High levels of B12 were associated with an increased risk of early death in a new study – Insider – INSIDER

Having high levels of B12 might not be as good as it sounds. Getty

High levels of vitamin B12 in a person's blood are associated with an increased risk of early death, according to research published last month in the journal JAMA Network Open.

Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient, useful for maintaining blood and nerve health, and can be found in foods like sardines and eggs.

However, researchers at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands analyzed 5,571 Dutch men and women with an average age of about 54 over about eight years and found that the people with the highest levels of B12 in their blood plasma were more likely to die earlier than those with the lowest levels their death rate was about twice as high.

The team was surprised to find the B12 connection held true even after controlling for other factors like age and history of cancer and heart disease.

The researchers said they weren't sure why, and while it may have something to do with the way B12 affects gut bacteria, they said that's just a guess.

People whose bodies cannot absorb vitamins like B12 through food can use supplements, and in recent years the market for vitamin and dietary supplements has boomed.

A 2013 article from the think tank McKinsey said it was partly because of an aging population and an increased consumer awareness of preventative healthcare. But not all preventative healthcare is good, and there is a growing body of scientific research exploring the detriments of vitamin supplements.

There isn't much scientific research backing up the hair-and-skin-strengthening benefits touted by many vitamin supplements. In fact, taking too many supplements can have adverse effects, and a 2015 study estimated that each year 23,000 people in the US visit the emergency room because of supplement-related issues.

A 2019 study found that for already healthy people, taking vitamin supplements isn't likely to do much. Another 2019 study found that taking too much vitamin D was associated with a higher risk of early death.

Many vitamin supplements aren't approved by the Food and Drug Administration. And for the ones that are, the FDA warns that their benefits are limited. The agency said in its latest B12 guidelines that "the body's ability to absorb vitamin B12 from dietary supplements is largely limited" and that "only about 10 mcg of a 500 mcg oral supplement is actually absorbed in healthy people."

Be leery of supplements, S. Bryn Austin, a professor of behavioral sciences at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, previously told Business Insider.

"We don't have any clear evidence that they're beneficial," she said. "Whether it's on the bottle or not, there can be ingredients in there that can do harm."

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High levels of B12 were associated with an increased risk of early death in a new study - Insider - INSIDER