Wellness Foods - June 2008 - (Page 11)

B12 Vitamins By Rebecca Jensen, Contributing Editor B12 pumps up energy drinks The vitamin is key to many of the health benefits underlying the boost of these beverages. E nergy drinks certainly are hot right now, and one of the hottest ingredients in those beverages is an oldiebut-goodie: vitamin B12. B12 is responsible for the body’s metabolism of fats and carbohydrates as well as for DNA and RNA production. “The body stores about 2-3g [of B12] and loses about 0.1-0.2 percent per day,” says Lori Stern, scientific leader at DSM Nutritional Products, Inc., Parsippany, N.J. Although it may take 2-6 years to lose these stores, Stern cautions, “It is not recommended to let stores become depleted because of the serious consequences of B12 deficiency.” Consequences can include memory loss, disorientation, hallucinations and tingling in the arms and legs. Some people diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease actually are suffering from the more reversible vitamin B12 deficiency, according to a Harvard School of Public Health report. New research indirectly has linked B complex vitamins to protection from heart disease. “There are population data to show that increased levels of homocysteine can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, while B vitamins [folic acid, B6 and B12] have been shown to effectively lower blood homocysteine levels,” according to Stern. As a result, FDA allows a qualified health claim (“evidence in support of the claim is inconclusive”) connecting folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 to reduced risk of vascular disease. Four forms of supplemental B12 are available, according to Ram Chaudhari, senior executive vice president and chief scientific officer at Fortitech Inc., Schenectady, N.Y. Food Processing’s Wellness Foods™ www.wellnessfoodsonline.com June 2008 | 11 http://www.wellnessfoodsonline.com

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Wellness Foods - June 2008 Feeding Baby B12 Pumps Up Energy Drinks Strong as Iron The Lure of Lignans

Wellness Foods - June 2008

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