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Vitamin B12 May Provide Pancreatic Protection

Two recent studies have put the spotlight on the potential of vitamin B12 in reducing both the risk and severity of acute pancreatitis.

Two recent studies have put the spotlight on the potential of vitamin B12 in reducing both the risk and severity of acute pancreatitis. When taken together, these studies highlight the importance of maintaining adequate B12 levels and may be of increased relevance in populations at higher risk of deficiency, such as older adults and those on vegan diets, suggesting that potentially B12 could become an affordable and effective method that may help prevent or reduce the severity of acute pancreatitis.

What is pancreatitis? 

Acute pancreatitis is one of the leading causes of hospital admission due to gastrointestinal disease. Around 20% of patients will develop moderate or severe acute pancreatitis which is a sudden inflammation of the pancreas that can often lead to significant illness and a high risk of mortality. The main symptom is abdominal pain which can radiate to the back. 

Research suggests that the most common risk factors are gallstones, infections, obesity, diabetes, smoking, family history, and alcohol consumption. Most people will recover after getting the right treatment, but in severe cases, acute pancreatitis can cause lifelong complications such as bleeding, serious tissue damage, infection, and cysts affecting quality of life.

The first study 

A 2021 study published in Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity found that vitamin B12 had protective effects and demonstrated that it helps to protect against acute pancreatitis by reducing oxidative stress and improving mitochondrial function. In this study, B12 was found to help maintain GSH levels by activating the enzyme CBS thus combating oxidative damage in the pancreas and improving mitochondrial health. The researchers linked this protective effect to the CBS/SIRT1 pathway, which helps prevent oxidative stress and acinar cell necrosis, which are both key factors in pancreatic damage.

The second study

A 2024 study from Sichuan University in China combined human genetic analysis with animal research. Using data from large population studies including the UK Biobank and FinnGen Consortium, Mendelian randomization was applied which revealed that those with genetic variants linked to higher vitamin B12 levels had a lower risk of developing acute pancreatitis.  

To further investigate, animal experiments showed that mice lacking in gene CD320 which is essential for B12 uptake developed more severe pancreatitis, while normal mice treated with B12 supplementation displayed reduced inflammation and damage, likely explained by the increased production of cellular energy (ATP).

“These exciting new findings add to the growing evidence that vitamin B12 can reduce the severity of acute pancreatitis by increasing ATP levels in pancreatic tissue, offering novel insights into potential therapeutic strategies for this disease,” concluded senior author Prof. Dr. Xianming Mo from the West China Center of Excellence for Pancreatitis. “This study lays a robust foundation for future clinical applications of vitamin B12 in managing acute pancreatitis.”

More about vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is also known as cobalamin, and it is a water-soluble essential nutrient found within foods of animal origin like dairy products, eggs, meat, and fish. It is important to many bodily functions such as DNA synthesis, red blood cell formation, nerve function, energy conservation, anemia prevention, protein metabolism, protecting against macular degeneration, and helping to maintain homocysteine levels. Symptoms of low levels of vitamin B12 can include but are not limited to fatigue, diarrhea, shortness of breath, numbness, nervousness, loss of balance, tingling in fingers/toes, and dementia.


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References/Sources/Materials provided by:

chuanwen.fan@liu.se

lichunhua@scimea.cn

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mco2.686

Pancreatitis – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34925701

Vitamin B12 – Health Professional Fact Sheet

Tamsyn Julie Webber
Tamsyn Julie Webberhttp://www.worldhealth.net
I'm a healthy aging advocate and journalist at WorldHealth.net working to help spread the message of Alternative Medicine, longevity, health, wellness, well-being, and the use of gentler more natural approaches whenever possible. To keep receiving the free newsletter opt in.