Treating Neuropathy With Some Vitamin B

Peripheral neuropathy, which is damage to nerves in hands and feet, can caused tingling, pain and numbness. Manufactures of a high-dose vitamin B supplement, Metanx, claim that this supplement can alleviate pain and improve sensations. In clinical studies it is found that Metanx has alleviated pain and relieved symptoms. The company states, "Metanx works by helping to boost the production of nitric oxide, which opens blood vessels and improves blood flow to peripheral nerves."

In this article it was reported in a study done for 20 weeks that patients who received Metanx and the others who received acetaminophen. 35% of the patients who took Metanx found a reduction in neuropathic pain and 12% found in those taking acetaminophen. This was not a blind study and it consisted of 97 patients who knew what supplement they were getting. A larger double blind study is underway right now.

If it is found that vitamin B helps in treating or preventing neuropathy it could be a big help for people that suffer from this disease. Diabetics are susceptible because of their poor blood supply to the extremities. I am interested to see what this larger study has to reveal about increased amounts of vitamin B.

The Wall Street Journal October 21, 2008

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122453878192251677.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Vitamin B and Breast Cancer

This study looked at plasma folate, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, homocysteine, and risk of breast cancer. They used 712 breast cancer patients and 712 individually matched control subjects. They used a food questioner to determine dietary intake. In this prospective control study they took blood samples to measure plasma levels. Higher plasma folate levels were associated with lower risk of breast cancer. The risk of breast cancer were strong among women who consumed moderate amounts of alcohol. There was an inverse association between plasma vitamin B6 levels and risk of breast cancer was stronger in postmenopausal women than in premenopausal women. Of those premenopausal women who had high levels of vitamin B12 they were associated with low risk of developing breast cancer. The plasma homocysteine was not associated with risk of breast cancer among premenopausal or postmenopausal.

I found it very interesting that postmenapausal women were not as effected by low levels of vitamin B12 in association with risk for developing breast cancer. As the female body goes through changes as it ages hormone levels fluctuate. I wonder if this has something to do with vitamin B12. I do believe that it has a relationship with developing breast cancer.

Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Vol. 95, No. 5, 373-380, March 5, 2003© 2003 Oxford University Press

http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/95/5/373

B vitamins no help in slowing Alzheimer's: study

In a recent study done looking at Alzheimer's patients their was no coloration in slowing the effect of Alzheimer's with a high intake of vitamin B. It was an 18 month study and they found that those that did take the vitamin had lower homocysteine levels, but their cognitive test scores for memory and language didn't improve much, compared with those who took placebos. There were 340 participants who were involved in the trial, 202 took high-dose supplements and the rest took placebos. It was noted that "vitamin supplements are meant to maintain health, not to prevent or treat disease."

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