B12 Alzheimer’s Nutritional Medicine
Wednesday, November 11, 2009 by: Kerri Knox, RN http://www.naturalnews.com
(NaturalNews) When is Alzheimer`s Disease NOT Alzheimer`s Disease?
When it`s actually caused by undiagnosed Vitamin B12 deficiency. This frequent
occurrence is a tragedy in our society where growing numbers of those with
Alzheimer`s Disease are diagnosed every year. Despite having IDENTICAL
symptoms in many cases, vitamin B12 deficiency is almost NEVER considered
as a possible cause.
Alzheimer`s Disease is a growing personal and family problem as well as a
HUGE financial burden for society. And with over 4 million people in the US
alone who have been diagnosed with this 'incurable' disease, Alzheimer`s Disease
is becoming an ever growing crisis. Governments around the world are attempting
to combat this problem by spending millions of dollars every year on research
for drugs, stem cell treatment, genetic manipulation and pharmaceuticals- yet
nothing has been found to effectively stop or slow its insidious spread.
However, doctors in clinical practice are completely overlooking a SIMPLE
cause of this problem that could stop the disease in its tracks. The scientific
evidence is VERY CLEAR that the symptoms of Alzheimer`s Disease could be
RADICALLY improved in many cases if a trial of high dose vitamin B12 were
instituted soon after diagnosis.
"Alzheimer`s associated dementia
and patients with cobalamin deficiency
have identical neuropsychiatric symptoms"
`Dementia Associated With Vitamin B12 Deficiency/
Vitamin B12 deficiency, also called cobalamin deficiency, becomes more and more
common as people get older and some researchers estimate that over 800,000
elderly in the US have undiagnosed deficiency. Yet because few clinicians are
trained to look for its symptoms, many elderly who SHOULD be screened for
this simple vitamin deficiency are, instead, diagnosed with `incurable`
neurologic diseases. These mental changes from vitamin B12 deficiency were first
described as far back as 1902, with much research having been done since that
time. Many times, these changes are accompanied by lesions and degeneration of
the brain and spinal cord on medical imaging that doctors use as evidence of the
Irreversible nature of this disease. Astoundingly, when these
degenerative changes are caused by Vitamin B12 Deficiency, they are actually
REVERSIBLE if high dose therapy is started soon after diagnosis!
"Fortunately, dementia secondary to B12 deficiency
is eminently reversible if the etiology of the dementia
is recognized early and therapy instituted promptly and vigorously"
`Dementia and vitamin B12 deficiency`
Not only is medical imaging worthless in determining which cases will benefit
from Vitamin B12 therapy, but blood testing has little value either. Since the
1950's, several studies have shown that cases of dementia that respond well to
vitamin B12 therapy often have completely normal Vitamin B12 blood tests. Yet 50
years later, doctors still rely EXCLUSIVELY on blood testing and medical
imaging to determine the need for Vitamin B12 therapy. These studies are clearly
showing that a trial regimen of high dose vitamin B12 is absolutely warranted
with cases of new onset dementia regardless of the results of medical testing.
Yet modern medicine is simply NOT paying attention, and this
extraordinarily safe therapy that costs less than $100 is virtually NEVER
instituted. As a result, Alzheimer`s patients who COULD have benefited if
B12 therapy were instituted soon after diagnosis are left with no memory and no
hope.
Resources:
1)
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/pagerender.fcgi?artid=2306220&pagein...
2)
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picrender.fcgi?artid=2035923&blobtyp...
3)
http://www.easy-immune-health.com/mental-changes-from-b12-deficiency....