B12 - The Vital Vitamin

[trauzti]

I reading about vit 12 , for those of us who have been taking supps like ZMA for vivid dreams , Vitamin B12 can greatly enhance the color of dreams. Because it stimulates brain neuron RNA synthesis *1. Might be intressting to try some good dose before the nap time

Those who have a hard time sleeping may need vitamin B 12. Studies show that B12 causes an earlier release of melatonin at night which supports the sleep-wake cycle. B12 acts directly on the pineal gland to provoke a faster release of melatonin. At the tail end, B12 causes melatonin to drop off faster. B12 helps you get to sleep earlier, and may help you wake up earlier if you leave a curtain open to the morning sun. B12 sensitizes you to morning light, which helps you wake up. However, it may not work for everyone.

Some research suggests that vitamin B12 might affect sleep quality and performance. In a 1996 study, researchers explored the effects of 3 mg of vitamin B12 on the quality of sleep and work performance of ten healthy, male staff members of an Austrian industrial plant. The results showed better sleep quality and shorter total sleep time in those taking supplements.


Another intressting thing i was curious about was oral vs injections , since alot of using it via injections with good results , but for those of us who are afraid of needles hehe this might be a good reading

Oral B12 equivalent to B12 injections

by Terri Mitchell


For decades, people have been injecting themselves with vitamin B12 because they thought oral supplements were not adequately absorbed. New research indicates that oral B12 supplements may be as good or better than injections.

Those who have low levels of vitamin B12 in the blood have long resorted to injections of this essential B vitamin, an uncomfortable delivery method at best. New evidence suggests that oral B12 works as well as injections, according to a study published in the journal Blood -but high doses must be taken. This verifies reports from Sweden dating from the 1970s that pernicious anemia, a disease of B12 deficiency, can be controlled with oral B12. Resolving the debate over oral-versus-injections is very timely, given that vitamin B12 is a homocysteine-lowering factor. Homocysteine has emerged as a strong and independent risk factor for heart disease and stroke, and is also connected to chronic diseases such as arthritis, Alzheimer's and diabetes.

According to the recent data, 2,000 micrograms/day of oral B12 cures the symptoms of B12 deficiency, including elevated homocysteine, neurological problems, and elevated methylmalonic acid (a marker of B12 deficiency). The oral version works as well as injections, with the added feature of maintaining high levels in the blood over time. The study showed that after a month, the blood levels of the vitamin in people receiving injections dropped and stayed at a plateau, whereas blood levels of those receiving oral B12 continued to rise.


B12 lowers homocysteine

Although oral B12 did not reduce homocysteine in every case, when it did, the results were dramatic. Some of the people in the study had homocysteine levels as high as 175 micromoles per liter (the optimal safe range for homocysteine is under 6). In the case of one patient, 2,000 micrograms of oral B12 for four months reduced their homocysteine from 113.4 micromoles per liter to 8.2. Injected B12 also significantly reduced homocysteine - the main difference being that the injected version worked faster.

Interestingly, some of the patients did not respond to supplemental vitamin B12. It was discovered that they were also deficient in folate, and until folate was replaced, their homocysteine remained elevated. Vitamin B12 and folate work synergistically in the chemical reactions that recycle homocysteine back to methionine in the methylation cycle. It is also interesting to note that participants in the study with both B12 and folate deficiencies were depressed, had anorexia, and addiction to alcohol. It is well-established that folate or B12 deficiency causes psychiatric problems ranging from loss of memory to insanity. This is probably due to the vitamin's role in methylation - a biochemical process crucial for the maintenance of brain chemistry and nerves. B12 plays a role in the synthesis of serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine.

Intrinsic factor is secreted by the stomach to help the body absorb B12. Older people produce less intrinsic factor, and are thus more vulnerable to B12 deficiency. In the study mentioned at the beginning of this article, high-dose oral B12 was absorbed as well as injectable. No supplemental intrinsic factor was given. Intrinsic factor is usually associated with a chronic B12 deficiency known as pernicious anemia. Patients with pernicious anemia lack intrinsic factor usually because of insufficient stomach acid. Others may have antibodies to the factor - an inappropriate autoimmune response to one's own proteins. Injected B12 has traditionally been used for pernicious anemia because it bypasses the absorption problem. However, doctors are beginning to realize that pernicious anemia patients are not the only patients they see with B12 deficiencies. Anyone with elevated homocysteine, psychiatric disorders, eating disorders, sleep disorders, or who is elderly is potentially B12-deficient. These conditions are more likely caused by diet-induced B12-deficiency than a lack of intrinsic factor. All should respond to oral B12.



B12 and sleep

Those who can't get to sleep at night may need vitamin B12. Studies show that B12 causes an earlier release of melatonin at night which resets the sleep-wake cycle. (Melatonin has been called "the sleep hormone" because of its effects on sleep). B12 acts directly on the pineal gland to provoke a faster release of melatonin. At the tail end, B12 causes melatonin to drop off faster. B12 helps you get to sleep earlier, and may help you wake up earlier if you leave a curtain open to the morning sun. B12 sensitizes you to morning light, which helps you wake up. Very serious sleep-wake disorders have been successfully treated with vitamin B12 in the methylcobalamin form, although it may not work for everyone. Unfortunately, the vitamin doesn't help people who want to cut down on their sleep time altogether.

During the 1950s, B12 was frequently given to heart patients. The vitamin fell out of vogue as drugs took over the therapeutic picture. New findings on the connection between homocysteine and vascular disease, plus the failure of drugs to have an impact on the number of heart attacks and strokes, have shifted the focus back to B12 and other homocysteine-lowering vitamins. The notion that B12 must be injected to be effective has been disproven in recent studies. Swedish experience shows that oral B12 is effective for the treatment of pernicious anemia.

B12 has many benefits, including the reduction of homocysteine, restoration of normal sleep patterns, and mood effects. B12 deficiency is a fairly common deficiency in elderly people who frequently have disrupted digestion. It can cause symptoms that look exactly like Alzheimer's disease, and it's crucial for the retention of folate in cells.



Dosage

The dose of oral B12 supplements for sleep disorders is 3000 mcg a day, while 2000 mcg a day has proven useful in lowering homocysteine and correcting B12 deficiency. In published studies, it took four weeks for the sleep effect, and four months for the homocysteine-lowering effect-so be patient. People with degenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's, should take very high doses in the range of 3-4000 mg, supplemented with SAMe.

There is also the option of taking methylcobalamin, which is the neurologically active form of B12. The potential age-reversing benefits are well-worth the modest price. Methylcobalamin is a form of B12 that is sold as a drug in Japan. It is the methylcobalamin form of B12 that has been used in most European and Japanese studies showing efficacy against neurological disease. The liver converts about 1% of ingested cyanocobalamin into methylcobalamin, but it is far more efficient to dissolve a good tasting methylcobalamin lozenge in the mouth for immediately assimilation into the brain.

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References


* references list can be reached at

* http://www.trausti.com/refs.php

*1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_B12