3ac Health Tips

 

Vitamin B-12 may reduce stroke risk

Writing in the November 2005 issue of the journal Stroke, researchers noted that higher doses of B-12 and other treatments to lower homocysteine might be needed for some stroke patients in order to avoid further strokes and heart attacks.
 
As we age we're generally more likely to develop a B-12 deficiency because older people produce less of a protein known as intrinsic factor, which is essential for proper B-12 absorption. In addition, other factors can interfere with the assimilation of vitamins. Some pharmaceuticals can hamper nutrient absorption from foods. For instance, antacids have been shown to significantly decrease absorption of vitamin B-12.
 
Fortunately, getting B-12 into your diet is easy, as long as you're not a strict vegetarian. Meat, eggs and shellfish are the foods most abundant in B-12. So it's no surprise that in addition to the elderly, B-12 deficiency is also a typical problem among vegetarians.