Vitamin b12
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Vitamin B12 supplements contain cyanocobalamin. The liver is able to convert a small amount of cyanocobalamin to methylcobalamin. B12 supplementation is the commonly held belief that intramuscular injections of B12 are more effective than oral supplementation.
In fact, oral supplementation is just as effective and carries the added benefits of lower cost and ease of administration (2, 3).
Methylation
Methylcobalamin is required for the function of methionine synthase—the folate-dependent enzyme required for the synthesis of methionine, an amino acid, from homocysteine. Methionine, in turn, is required for the synthesis of S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe), a methyl group donor used in many biological methylation reactions, including the methylation of a number of sites within DNA and RNA.
Neurologic Health
Methylcobalamin is necessary for the maintenance of a healthy nervous system. Chronic insuffi ciency can affect the spinal cord, peripheral nerves, optic nerve, and brain. This can be explained by methylcobalamin’s role as a cofactor in myelin synthesis; in methylation of the toxic byproduct homocysteine, which is thought to damage neurons; and in the synthesis of monoamine neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine (5, 6, 7).
Methylcobalamin
is the preferred form of cobalamin supplementation for neurologic health, and experimental research indicates that methylcobalamin shows better transport to organelles within nerve cells than does cyanocobalamin (8).
Red Blood Cell Formation
Like folate, erythroblasts require vitamin B12 for proliferation during their differentiation. Insufficient B12 levels will contribute to purine and thymidylate synthesis inhibition, impaired DNA synthesis, and erythroblast apoptosis, resulting in ineffective erythropoiesis (9).
Sleep Support
Methylcobalamin has been reported to affect the primary circadian rhythm associated with sleep (8,10). Research supports a role for methylcobalamin supplementation in modulating melatonin secretion, enhancing light-sensitivity, normalizing circadian rhythms, and improving sleep-wake cycles (11, 12, 13).
Immune Health
Research suggests an important role for B12 in immune system regulation. Human research demonstrated that methylcobalamin supplementation in patients with inadequate B12 levels improved CD4/CD8 ratio and NK cell activity, and augmented CD3-CD16+ cells, suggesting an important role in cellular immunity (14).
In fact, oral supplementation is just as effective and carries the added benefits of lower cost and ease of administration (2, 3).
Methylcobalamin is required for the function of methionine synthase—the folate-dependent enzyme required for the synthesis of methionine, an amino acid, from homocysteine. Methionine, in turn, is required for the synthesis of S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe), a methyl group donor used in many biological methylation reactions, including the methylation of a number of sites within DNA and RNA.
Methylcobalamin is necessary for the maintenance of a healthy nervous system. Chronic insuffi ciency can affect the spinal cord, peripheral nerves, optic nerve, and brain. This can be explained by methylcobalamin’s role as a cofactor in myelin synthesis; in methylation of the toxic byproduct homocysteine, which is thought to damage neurons; and in the synthesis of monoamine neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine (5, 6, 7).
is the preferred form of cobalamin supplementation for neurologic health, and experimental research indicates that methylcobalamin shows better transport to organelles within nerve cells than does cyanocobalamin (8).
Like folate, erythroblasts require vitamin B12 for proliferation during their differentiation. Insufficient B12 levels will contribute to purine and thymidylate synthesis inhibition, impaired DNA synthesis, and erythroblast apoptosis, resulting in ineffective erythropoiesis (9).
Methylcobalamin has been reported to affect the primary circadian rhythm associated with sleep (8,10). Research supports a role for methylcobalamin supplementation in modulating melatonin secretion, enhancing light-sensitivity, normalizing circadian rhythms, and improving sleep-wake cycles (11, 12, 13).
Research suggests an important role for B12 in immune system regulation. Human research demonstrated that methylcobalamin supplementation in patients with inadequate B12 levels improved CD4/CD8 ratio and NK cell activity, and augmented CD3-CD16+ cells, suggesting an important role in cellular immunity (14).
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