Association of Low B12 With Diseases Not Classically Due To Vitamin Deficiency
A number of diseases not classically thought to be caused by B12 deficiency are epidemiologically associated with it, raising questions of whether B12 status is an independent risk-factor, or a partial causal agent in these states. None of these causal connections have been proved, and all are under active investigation.
B12 status may be associated with the onset and cause of Alzheimer's disease. Some studies have found no relationship, while several recent studies indicate a relationship between B12, homocysteine, and Alzheimer's. B12 status is routinely measured at the time of Alzheimer's diagnosis, and there is some indication that ongoing measurements may be useful to detect the development of a severe deficiency. In addition to checking serum B12, checking the levels of other compounds (particularly methylmalonic acid) may be necessary to accurately detect a deficiency state, because serum levels do not necessarily correlate with efficient utilization of B12.
A relationship between clinical depression levels and deficient B12 blood levels in elderly people is documented in the literature.
Read more about this topic: Vitamin B12 Deficiency
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