Long term health problems related to a Vitamin B12 deficiency

Vitamin B12 deficiency has been associated with the development of age related macular degeneration (AMD) and risk of frailty, both leading causes of disability in the elderly.

AMD is the leading cause of vision loss in the elderly. Risk factors include increasing age, family history, hypertension, smoking, obesity, sunlight exposure and hypercholesterolemia. Some but not all cross sectional studies have found lower vitamin B12 concentrations in AMD cases. However, a recent RCT with 5205 female health professionals at risk of vascular disease found a 34% reduction in the relative risk of AMD after supplementation with vitamins B12, B6 and folate (daily doses of 1 mg, 50 mg, 2.5 mg respectively).

Frailty is characterised by muscle wasting, diminished strength, often with weight loss with or without reduced nutritional intake. Frailty is associated with an increased vulnerability to stresses, causing longer and more complicated recovery from illness or surgery.

Increased risk of frailty and disability has been associated with poor B vitamin status. Subjects with vitamins B12 and B6 in the lowest quintiles and subjects with elevated MMA and tHcy concentrations, have been found to have increased risk of decline in physical function and the development of frailty. Two cross sectional studies found the length of hospital stay was associated with poor vitamin B12 status as assessed by MMA and serum vitamin B12 concentrations. To date there are limited studies, however, if improvements in nutrition can delay frailty progression, it could significantly enhance the independence of the increasing numbers of older people.

A meta-analysis review identified a correlation between tHcy and Alzheimer’s Disease, and suggested the effect was due to lower levels of vitamins B12, B6 and folate. These studies suggest a role for vitamin B12 in the prevention of cognitive decline. However, more long-term studies using biomarkers of vitamin B12 status and intervention studies from mid-life are needed to determine the effects of B vitamins on cognition.

Comments

How To Clean And Maintain Your Electric Guitar Fretboard

Finished and Unfinished Fretboards The guitar community is torn in a debate about whether the material of a fretboard makes any difference. Some believe that a rosewood fretboard is markedly different from ebony, while others say there’s hardly any difference. But when it comes to cleaning, you will need to be cautious. Primarily, the focus is on fretboard cleaning, but other guitar parts are involved, like the neck and tuning pegs. And if your electric guitar has a fretboard that uses unfinished wood, things are tricky, demanding extreme caution. So, it’s recommended to oil unfinished fretboards for obvious reasons. When you leave wood for a long time, it turns hard, thereby making it difficult for the truss rod-neck adjustment. Unoiled fretboards can also crack in places that look bad and hamper your guitar play. How To Start Cleaning Your FretBoard For maple fretboards, you don’t have to spend time oiling. Typically, they are pre-hydrat...

5 Gibson Guitars You Should Go For

Gibson SG is a model that was introduced in the year 1961. The splendid feature of this guitar is that it is lightweight. You can easily find the vintage Gibson guitar parts very easily for this one. It is made of mahogany wood which is quite durable and strong. It has a small and extra-thin neck that can be played by anyone. This increases the playability of the guitar in a big way. It is also cheaper than the previous Gibson models. The versatile design makes it repairable and parts for Gibson guitars are easily available. It also produces sounds that are fully balanced. However the joint on the neck is slightly weak that can affect sound quality. It can break easily and is fragile due to its super thin nature. The Les Paul model is the model that was released before the SG or Solid Guitar. This Ultima model from Les Paul is a little expensive and is a total vintage collection. These look classy, luxurious and has explicitly handcrafted features. It ha...

How to Repair Binding around the Body of an Acoustic Guitar

What is Acoustic Guitar Body Binding? Almost all acoustic guitars have some type of binding around the edges where the top and back meet the sides. Many acoustic guitars also have binding around the fretboard and peghead. Acoustic guitar binding can be made out of many different kinds of material including: various woods, plastic, or celluloid. A “true” binding around the body of the guitar is inlayed or glued in a channel cut from the body. A router is used to cut a small channel or shelf on the edges of the guitar for the binding to sit on. The binding is then bent and shaped to fit the body and glued in place. Most of the time decretory purfling strips are usually inlayed next to the binding. Purfling strips are thin laminate pieces of wood dyed different colors. You might ask, what is the purpose of binding on an acoustic guitar and why don’t all guitars have binding. Acoustic guitars have the edges bound to create stronger joints between the top, sides, and back of the...

Nethan Vines

Search This Blog