Vitamin B12 (Methylcobalamin)

 Vitamin B12, folic acid, and the nervous system
Reynolds E.
Lancet Neurology Vol.5:11;949-60 Nov. 2006

 There are many reasons for reviewing the neurology of vitamin-B12 and folic-acid deficiencies together, including the intimate relation between the metabolism of the two vitamins, their morphologically indistinguishable megaloblastic anaemias, and their overlapping neuropsychiatric syndromes and neuropathology, including their related inborn errors of metabolism. Folates and vitamin B12 have fundamental roles in CNS function at all ages, especially the methionine-synthase mediated conversion of homocysteine to methionine, which is essential for nucleotide synthesis and genomic and non-genomic methylation. Folic acid and vitamin B12 may have roles in the prevention of disorders of CNS development, mood disorders, and dementias, including Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia in elderly people. PMID: 17052662

The critical role of vitamin B12.
Volkov I.
Phys Sportsmed. 2008 Dec;36(1):34-41.

 Vitamin B12 affects the peripheral and central nervous systems, bone marrow, skin and mucous membranes, bones, and vessels, as well as the normal development of children. Although there is undoubtedly an association between vitamin B12 and homocysteinemia, their relative influence on cardiovascular events is controversial. Some large studies confirm that a supplementation with group B vitamins did not reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events or all-cause mortality in patients with vascular disease. The outcomes of these and similar trials could have been different had the researchers considered the following points: Using vitamin B12 or B-complex as secondary prevention of cardiovascular events for patients with irreversible changes of blood vessels is probably in error. Rather, vitamin B12 or B-complex should be used as primary prevention. Also, using high doses of vitamin B12 will probably be more effective than using low doses of “group B vitamins” The effect of vitamin B12 on the proliferation of malignant cells has been examined in vivo and in vitro in numerous studies. Their results indicate that methylcobalamin inhibits the proliferation of malignant cells and propose the possibility of methylcobalamin as a candidate of potentially useful agents for the treatment for some malignant tumors. There are many articles indicating the increasing prevalence of low vitamin B12 level in different segments of general population. In order to prevent serious health problems, vitamin B12 routine fortification should be seriously considered and discussed. PMID: 20048470