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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Should You Take a Vitamin B12 Supplement?
Credit - Photo-Illustration by TIME (Source Images: eyenigelen/Getty Images, Sersol/Getty Images) Everyone needs vitamin B12: It helps the body produce red blood cells and maintain healthy brain function, along with so many other things. But are you getting enough of it? Here's what to know about vitamin B12 and whether you should consider upping your levels. A boon for brain health 'Vitamin B12 is important for brain health because it helps protect nerve cells in the brain, which support memory and thinking skills,' says Michelle Routhenstein, a preventive cardiology dietitian and certified diabetes educator in New York. It's water-soluble, so the body does not store it in large amounts, and daily intake is essential. The current federal recommendations are for adults to get 2.4 mcg of vitamin B12 per day. Great food sources of B12 include seafood like oysters, salmon and tuna, beef, and fortified products like nutritional yeast, plant-based milks, some breads and breakfast cereals, says Routhenstein. But some recent research suggests that some people may need even more than that. Vitamin B12 deficiencies can impact your brain function even when your intake levels are considered normal, says Dr. Ari J. Green, a professor at the University of California, San Francisco's department of ophthalmology. In a recent study, Green and his colleagues found that people with B12 levels that were technically normal but on the lower end of the range had impaired brain function. 'We could detect neurological impairment at levels currently considered 'normal,' independently of other factors like years of education," particularly in older people, says Dr. Alexandra Beaudry-Richard, a resident at McGill University and co-author of the study. 'To us, this should reinvigorate a conversation about how much B12 is needed for optimal neurological function.' Read More: Should You Take a Vitamin D Supplement? Other studies have found that people with Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment tend to have lower B12 levels—and supplementation with B12 can reduce the rate of brain atrophy. However, on the opposite end, the study showed signs of a possible detrimental effect on the brain when people had high B12 levels in their blood. 'This warrants further studies to evaluate what healthy B12 levels are on both ends of the spectrum,' says Dr. Ahmed Abdelhak, one of the study's authors and a clinical instructor in neurology at UCSF School of Medicine. Should you take a B12 supplement? You can (and should) get B12 from your diet, but some people may have a tough time getting adequate levels of the nutrient from food alone. Older adults are more likely to develop vitamin B12 deficiencies because the vitamin requires stomach acid to be absorbed, and stomach acid production starts to decline with age. Routhenstein recommends people look closer into their B12 status starting around age 50 or if they are at higher risk of a B12 deficiency. This category includes vegans and vegetarians, people taking specific medications that interfere with B12 absorption such as metformin or proton pump inhibitors, and those who have gastrointestinal disorders like Crohn's, celiac, or atrophic gastritis. You can get tested for a vitamin B12 deficiency at your annual physical. If you are deficient, your doctor might recommend supplementation. Read More: 7 Surprising Symptoms of Lyme Disease The UCSF study authors recommend checking levels starting at age 70, but you can get it checked on a standard blood test at any age through your primary care physician. Dr. Ralph Green, a professor of pathology and lab medicine at the University of California, Davis—and another author on that recent study—says that checking B12 may also be valuable for people who have unexplained symptoms that have been linked to B12 deficiency. For those with declining gastric function, he says taking supplements is likely the best way to promote absorption, and the level of supplementation a person should consume depends on whether their absorption is normal or not. Pregnant women, too, need higher B12 intake to support fetal brain development; if you're pregnant, consult with your ob-gyn about optimal B12 levels for you. What kind of B12 supplement is best? B12 in supplements and fortified foods can be more easily absorbed than from food, especially for older adults and those with absorption issues, says Routhenstein. If your doctor has advised you to take a B12 supplement, it's best to ask them to recommend specific dosages and brands. But Routhenstein recommends following these general guidelines when selecting a B12 supplement. Always look for those with methylcobalamin on the label, as this is the most bioavailable form of B12, meaning the body can absorb it the best. It's also the optimal form for heart and brain health and nerve function, she says. Sublingual (under the tongue) or liquid B12 is often touted for better absorption. This form of B12 does so 'by bypassing the digestive system and entering the bloodstream directly,' says Routhenstein. Of course, no supplement is a cure-all, and there are other ways to support brain health, including maintaining a healthy diet and exercise regimen. Activities that stimulate multiple brain areas simultaneously are excellent at promoting cognitive longevity, Beaudry-Richard says. Practicing a musical instrument, dancing, and studying a foreign language daily, for example, all recruit 'brain circuits responsible for vision, hearing, movement, emotions' and more. 'It's like a full-body workout for the brain,' she says. Contact us at letters@
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
7 Surprising Habits That Can Spike Your Blood Sugar, According to Diabetes Experts
