Daily Archives: July 15, 2024

Our body needs a variety of different vitamins and minerals to thrive, including eight different B vitamins. And out of all of them, vitamin B12 might be the most popular. But what exactly is B12, and do you need to take it every day? B12 supplements are most often seen marketed to boost your energy and mood, but this vitamin plays a far more critical role in the body. It is an essential vitamin necessary for producing healthy red blood cells, supporting nerve and brain function, and making DNA, the genetic material contained in all your cells. While most people get enough B12 through a variety of foods, taking a supplement to prevent deficiency generally wont cause harm. Additionally, it may be beneficial for some populations to supplement with B12, including those who follow a vegan or vegetarian diet or have conditions that cause malabsorption of B12.

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin that contains the mineral cobalt, so is sometimes called cobalamin. It is naturally found in some foods like tuna, beef and dairy, is added to fortified foods like breakfast cereals, and is available as a dietary supplement or prescription. B12 is a necessary nutrient for the development of the brain and nerve cells, red blood cells and DNA synthesis. Since it is not primarily found in plant foods (though some, like seaweed and mushrooms, can contain small amounts), it is essential for people who follow a vegan and vegetarian diet to supplement or consume foods fortified with B12.

Most people in the U.S. consume adequate amounts of B12. Data shows that only 4% of men and 8% of women in the U.S. had food and beverage intakes of B12 below the estimated average requirement (EAR). There are several causes of vitamin B12 deficiency. Some people may develop B12 deficiency if they do not consume enough B12 in their diet, have difficulty absorbing B12 from food, have a condition known as pernicious anemia, have had gastrointestinal surgery removing portions of the GI tract or have prolonged use of certain medications such as metformin, oral contraceptives, proton pump inhibitors and H2 blockers. However, because most people do consume enough through food and the body stores a significant amount of vitamin B12 in the liver, symptoms of B12 deficiency can sometimes take years to appear.

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of vitamin B12 for adults 19 and older is 2.4 micrograms per day. However, if you are pregnant or lactating, the amount increases to 2.6 and 2.8 micrograms, respectively.

The bioavailabilityor extent a nutrient can be absorbed and accessed in the bodyof B12 depends on its source. For example, the bioavailability of B12 in dairy products is about three times higher than in meat, fish and poultry, while the bioavailability of B12 from supplements is 50% higher than from any food source. That said, including a variety of nutritious whole foods in your diet is the best way to meet your B12 and other nutrient needs.

Research has shown that vitamin B12 plays several essential roles in our health. Some benefits include the following.

Sufficient vitamin B12 is necessary for producing healthy red blood cells and preventing megaloblastic anemia, a type of anemia that causes large, underdeveloped cells. Symptoms of megaloblastic anemia can include fatigue, pale skin, heart palpitations, loss of appetite, weight loss or infertility.

B12 is required for neurological function and maintaining healthy nerve cells. Therefore, B12 deficiency can interfere with maintaining healthy function of the nervous system and could even lead to permanent nerve damage over time.

As an infant's brain develops rapidly, adequate B12 is needed to support healthy brain development and produce red blood cells. B12 is readily found in breast milk and is fortified into formulas, so infants' needs can be easily met from consuming these foods regularly. While rare, B12 deficiency can cause failure to thrive and delays in developmental milestones for infants. If left untreated, vitamin B12 deficiency could lead to permanent brain damage over time. If you have concerns about your child, be sure to talk to your doctor and health care team.

Vitamin B12 plays an important role in energy metabolism. For this reason, if you have a vitamin B12 deficiency, you may feel tired or weak. The good news is that B12 deficiency is generally easy to treat, through increasing food sources, taking a supplement or, in cases of malabsorption, via high-dose injection or nasal spray. Oftentimes, treatments can work very quickly, within 48 to 72 hours. Talk to your doctor to identify an individualized plan for you.

While scientists are studying the effects of B12 supplementation on cancer, heart disease, stroke, dementia or adjunct therapy for viral infections, more evidence is needed to clarify its influence on long-term health.

Since vitamin B12 is bound to protein, B12-rich food sources include:

If you want to start adding more vitamin B12 food sources to your diet, find food sources that you actually enjoy. You are much more likely to continue eating them if theyre foods that can easily be added to your daily diet, says Michelle Saari, M.S., RD, a health specialist at eHealth Project, Try to add at least one food source per day. This could mean having a bowl of fortified cereal with milk as a snack. You dont need a source at every meal, but try adding more to your weekly diet, and try to add at least one source per day.

