B12 deficiency: a hidden trigger of inflammation?

[helvella]

This was posted on the Pernicious Anaemia Society forum - but I thought it might be of interest to the many here who have inflammation.

News Release 17-Oct-2023

B12 deficiency: a hidden trigger of inflammation?

Peer-Reviewed Publication

Society of Chemical Industry

A new study has identified a compelling link between vitamin B12 deficiency and chronic inflammation, which is associated with a range of health problems including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and neurodegenerative disorders.

Published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, the research examined the effects of circulating B12 concentration on the levels of two key inflammatory markers in both humans and mice.

Vitamin B12, an essential nutrient with roles in various physiological processes, is known to be critical for overall health. Its deficiency can be the result of dietary insufficiency, particularly in vegetarian and vegan populations, or inefficient absorption in the body. This can lead to a range of complications, including neurological disorders. While previous research has hinted at the potential anti-inflammatory properties of vitamin B12, the precise relationship is not fully understood.

Now, a team of researchers in Spain have investigated the effects of vitamin B12 on the levels of two molecules in the body which promote inflammation, specifically interleukin (IL)-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP).

Rosa M. Lamuela-Raventós, co-corresponding author of the study and Professor of Nutrition, Food Sciences and Gastronomy at INSA-University of Barcelona and Inés Domínguez López, a predoctoral researcher at the University of Barcelona and co-first author of the study explained the motivations behind the study.

‘Since chronic inflammation is associated with a wide range of diseases, understanding how vitamin B12 status influences inflammation could have significant implications for disease prevention and management. IL-6 and CRP are widely recognised as key markers of inflammation in clinical practice, as elevated levels of these markers are associated with various inflammatory conditions and chronic diseases. Establishing the relationship between inflammatory markers like IL-6 and CRP [and vitamin B12 levels] could have direct clinical relevance and open doors to novel therapeutic strategies.’

The study utilised samples from a randomised subsection of participants in PREDIMED, a large clinical trial based in Spain, designed to assess the effect of the Mediterranean diet on the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. An assessment of the serum levels of vitamin B12 and the concentrations of the inflammatory markers revealed a correlation between the two.

‘Our study found that in general, the more vitamin B12 an individual has, the lower their inflammatory markers are -- we call this an inverse relationship’, explained Marta Kovatcheva, a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) and co-first author of the study. ‘With regards to vitamin B12 deficiency, we must point out that we did not specifically look at deficient individuals in this study. Nevertheless, our results raise some important questions. We already know that vitamin B12 deficiency can be harmful in many ways, but what we have reported here is a novel relationship. This might help us better understand why some unexplained symptoms of human B12 deficiency, like neurologic defects, occur.’

To validate the findings of the research within the general population, Domínguez López noted, ‘It will be important to expand the cohorts, to look at sex-specific differences (as males and females often have different biology) and also to investigate the specific situations such as B12 deficiency, infection, or ageing in humans.’

The study also observed the same relationship between vitamin B12 and inflammatory markers in naturally aged mice, offering a valuable avenue of using mouse models to delve deeper into the underlying mechanisms of the inverse correlation. Lamuela-Raventós explained, ‘This will help us understand the biology of this relationship we've observed, and will help us to ascertain any dietary and/or clinical recommendations that could be made in the future’.

Surprisingly, the researchers noted that unlike humans, mice do not become B12 deficient with age. ‘We didn't know this before, and it poses the possibility that studying mice could potentially help us understand how we could prevent B12 deficiency in older humans,’ said Kovatcheva.

The team now hopes to explore the link between vitamin B12 and inflammation, within the context of specific high-inflammation conditions, such as infection, obesity, and irritable bowel syndrome. ‘We already know that vitamin B12 deficiency is not good for an individual, and that dietary measures should be taken to correct it. It will be interesting to understand if vitamin B12 supplementation can play a role in disease management,’ noted Lamuela-Raventós.

eurekalert.org/news-release...

This is a link onward to the paper referred to in the article above (which is more or less an introduction):

Higher circulating vitamin B12 is associated with lower levels of inflammatory markers in individuals at high cardiovascular risk and in naturally aged mice

Full open access paper:

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi...

[Mammaelf]

thanks for sharing this report. Strangely, my GP absolutely refuses to acknowledge this! She also refuses to acknowledge the levo by weight meds. Sometimes I wish GPs would remember they are just that “general”.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Mammaelf]

Well, I am personally convinced B12 has effects beyond its most obvious. But re dosing by weight, I am very sceptical:

helvella's calculation document and spreadsheet can be can be found by following this link:

helvella - Estimation of Levothyroxine Dosing in Adults

A discussion about the use of formulas to estimate levothyroxine dosing. Includes link to a downloadable spreadsheet which calculates several of these.

helvella.blogspot.com/p/hel...

[Goldengirl01]

That is very interesting thank you.

[joydot]

So interesting. menopause has become my friend, looking forward to anaemia tailing off. As with other comments on here - medical community is bizarrely blase about it.

[Marz]

I remember reading (somewhere ?) how B12 is used to help with pain relief in some countries. In my non-medical thoughts I associated this with the myelin sheath, protecting nerves being compromised by B12 deficiency and the ensuing pain. We also understand inflammation can cause pain.

I inject B12 weekly which helps a badly behaving back .... etc

Thank you for this great post which confirms my interest in this amazing vitamin. Heaven knows why it's not a routine test and has to be requested in most cases.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Marz]

Yes - there is quite a bit about its use for pain. But that is very largely ignored.

I suspect that once a major impact has been identified, primarily its direct impact on red blood cell size and other overt features of Pernicious Anaemia, no-one really cared. Its use had been explained, justified and entered medicine. That it is significant in other processes is ignored in the same way that drinking a glass of water slakes thirst - that role is so fundamental, so obvious, details of more subtle effects really don't seem to matter.

Quite a number of years ago, I had fairly severe facial pain and decided to try B12 - too long ago to be sure but I think I wondered if low B12 was a cause. And I ended up using 1000 microgram methylcobalamin like paracetamol - whenever I felt a twinge starting, take one.

No idea how or why it helped, but it did seem to.

[Rosills1]

B12d.org is very interesting

[bookish]

Very interesting, thank you. My B12 deficiency seems to be cellular and genetic (long family history which mirrors that of the thyroid sufferers) and I have a genetic predisposition to increased immune and inflammatory response due to an IL6 receptor SNP. IL6 is not something I've ever had measured to my knowledge - is there a test that anyone has had? The DNA report suggests a need for additional 'essential fatty acids and their supportive nutrients, vitamins B3 and B6, biotin, vitamin C, zinc and magnesium. Vitamin B5 is also needed to make cortisol, the body's anti-inflammatory hormone.' No mention of B12, sadly.

[lovedoncebefore]

Thank you