Reviewed by Dietitian Kelly Plowe, M.S., RDBlood sugar should rise and fall, but health issues can arise when glucose remains elevated. Certain medications and not addressing stress are some of the many reasons why blood sugar spikes. Work with a certified diabetes educator or health care provider if you're having trouble managing your ups and downs in blood sugar are natural. What we want to avoid are large fluctuations in blood sugar, either too high or too low. Avoiding these fluctuations isn't always easy—glucose variability can occur for a variety of reasons, like taking too much or too little medication, dehydration, stress, illness and overeating foods high in carbohydrates. Rebecca Jaspan, M.P.H., RD, CEDS, CDCES, describes the process, 'Rises in blood sugar are normal for people with and without diabetes. Particularly when we eat, blood sugar rises, the hormone insulin is released and helps move the sugar from the blood into cells to produce energy. When there is a disturbance in this insulin process, either from insulin resistance or not making enough insulin, the sugar stays in the blood and causes prolonged high blood sugar, which can be detrimental to health over time.' Here are seven habits diabetes experts recommend to help keep your blood sugar from spiking. Stress is inevitable, but chronic stress that is not addressed can hurt your health. Jaspan says, 'High stress is one factor that can increase blood sugar. When we are stressed, the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline are released, which can raise blood sugar and disrupt normal insulin function. This 'fight or flight' response keeps sugar in the blood longer rather than it moving into cells.' Lauren Plunkett, RDN, CDCE, a registered dietitian, certified diabetes care and education specialist and a person living with type 1 diabetes, adds, 'When emotional stress is constant, it becomes chronic and this can lead to health problems over time.' Exercise, a healthy habit, is important for increasing insulin sensitivity, i.e., how your body uses insulin. Regular exercise improves circulation, heart and respiratory health, and is a pivotal part in maintaining a healthy weight, increasing energy and mood, and building and maintaining bone and muscle. Exercise improves blood sugar and can even cause it to dip below normal. However, for some people, strenuous exercise may cause blood sugar to rise. This occurs when adrenaline is released. Adrenaline can raise blood sugar by stimulating your liver to release glucose. In addition, Jaspan says, 'The body needs more glucose for energy during this type of exercise, causing the liver to release glucose into the bloodstream.' This rise is usually short, and 'not necessarily unhealthy,' and 'a completely normal part of our physiology,' adds Plunkett. If you have insulin resistance and diabetes, Jaspan recommends incorporating a variety of exercises and focusing on low- and medium-intensity exercises such as walking, Pilates and moderate weight training. Several classes of medications can cause blood sugar to rise. Medications like glucocorticoids, antipsychotics, heart medications (statins, beta blockers, diuretics), immunosuppressive drugs and hormone treatments are associated with changes in glucose metabolism and the incidence of high blood sugar or diabetes. If you have diabetes, make sure your care provider is aware of all the medications you're taking. And don't start or stop taking any medications without speaking to your provider first. When you are not adequately hydrated, glucose becomes more concentrated in your blood, which can cause your levels to rise. To stay hydrated, women should aim for 11.5 cups (91 ounces) of fluids per day and men 15.5 cups (125 ounces) of fluids per day. This accounts for 20% of your fluid intake from the food you consume. However, your individual fluid needs can vary based on climate, sweat, physical activity and illness. Determine if you are adequately hydrated by examining your urine. It should be light yellow. The American Diabetes Association cautions people with diabetes to carefully read labels, as sugar-free and no-sugar-added claims do not necessarily mean that a food is carbohydrate-free or lower in carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are the macronutrients that impact blood sugar the most. Therefore, if you overeat sugar-free foods, your blood sugar may rise too high. Keep in mind that 'When we eat, our food has an absorption rate that lasts for several hours. Blood glucose rises and typically falls during this time, and the rate of absorption is a result of meal composition. If blood glucose rises while eating and continues to rise between meals, it might be time to talk with a dietitian trained in preventing insulin resistance through lifestyle,' says Plunkett. It's tempting to stay up late to binge a thrilling new show or listen to your favorite podcast, but sleep and diabetes have a bidirectional relationship. Not enough sleep can cause blood sugar to rise. High blood sugar often interrupts sleep, especially if you are making frequent bathroom trips in the middle of the night. In a cohort study, researchers evaluated the risk of developing diabetes and sleep duration. They discovered that people who slept less than six hours per night had a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes. , Research also demonstrates that people with diabetes who have inadequate sleep duration or sleep quality have higher fasting blood sugar, hemoglobin A1C, and experience more insulin resistance. Ideally, aim for seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Try to be consistent and shoot for the same bedtime and wakeup time daily. Frequent sun exposure can increase the chances of getting burned. Sunburn is often accompanied by pain, which can increase stress hormones and, as a result, increase your blood sugar. Skipping breakfast Drinking too much coffee Using a nose spray Not taking care of your teeth Blood glucose is supposed to rise and fall throughout the day. The problem occurs when blood sugar is elevated for long periods, increasing the risk of developing diabetes or complications of diabetes for those people who have it. Knowing where your blood sugar should be and which behaviors elevate it higher than normal is important. Many habits that increase blood sugar, such as too much stress, inadequate hydration and lack of sleep, can be remedied with simple lifestyle modifications. If you are unsure where to start or what your blood sugar should be, reach out to a certified diabetes educator or your health care provider. Read the original article on EATINGWELL