If you follow a vegan diet, use fortified nutritional yeast as well as fortified foods to supplement your diet. You can sprinkle it over pasta, pizza and salads for a cheesy flavor, or mix it into soups or stews, says Laura M. Ali, M.S., RDN, a culinary nutritionist based in Pittsburgh. We couldnt agree more, and love including it in recipes like our Vegan Mac & Cheese and our Vegan Chickpea Fritatta.

When a product is fortified with B12, a percent Daily Value will be listed on the food label in the vitamins and minerals section. Naturally occurring B12 is not listed on the food label, says Grace Scarborough, RDN, CD, a dietitian based in Seattle. Although label reading can be confusing, checking labels and choosing plant-based products that are high in B12 can help increase the amount you get in your diet.

Since vitamin B12 is water-soluble, even large doses are generally considered safe because the body does not store more than it needs. Any excess gets flushed out in urine. However, large doses of vitamin B12 that are required to treat deficiency may cause side effects such as nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, and some people may develop itching or skin rash. Be sure to check with your health care provider before starting any high-dose supplements and to follow up if you experience any side effects.

Vitamin B12 does have the potential to interact with certain medications, including medications used to treat gastroesophageal reflux and peptic ulcer disease. This is because these medications slow the release of gastric acid in the stomach, which is necessary for releasing B12 from food. Another common medication that can interfere with B12 absorption is metformin, commonly prescribed for those with prediabetes and diabetes.

While most people get enough from food sources in their diets, people with vitamin B12 deficiency or the followingcircumstances should consider taking a supplement:

While it is rare, people who have sensitivities or allergies to B12, cobalt or other ingredients listed on the supplement label should avoid taking the supplement.

Vitamin B12 is available in multivitamin supplements, B-complex supplements and supplements containing only B12. The amount of B12 in supplements can vary widely, from 500 micrograms to 1,000 micrograms. The most important thing when looking at a vitamin B12 supplement is the dosage to ensure that it is one that is appropriate for you, says Saari. You should consult with your health care provider before starting any new supplement.

There are several forms of B12, including adenosylcobalamin, methylcobalamin and hydroxycobalamin. However, Methylcobalamin is a better-absorbed form of vitamin B12, says Lisa Andrews, M.Ed., RD, LD, a registered dietitian nutritionist at the Health Insiders.

If your budget allows, choose a product that is USP or NSF certified. Its a (voluntary) third-party verification that confirms the listed ingredients are really in therewithout harmful levels of contaminants or heavy metals that shouldnt be in there, says Lori McCall, M.S., RD, LDN.

Vitamin B12 is an essential, water-soluble vitamin that should be consumed through a variety of animal and/or fortified plant foods, or supplements. The health benefits of B12 include supporting a healthy brain, a healthy nervous system, red blood cell production and DNA synthesis. While B12 deficiency can be very serious if it goes untreated, especially for those who are pregnant or for developing infants, it is typically easily treatable through a variety of supplements, including food, pills, injections or sprays, and even high doses are generally considered safe.

Vitamin B12 is a nutrient that supports healthy nerve and blood cells. It also helps you make DNA, your bodys genetic materials that are present in every cell. B12 also helps prevent megaloblastic anemia, which is a blood condition that can make people feel tired and weak.

Through eating a variety-filled diet that includes animal and fortified foods, most people are able meet their B12 needs without supplementation. However, B12 is an essential vitamin, and third-party certified supplements are unlikely to cause harm.

Even taken at high doses, B12 has not been shown to cause any harm. This is because the body does not store excess B12 as it is water-soluble and excreted in urine.

You may have anemia or feel fatigue, muscle weakness or gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea. Neurological symptoms include weakness, numbness in the hands or feet, tiredness and dizziness. If left untreated, it can lead to nerve damage. If you suspect you have B12 deficiency, your health care provider can confirm with lab work, including a blood and serum test, and provide an appropriate treatment.

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What Happens to Your Body When You Take Vitamin B12 Every Day - EatingWell

As a source of omega-3 fatty acids, fish oil supplements have become popular for people seeking to boost heart health. But recent research suggests that, for some people, the supplements may instead raise the risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes.

For the study, published in the journal BMJ Medicine, researchers turned to a large biomedical database and resource called the UK Biobank. They analyzed the data of more than 415,000 people between the ages of 40 and 69, nearly a third of whom indicated that they regularly supplement with fish oil.

What they discovered is that people with good cardiovascular health who regularly took fish oil had a 5% higher risk of stroke and a 13% increased risk of atrial fibrillation (or AFib), which causes a rapid and often irregular heartbeat and raises the risk of stroke and heart attack over time.

