Today's news article!!!

[Vix]

Hi Lessix
I have that gene mutation (double mutation from both parents) it is called MTHFR C677T if you google it you should find some info. In the US it looks like they often test mums to be and suggest having the test if you having a member of your family with the mutation. Apparently its actually quite common.
I am supposed to take methyl folate instead of folic acid.
Vx

[JDee]

I know it's still not great but at least it's something!!

A similar article stating the above research finished by saying the Chief Med Officer Prof Dame Sally Davies said that women can get all the vitamin B12 they need to support a healthy pregnancy from a varied diet.

So it's still not the full message getting out there!!!!

Jac

[lessix]

Thanks for that Vix.
Better not say what I think of the C'MO's lack of awareness, Jac.

[JDee]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/artic ... nosed.html

Doctors treating broken bones in the elderly to take the opportunity to check for dementia.

Now we all know that b12 def can cause dizziness and osteoporosis and poorly treated can lead to dementia. I wonder which way these doctors will turn - bet not the same way!!!!!

Jac

I read this in the paper the other day and went to find it online tonight. Check out the comments at the bottom of the article. Well done Susan xx

[BeeNumber12]

I clicked to increase the rating on your comments, Susan. Well done. Amazing how medics go to treat the bones, etc. but forget to look for causes of why the elderly fall. Then we have to also consider what their ACTIVE b12 likely is... Growing old is not for the faint of heart.

[JDee]

2nd article on this link is about b12

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/98272 ... ryone.html

Jac

[lozza]

Hi,

My GP went through the cost of b12- injections cost NHS 68 pence and the tablets cost around £2.40 - so as far as she was concerned injection are cheaper for them and at least she know they work.( i guess this is from USA)

regards

Lozza

[Galixie]

[kimks mom]

Good for you Galixie..wow some of comments were heated. Susan you did well. I did comment on the article but it is on his blog. So did Hugo Minney. We both got put down.

~Pat

[Q]

Great comment Galaxie!

Thanks Pat. Hugo and your comments were great! They started moderating my comments so I was unable to reply further. A very frustrating and arrogant man!

Susan

[Vix]

In the Daily Mail today

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/artic ... imers.html

[alan180]

after reading todays mail, i couldn't help but notice the statement from robin jacoby, emeritus professor of old age psychiatry at oxford? 'as a medical scientist i wouldn't advise any one to take high doses of b vitamins yet to protect their brain without first consulting their g.p. my last conversation with my g.p. about dementia & b12 ended with her telling me the reason japan has the lowest levels of dementia in the world is because they eat a lot of fish. I didn't even bother explaining fish has a high level of b12 in it, she is far too clever to be told anything about b12, bless her.

on another note can anybody tell me why japan will treat people who's b12 levels are below 600, according to my doctor thier levels are set too high

[kimks mom]

Hi Alan and welcome,

Norman Thomas, a PAS trustee, and I have been trying for the last several years to confirm that Japan really does have the reference range of 500 - 1300. It is printed in research articles, always with references to another research article. When we traced all of the research articles it went back to one such article that stated this with no supporting information.

Norman and I both have contacted the Japanese Government Department of Health with no success. To date, neither Norman nor I can find the research article or the actual study that gives their reference range as being 500 - 1300.

My opinion is that it is a myth based on the first research article that stated this without citing any study or supporting information. The article below appears to confirm this.

The article below is Japanese and they use a cut off point as being 200 pg/ml which is 147 pmol/L.
http://plaza.umin.ac.jp/j-jabs/31/ft.31.291.pdf

Regards,
Pat

[lessix]

Putting this here for anybody that searches for a paper giving ref range 500-1300 pg/nl from Japan

Serum and cerebrospinal fluid vitamin B12 levels in demented patients with CH3-B12 treatment--preliminary study.

[kimks mom]