Vitamin B12 deficiency, an unrecognized epidemic?
Although a plant based diet has many health benefits, a deficiency in one of the crucial vitamins for human life might occur. Vitamin B12 deficiency is extremely common in strict vegetarians and vegans who do not use any supplements. Vitamin B12 in natural form is only present in animal sources of food.
The few plants that are sources of B12 are B12 analogues can block the inclusion of the true B12. So the body’s need for the nutrient actually increases. Cobalamin, which is the scientific name for vitamin B12 is stored in the liver, lungs, kidneys and other body tissues. As a result a deficiency might not show for a number of years. Medicine prescribed for chronic diseases can worsen the vitamin B12 deficiency. A miss diagnosis of vitamin B12 shortness or deficiency might happen in such situations. Cobalamin in various forms plays a role in 300 enzymatic reactions leading to DNA synthesis, strong immunity, up to happy feelings.
Mackerel contains a lot of vitamine b12
Blood tests for vitamin B12 deficiency aren’t as clear as they are for other nutritional deficiencies. Methylmalonic acid (MMA) and homocysteine levels in serum are suggested to be additional indicators for a vitamin B12 deficiency. Worldwide there is much dispute about a healthy range serum levels. Nowadays many laboratories transfer to the Holo Trans Cobalamin assay which measures the active form of vitamin B12. The HTC assay is believed to be more accurate in presenting the real vitamin B12 status in the human body.
In this presentation a case study is shown with a miss diagnosis by various medical doctors and as a result a severe vitamin B12 deficiency. The recovery of a severe B12 deficiency needs a careful guidance with personalised integrative care and may take several years to rebalance the body.
Dr Carla Peeters speaker at VegMed congress in Berlin on Vitamine B12
The future is plant based. In Germany each two years a congress is organised for medical doctors on the meaning of plant based food for human health. 24 well known speakers from 6 countries presented their most recent scientific research and newly derived insights. http://www.vegmed.de
The past years there is a trend that more people start to become vegetarian or vegan. As vitamin B12 deficiency is quite common among people eating vegetarian and vegan food. This was an important topic during the conference.
The abstract of the presentation of Dr Carla Peeters Vitamin B12 deficiency an unrecognized epidemic? As well as abstracts of all speakers is published in a peer reviewed magazine Forsch KomplementMed 23 Suppl (1)V +13(2016) www.karger.com. You can find dit here.
http://vegmed.de/user/pages/03.program/_intro/FOK_S1_16_VegMed.pdf
Do you like to know more?
COBALA offers screening for nutrients and biomarkers and personalised integrative care for a better quality of life. For Prevention and Chronic Diseases
Contact us for information