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Two recent studies show that B vitamins are critical to long-term health. In the first of the two studies, which appears in the November issue of
Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers from Cornell University looked at the relationship between a subject's nutritional status and their difficulty performing daily activities.
1 The Cornell researchers evaluated 643 women age 65 years and older (at the beginning of the study) and followed them for up to 3 years. The researchers analyzed their blood concentrations of vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and selenium. The women in the lowest quartile (lowest levels of vitamins) had a significantly greater risk of developing a disability. Specifically, the incidence of disability for women in the lowest quartile of vitamin B6 blood concentration was 17.3 percent. Women in the three higher quartiles had a 12.8 percent rate of disability. For vitamin B12, the rates of disabilities were 16.7 percent for the lowest quartile and 12.0 percent for the 3 higher quartiles. For selenium, the rates were 21.6 percent for the lowest quartile and 10.8 percent for the 3 higher quartiles. Thus, supplementing these nutrients may help reduce the risk of disability.
We would note, however, that these researchers did not state whether there was a correlation between deficiencies in these nutrients and other essential vitamins and minerals. Meaning, it may be the case that those who are deficient in vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and selenium are also deficient in other crucial vitamins or minerals which could actually be triggering the increased rate of disability. With that said, the following study strengthens the argument for supplementing with the B vitamins.
In the second study, published in the November 25 issue of the British Medical Journal, a team of epidemiologists, cardiologists, and other researchers found that supplementation of 800 mcg (micrograms) of folic acid (vitamin B9) per day reduced the risk of heart attack by 15% and the risk of stroke by 24%.2 Meta-analysis was done of cohort studies, past reviews, and randomized, controlled trials on the association of homocysteine and folate with cardiovascular disease and stroke. The researchers concluded that the stress hormone homocysteine "is a cause of cardiovascular disease" and that "increasing folic acid consumption will reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke by an amount related to the homocysteine reduction achieved." In short, there is a direct correlation between homocysteine reduction with folic acid and a reduction in the risk of heart attack and stroke.
1. Bartali, B., R. D. Semba, et al. (2006). "Low micronutrient levels as a predictor of incident disability in older women." Arch Intern Med 166(21): 2335-40.
2. Wald, D. S., N. J. Wald, et al. (2006). "Folic acid, homocysteine, and cardiovascular disease: judging causality in the face of inconclusive trial evidence." Bmj 333(7578): 1114-7.
Are you getting enough of these essential micronutrients? Learn more about the B vitamins on the WholeHealth website. We offer a complete vitamin B complex as well as a vitamin B12 & folic acid supplement. We also offer a selenium supplement. Consider a good multivitamin, of which we offer several.