17 January 2014
A new study from the US suggests that the long-term use of commonly prescribed heartburn and ulcer medication may be linked to a higher risk of developing vitamin B12 deficiency.
The observational study analyzed the health records (diagnoses, pharmacy orders and laboratory results) of 25,956 adult patients diagnosed with vitamin B12 deficiency and compared them with the health data of 184,199 participants without B12 deficiency (1). The analysis showed that among the vitamin B12 deficient patients, 12% used acid-suppressing proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for at least two years, compared with 7.2% of the control group. The patients who took PPI medication for more than two years had a 65% in- creased risk of vitamin B12 deficiency. Higher doses were associated with an increased risk, compared with lower doses. Moreover, 4.2% of patients with vitamin B12 deficiency used anti-acid histamine-2-receptor antagonists (H2RAs), which are available over the counter without a prescription, while only 3.2% in the control group did.
The researchers commented that these findings raise the question of whether people who are taking acid- depressing medication long term should be screened for vitamin B12 deficiency with a relatively simple blood test. It is known that stomach acid aids in vitamin B12 absorption and that suppressing the acids can lead to a vitamin deficiency. Left untreated, vitamin B12 deficiency can increase the risk of dementia, nerve dama- ge, anemia and other medical complications, some of which may be irreversible. They said that vitamin supplements are an effective way of managing the vitamin deficiency. Acid-suppressing medication, which is used to treat common heartburn and ulcers, are among the most commonly used pharmaceuticals in the United States.
21 April 2011
According to a new study from the American Cancer Society there is no evidence that dietary fortification or supplementation with folic acid increases colorectal cancer risk.
1 November 2014
The eye is rich in nutrients and other dietary components that support and complement each other. Some nutrients are necessary for the basic physical structure of the eye, some for the physiology of sight, and others for protection. Nutrients within the visual system can be thought of as a hierarchy representing a complex of interacting factors: while vitamin A (retinol) is essential for the formation of visual pigments, the antioxidants vitamin E, vitamin C, lutein and zeaxanthin help to protect the lens and retina against light-induced oxidative damage, and the long-chain omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) enriches neural tissues including the photoreceptor cells. These nutrients are known to be important for visual development early in life, starting from the fetus through infancy to early childhood. Visual acuity gradually improves until about age four, when it is comparable to that of adults. For adults a sufficient intake of these nutrients is needed throughout the lifespan to maintain visual performance, such as the ability to adapt to low light, recover from intense light and distinguish objects from their background.
17 November 2011
According to new studies, a sufficient blood vitamin D concentration may decrease the risk of heart disease and stroke.