On the flip side, people with heart issues who routinely took fish oil supplements had a 15% lower risk of AFib progressing to a heart attack and 9% reduced odds of heart disease leading to death.

This study highlights the nuanced relationship between fish oil supplements and heart health, emphasizing that universal recommendations on supplements can be potentially dangerous, Michelle Routhenstein, RD, a preventive cardiology dietitian and registered dietitian nutritionist, told Health. It also emphasizes the importance of individualized recommendations based on factors like medical history.

Heres what you need to know about the potential risks of taking fish oil supplements, who might benefit from them, and what experts say to consider before trying them.

Ake Ngiamsanguan / Getty Images

Interest in the connection between omega-3 fatty acids and heart health took off in the 1970s, when scientists hypothesized that Greenlands Inuit people had better heart health because they ate so much fatty fish.

These days, about 19 million people in the United States take fish oil in supplement formmany to treat or prevent heart disease. However, many clinical trials investigating the effects of fish oil supplements on cardiovascular outcomes have shown no clear advantages.

For instance, a study of more than 15,000 people with diabetes found that people taking a fish oil supplement did not have a reduced risk of having a serious cardiovascular event compared to people who didnt take supplements. In another study, researchers discovered that taking fish oil did nothing to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, or cancer.

Prior randomized clinical trials have not shown a cardiovascular benefit, Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, the director of Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, told Health. And this [current] observational study suggests that there may additionally be a risk of atrial fibrillation.

This study isnt the first to link the use of fish oil supplements with a heightened AFib risk. Research from 2021 that analyzed seven studies found an association between the two, especially when fish oil was taken at higher doses.

These supplements at high doses are thought to affect certain chemical pathways in the heart, which can affect how electricity flows through the heart,Majid Basit, MD, a cardiologist with Memorial Hermann Health System in Texas, told Health. This may put people at risk for certain types of arrhythmias like atrial fibrillation.

Basit said, however, that further research is needed to understand how fish oil supplements may negatively affect the heart.

Experts say some people may benefit from fish oil supplementation, however.

For example, fish oil supplements could be helpful for people who dont get enough omega-3 fatty acids in their diet, "provided it's at an appropriate dose" and "sourced from a high-quality supplement," Routhenstein said.

Basit pointed out, however, that fish oil supplements should never be used as a substitute for a healthy diet that includes fruits, vegetables, grains, and oily fish.

Fish oil could also be helpful for people with elevated triglyceride levels, according to Routhenstein. Certain doses of omega-3 fatty acids present in fish oil have shown promise in promoting heart health by potentially reducing triglyceride levels, he said.

However, a better option for people with elevated triglycerides, provided they have also had an adverse event such as a prior heart attack, might be the prescription medicine known as icosapent ethyl, Bhatt said. It is a purified form of the omega-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) that has been shown to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and death from cardiovascular causes, and in appropriate patients has been approved by the FDA.

Experts agree that people should speak to a healthcare provider before taking fish oil supplements.

Factors like dosage, quality, and additional ingredients can influence cardiovascular health outcomes, Routhenstein said.

People who take blood thinners may want to avoid fish oil, which can thin the blood and increase the risk of bleeding, Basit said.

Another factor to keep in mind is that the Food and Drug Administration doesnt approve most supplements before they hit shelves, so theres no guarantee that they contain what their label suggests or that they arent contaminated.

In general, experts advise getting your omega-3s through food rather than supplements. Opting for dietary sources like sardines, salmon, and trout to obtain omega-3 fatty acids is a safer and more heart-friendly approach, Routhenstein said.

Other good sources of omega-3s include walnuts, chia seeds, and flax seeds, Bhatt added.

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Study: Fish Oil Supplements Tied to Increased Risk of Stroke, AFib in Some People - Health.com

NEW YORK, July 10 (UPI) -- For acne patients deficient in omega-3 fatty acids, following a plant-focused, varied Mediterranean diet and taking supplements with those nutrients can result in major skin improvements and quality of life, a new study shows.

The study, conducted at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich in Germany, was published Wednesday in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology.

Prescription medications are necessary to treat acne, especially in severe cases, to avoid drawn-out suffering and long-term scarring, the study's authors acknowledged. However, "the potential of lifestyle interventions should not be neglected," they wrote.

Over 16 weeks, a Mediterranean diet and algae-derived omega-3 supplements led to sizable reductions in inflammatory and non-inflammatory skin lesions in 60 people with mild to moderate acne, the study reported.

Notably, 98.3% of participants without prescription medication had omega-3 fatty acid deficits when the study began.

