High-dose vitamin B12 for at-home prevention and reversal of Alzheimer's disease and other diseases

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, May, 2006 by Joseph G. Hattersley

Methods of Treatment

The most direct method for adding these megadoses of B12 is through intramuscular (IM) injection, which requires a doctor's prescription and a doctor or nurse's instruction. It is about as difficult technically as pushing a pin into a ripe orange (63) and can be economical if a patient can self-administer or a companion can administer.

Another feasible approach uses inexpensive sublingual B12 at 2,500-5,000 mcg (2.5 to 5 mg), which anyone can buy at a quality health food store. Taken in that way, evidence indicates that most of the vitamin goes via the lymphatic system. Therefore, this treatment mode may yield more benefit by avoiding the digestive system. (65)

Causes of B12 Insufficiency

Several common features of modern life accelerate the decline of vitamin B12 in serum through life, including the following:

* Microwave ovens In one test, microwaving milk degenerated 30% to 40% of milk's vitamin B12 in six minutes; with conventional heating, 25 minutes of boiling was needed to depress B12 that much. (67) More importantly, the heat of microwaving destroys all the enzymes in ingested food, which are required to enable absorption and utilization of food. And so by eating microwaved food, both at home and in restaurant and take-out meals, tens of millions of Americans are making themselves increasingly vulnerable to AD, as well as to cancer.

* The Western diet B12 ingestion and stores tend to be insufficient among millions who have for decades eaten RDA-fortified, yet vitamin- and mineral-depleted, processed Western diets, which are also big sources of disease-creating free radicals. (69) Too low levels of omega-3 essential fatty acids in Western diets, harmful in many ways, must also contribute to insufficient B12 levels. (70) Omega-3 supplementation may yield its benefits largely through augmenting vitamin B12. Too-low levels of acetyl-carnitine and folic acid also appear to worsen risk of the condition. (71,72) It's worth noting that in an Alzheimer's disease mouse model, a diet rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids, specifically DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), has been shown to potentially slow or even prevent Alzheimer's disease. (73) At modest cost, we can easily ingest DHA in fish oil or [Carlson's] cod liver oil. Also worth considering is the role of trans-fatty acids (TFA) found in products labeled "zero trans-fats" with EPA approval. In a study of over 800 senior citizens, those with high TFA were twice as likely to suffer symptoms of Alzheimer's disease compared to those with the lowest TFA intake (hsiresearch@healthiernews.com; accessed 2/17/06).

* Hypochlorhydria. Most commonly, B12 insufficiency results directly from hypochlorhydria--insufficient hydrochloric acid (HCl) in the stomach--or by achlorhydria--no HCI at all. The acid should be concentrated enough to dissolve a nail in an hour. (77) Hypochlorhydria is likely caused by zinc/vitamin B6 deficiency (78) and a shortage of ionized calcium. (79,80) (Both deficiencies are typically present in older people.) Lack of enough pepsin or HCl in the stomach to generate the bond between B12 and its carrier protein typically shows with atrophic gastritis. (81,82) Both are also risk factors for gastric cancer. (83) Incomplete digestion of foods due to hypochlorhydria and low pepsin production also can be involved in subsequent allergic response in asthma. (84)