Maternal B12 Deficiency May up Diabetes Risk in Babies

Women with vitamin B12 deficiency during pregnancy may predispose their children to metabolic diseases such as Type-2 diabetes, a team of researchers led by one of Indian origin has warned. The vitamin is found in animal products, including fish, meat, poultry, eggs and milk. Its deficiency are more likely to occur in pregnant women, who follow a vegetarian diet, the study said. “The nutritional environment provided by the mother can permanently programme the baby’s health,” said Ponusammy Saravanan, Associate Clinical Professor at the University of Warwick in Britain. In this…

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Sensor To Detect Vitamin B12 Deficiency In a Jiffy

Researchers from University of Adelaide have developed a world’s first optical sensor that can detect vitamin B12 in diluted human blood – a novel step towards developing a low-cost and portable deficiency test. Vitamin B12 deficiency is associated with an increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Such a device would enable the tracking of vitamin B12 levels in high-risk patients and early intervention can help overcome the limitations of current testing methods which are time-consuming and costly. “Vitamin B12 deficiency has been shown to be a potential modifiable risk…

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Here’s Why You Need Vitamin B12, And Where You Can Find It

What happens if you don’t get enough vitamin B12? “Vitamin B12 deficiency causes tiredness, weakness, constipation, loss of appetite, weight loss, and megaloblastic anemia,” the National Institutes of Health says. “Nerve problems, such as numbness and tingling in the hands and feet, can also occur. Other symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency include problems with balance, depression, confusion, dementia, poor memory, and soreness of the mouth or tongue.” A paper published this summer theorized that Mary Todd Lincoln’s well-known psychological and emotional problems were caused by a shortage of the vitamin.…

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Vitamin B12 Rich Foods: Are You Getting Enough of It?

Seafood is an excellent source of Vitamin B12 Alternatively known as cobalamin, Vitamin B12 is extremely vital for our body’s functioning. Though not many take Vitamin B12 deficiency seriously, it is the most commonly and easily occurring deficiencies in humans. This water soluble vitamin cannot be produced in and by plants or animals independently, therefore, human body often falls prey to its deficiency as all Vitamin B12 sources include animal derived items. Why is Vitamin B12 Important? Our brain and nervous functions depend heavily on Vitamin B12. It also plays…

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