Acne severity decreased significantly in those who reached target omega-3 fatty acid levels on a test measuring the amounts of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) in participants' blood.

EPA and DHA are the most important omega-3 fatty acids. They're primarily found in fatty fish and algae, meat and dairy from grass-fed animals, and omega-3-enriched eggs or pastured eggs.

"Lifestyle interventions, including dietary recommendations, should not be considered in opposition to prescription medications, but rather as a valuable adjunct to any modern acne treatment plan," Dr. Anne Guertler, the study's corresponding author and a dermatologist at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich in Germany, said in a news release.

"Future studies should build on the foundation laid by our current findings in a randomized, placebo-controlled design to improve dietary recommendations for acne patients," Guertler said.

Although four participants reported worsening of their appearance, overall quality of life improved for the others, particularly in those with acne papulopustular, a moderate to severe form that penetrates the deeper skin layers with irritated spots and sometimes inflammation.

Participants received individual counseling and were encouraged to follow a Mediterranean diet composed mainly of unprocessed, seasonal, nutrient-dense ingredients, and to prepare home-cooked meals.

They were advised to reduce intake of ultra-processed foods, milk and dairy products, and meat. Standardized food frequency questionnaires recorded their compliance with dietary recommendations.

Researchers were able to more clearly define dietary triggers of acne than beneficial foods.

"In the pursuit of skin health," especially in young people, the researchers wrote that "clinicians and patients are more than ever seeking treatment approaches that go beyond the conventional options of topical and systemic prescription medications."

They pointed out that a more profound understanding has emerged of the interplay between environmental factors and skin health. Growing evidence indicates that nutrition is a vital component in the formation of skin irregularities or lesions.

They noted the combination of skin care, diet, pollutants, occupational factors, climatic influences and psychosocial variables can affect the onset, duration and severity of skin disease.

"The article gives attention to the importance of lifestyle adjustments, including dietary considerations in acne, an area that warrants additional scientific investigation," said Dr. James Del Rosso, president of the American Acne & Rosacea Society. He was not involved in the study.

"Lifestyle modifications are not suggested as approaches to be used instead of or to replace established medical and/or procedural treatments," said Del Rosso, who also is research director at JDR Dermatology Research, a medical group practice in Las Vegas.

"Rather, they can importantly partner with and work to further improve positive outcomes for patients."

Dr. Kord Honda, a dermatologist at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, agreed that "it is hard to make sweeping conclusions" based on "a relatively small study."

Even so, "omega-3 fatty acids may help to reduce inflammation, and this study's primary objective was to see if they could raise patients' levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood by recommending a plant-focused Mediterranean diet and supplementing with oral omega-3 fatty acids," Honda said.

Researchers achieved that objective and another one -- demonstrating improvement in acne, and there was a significant change for the better, said Honda, who also is a professor of dermatology at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland.

However, Honda added that this study did not evaluate patients with severe acne, and participants did not use acne medication, which likely would have improved their condition further.

"Treatment of acne can help prevent scarring and discoloration," he said. "It often improves with age, but not always."

Honda recommends seeing a dermatologist to establish a treatment plan. The dermatologist can perform a physical examination and obtain a patient's health history to decide on the best approach. Options include topical treatments, antibiotics and lifestyle changes, including diet.

"Eating a Mediterranean diet enriched with omega-3 fatty acids has been shown to confer significant health benefits in a number of areas," said Dr. Shoshana Marmon, an assistant professor of dermatology at New York Medical College in Valhalla, N.Y.

Known benefits include reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, lowering blood pressure, decreasing triglycerides in the blood, and helping alleviate joint inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis.

"Larger randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm the results of this pilot study and demonstrate causality" for acne improvement, Marmon said.

Until then, said Dr. Nishit Patel, vice president of Tampa General Hospital, "the key takeaway is that diet can play a role in skin health, particularly in acne, as shown in this study."

When people with mild to moderate acne lack sufficient omega-3 fatty acids, a Mediterranean diet and oral supplements can reduce the number of active lesions, even though this doesn't appear to affect facial oil production, said Patel, who also is a professor of dermatology and cutaneous surgery at USF Health-University of South Florida.

To determine if a patient with acne is deficient in omega-3 fatty acids, a clinician would order a specific blood test, said Dr. Angela Lamb, vice chair of clinical operations in dermatology at Mount Sinai Health System in New York City.

Lamb said she advises patients to pursue a plant-based diet, while limiting processed foods and dairy and adding items rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

"I wouldn't necessarily recommend the supplements for everybody," she said.

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Acne improves with omega-3 fatty acids, plant-based diet, study shows - UPI News