Originally published July 30 2005
Vitamin B12 just as effective as shots for the vitamin deficient
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
B12 administered in high oral doses has been found to be cheaper and just as effective as shots for people with a B12 deficiency.
Vitamin B12 administered in high oral doses is as safe and effective as the injected form and much cheaper for health systems, according to a new review of current evidence.
"Doctors may not be prescribing oral formulations because they are unaware of this option or have concerns regarding effectiveness," say Josep Vidal-Alaball, M.D., of the National Public Health Service for Wales and colleagues.
Vitamin B12 deficiency usually occurs in older people as their digestive systems change or in strict vegans, as the vitamin is available naturally only from animal products such as eggs, fish and meat.
"High doses of oral vitamin B12 are as effective as intramuscular administration in achieving hematological and neurological responses," Vidal-Alaball and his team wrote after reviewing previous trials involving 93 patients.
The review appears in the current issue of The Cochrane Library, a publication of The Cochrane Collaboration, an international organization that evaluates medical research.
Because injections require an office visit and the time of nurses, cost is an important factor in deciding which form of B12 to administer, the review says.
Symptoms of B12 deficiencies include abnormal blood levels, psychiatric or neurologic abnormalities, fatigue and gastrointestinal disturbances.
The overall prevalence of B12 deficiency in the U.S. population is unknown, but with an aging population, researchers are concerned the problem may become more prevalent in coming years.
In addition, some people with low vitamin B12 also have high levels of homocysteine, an amino acid, in the blood that puts them at higher risk of heart disease and stroke.
Most people with B12 deficiency are treated in their physician's offices with shots, and although several studies have established that oral supplements are equally effective, they are seldom used, except in Sweden and Canada, the study reports.
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