommended the following Dietary Reference Intakes (RDI) for vitamin B12:
Infants
0 through 6 months 7 through 12 months
Children
1 through 3 years 4 through 8 years
Boys
9 through 13 years 14 through 18 years
Girls
9 through 13 years
Adequate Intakes (Al) 0.4 micrograms/day »
0.05 micrograms/Kg 0.5 micrograms/day =
0.05 micrograms/Kg
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)
0.9 micrograms/day 1.2 micrograms/day
1.8 micrograms/day 2.4 micrograms/day
1. |
Ralph W. Moss, Ph.D.
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| Half the adults were found to have low concentrations of vitamin b12 in their blood. The longer they had been macrobiotic, the lower the levels. Fifty-five percent of children also showed signs of low B12. Their children were also relatively low in weight and height (15).
In general, however, many scientists would agree that a moderate macrobiotic diet is a safe and beneficial approach to the dietary prevention of cancer and other chronic diseases.
Vj.n.i>v./Hir\. innftAr i
© 'References
1. Kushi M. A cancer approach from dietetics according to the principles of macrobiotics. |
Sheldon Saul Hendler and David Rorvik
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| Dried brewer's yeast is a rich source of several nutrients, including the B vitamins thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pyridox-ine, pantothenic acid, folate, vitamin b12 and biotin, and such trace minerals as chromium and selenium. It also contains beta-glucans (see Yeast Beta-Glucan), ribonucleic acid or RNA (see Nucleic Acids/Nucleotides), para-amino-benzoic acid and myo-inositol. A substance isolated from brewer's yeast called skin respiratory factor or SRF has found application in some cosmetic and wound-healing products, as well as in some hemorrhoidal preparations. |
| There is evidence that some who are on strict vegetarian or macrobiotic diets may need supplemental vitamin b12. Children and the elderly who are on these diets may, in particular, have need of this supplementation. Some have claimed that miso, tamari, tempeh and other soy products can provide adequate B12 in the absence of meats and dairy products. This has not been demonstrated. Nor has the claim that adequate B12 can be obtained from spirulina, sea weeds and other sea vegetables. |
| On the other hand, the neurological deficits of vitamin b12 deficiency can not be corrected with folate administration. Further, high doses of folate administered to those with an undiagnosed B12 deficiency can cause progression of neurological symptoms. |
| Recently, age-related hearing loss has been associated with poor vitamin b12 and folate status. Poor B12 status has also been associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Pernicious anemia is the most common cause of clinical B12 deficiency in temperate regions. Pernicious anemia is the result of an autoimmune process in which parietal cell autoantibodies against the gastric H+/K+-adenosine triphosphatase (the gastric proton pump) cause loss of gastric parietal cells. The loss of parietal cells results in diminished production of the intrinsic factor. |
Earl L. Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D.
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 The following drugs may be reduced in potency or decreased in the amount of time they are effective when combined with metformin:
4< Furosemide Glyburide
These drugs may increase the effects or prolong the action of metformin:
Alcohol
Amiloride*
Cimetidine
Digoxin*
Furosemide
Morphine*
Nifedipine
Procainamide*
Quinidine*
Quinine*
Ranitidine*
Triamterene*
Trimethoprim*
Vancomycin*
What Nutrients Does It Throw Out of Balance or Interact With? vitamin b12 and folic acid. |
| What Else to Take If You Take This Drug
Sublingual vitamin b12 (1,000 meg daily) and folic acid (400 meg daily).
Troglitazone (Rezulin)
This drug lowers glucose by improving cell receptivity to insulin and does not stimulate the pancreas to produce more insulin, like other antidiabetic agents. Allergic side effects are more common with this drug, as well as possible heart failure and liver failure. As of this writing, 33 people have died due to liver damage after taking this drug. |
| Calcium, phosphorus and magnesium levels are affected. vitamin b12 isn't absorbed well by people using H2 blockers. If you have an allergy to one of the H2 blockers, you shouldn't use any of them. If you are using H2 blockers over the counter, don't use the maximum dose for more than two weeks at a time without consulting with your physician. If you have symptoms like difficulty swallowing or persistent abdominal pain, you should think twice about using H2 blockers over the counter.
Any acid-blocking medication interacts with the food you eat. |
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