Pregnancy, Vitamin B6, B12 and Foliate

In a study conducted in China 486 women who worked in a textile mill were observed for pregnancy. The study took into account the age of the women their menstrual and pregnancy past and most important it measured the amounts of vitamin b6, b12 and foliate they were getting in their diet. This study evaluated that many women were low in these vitamins and their was a high number of loss pregnancies. Of the 486 women 364 of them conceived during the study, 139 of them resulted in early pregnancy loss. Their was an association with low levels of the vitamin B6 to the women that loss their pregnancy. In addition it was also noted that these women were exposed to the toxins that the textile mill produces and the average age for the women of this study was 15 years old.

If the body is not getting enough of its essential vitamins and minerals to support one being then it has a very difficult time trying to do it for two. There is too much stress on the body and this is what leads to the abortion. For a embryo to develop correctly it needs to have the nutrients to do so. If it is being starved of the nutrients it is likely to die.

Preconception B-Vitamin and Homocysteine Status, Conception, and Early Pregnancy Loss
Personal Author:
Ronnenberg, Alayne G.; Venners, Scott A.; Xu, Xiping
Journal Name:
American Journal of Epidemiology
Source:
American Journal of Epidemiology v. 166 no. 3 (August 1 2007) p. 304-12
Publication Year:
2007

http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.ezproxy.humboldt.edu/hww/results/getResults.jhtml?_DARGS=/hww/results/results_common.jhtml.20#record_5

Mosquitos and Vitamin B

As an old myth would have it, started in the 60's, it was claimed that an increase in vitamin B would ward off mosquitoes. As researchers came to discover this clam was false. They set up a study that used people that increased their intake of vitamin B, another group who took vitamin C and another that had nothing. The subjects would take the vitamin everyday for eight weeks. Every two weeks the experimenters used a swarm of mosquitoes to see if there were any effects. The results concluded that their was no difference in the group.

I never heard of this wives tail before I read this article. I did know that vitamin B does help to promote cell growth particularly blood cells, I just don't see the relationship in repelling mosquitoes.

I have heard that garlic works.

http://www2.hickoryrecord.com/content/2008/sep/12/no-help-vitamin-b-doesnt-repel-mosquitoes-studies-/lifestyles/ article from The New York Times

The Aging Brain and Vitamin B12

Published in U.S. News and World Report states that their is a relationship between the amount of vitamin B12 found in the body as it relates to brain function. In a study done representing the elder population from ages 61-87 consisting of 107 participants who where cognitively normal at the beginning of the study they were examined using MRI scans, cognitive test and blood samples. The result to this study found out that people with low levels of vitamin B12 had decreases brain volume. However none of the patients were considered to be deficient in B12 they were just on the lower end of the "normal" range. There is a clinical trial going on now at Oxford that is giving vitamin B supplements to elderly with memory impairment and the results of this study should be complete by 2009.

The study should show with an increase in B12 there will be an increase in brain function because vitamin B helps with brain function and the nervous system. When levels increase in a person that is not getting the proper amount to keep their brain functioning as it should the increased intake should play a role in their cognitive function and perhaps even their brain volume.

http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2008/09/08/vitamin-b12-key-to-aging-brain.html