What do randomized managed trials of high-dose each day vitamin B12 supplementation present about its results on most cancers threat, loss of life, and longevity?
In 2019, “Affiliation of Excessive Intakes of Nutritional vitamins B6 and B12 from Meals and Dietary supplements with Threat of Hip Fracture Amongst Postmenopausal Girls within the [Harvard] Nurses’ Well being Research” was published. Be aware, although, that solely the mixed excessive consumption of nutritional vitamins B6 (≥35 mg/day) and B12 (≥20 mcg/day) was related to an elevated hip fracture threat. We all know that therapy with excessive doses of vitamin B6 could increase hip fracture threat by itself. After a decade or so, those that had been taking high-dose (40 mg) B6 dietary supplements had a couple of 40 p.c increased hip fracture threat, however not these taking B12, as you may see beneath and at 0:35 in my video Do Vitamin B12 Supplements Cause Bone Fractures and Lung Cancer?.
That’s what the Harvard examine found, too. Excessive consumption of vitamin B12 alone was not related to elevated threat. In truth, some observational research suggest a barely decrease fracture threat at excessive B12 blood ranges. What we care about most, although, are interventional research, the place persons are randomized to B12 so we are able to see what occurs, and once we have a look at these, we find there isn’t any elevated fracture threat amongst these given B12. In conclusion, primarily based on randomized managed trials, excessive doses of vitamin B12 haven’t been shown to be related to the chance of fractures.
Okay, however what about this? In 2017, a examine found that males taking vitamin B12 dietary supplements appeared to have elevated lung most cancers threat. Now, the researchers didn’t discover any such affiliation in ladies, and the elevated threat was largely amongst males who smoked. May or not it’s that B12 was feeding budding tumors? It’s laborious sufficient imagining a vitamin being carcinogenic by itself, particularly if it someway solely impacts males and never additionally ladies. “Replication of those findings in further potential research with cautious measurement of B vitamin complement use is warranted.” And, certainly, if you put collectively all of the observational research, there is no significant correlation between lung most cancers and ranges of B12 within the blood, whether or not you’ve smoked or not. If something, most research appeared to pattern in the direction of increased B12 ranges being protecting, as you may see beneath and at 2:03 in my video.
Then, in 2018, a brand new examine found an affiliation between general lung most cancers threat and better circulating ranges of B12, once more showing to be extra of a priority with people who smoke, as seen right here and at 2:16 in my video.
Now, this was one other observational examine. These with increased B12 ranges had been simply noticed to have increased most cancers ranges. These of you who’ve been following my work know the drill: There are two potential points that come up in observational research that forestall us from ascribing cause-and-effect: confounding elements, often known as “lurker variables,” and reverse causation.
What is likely to be a lurker variable on this case? What is likely to be a 3rd issue related to each increased B12 ranges and most cancers that could be the true trigger? Properly, who has increased ranges of B12 circulating of their blood? Those that eat a variety of meat and dairy, that are, actually, “an important contributors to serum vitamin B-12,” that’s, B12 in our blood. And those that eat extra meat do are likely to have extra lung most cancers: “Dose-response evaluation confirmed that consumption of crimson meat for 120 g per day would possibly improve the chance of lung most cancers by 35%, and consumption of processed meat for 50 g per day would possibly improve the chance of lung most cancers by 20%.” So, we’re typically speaking about 35 p.c extra threat for each quarter-pound burger eaten every day and about 20 p.c elevated threat for each breakfast sausage hyperlink. It’s no surprise these with increased B12 ranges of their blood might have extra lung most cancers. The B12 might simply be a marker for meat consumption.
And, in case you keep in mind, reverse causation is when X could not result in Y, however, as an alternative, Y could result in X. So, as an alternative of excessive B12 blood ranges resulting in most cancers, perhaps most cancers results in excessive blood ranges of B12. And, certainly, practically 75 p.c of sufferers identified with most cancers exhibit elevated B12 ranges. So, elevated B12 ranges could merely be a marker for most cancers. In addition to taking further B12, there are all kinds of causes your ranges can rise, equivalent to liver issues, kidney issues, bone marrow issues, and most cancers, as you may see beneath and at 3:50 in my video. So, excessive B12 ranges may be a marker of brewing, however not but identified, most cancers.
What about observational research particularly linking B12 complement use to lung most cancers, although? These might additionally be reverse causation: “The consequence of being in danger for most cancers is that sufferers will interact in more healthy behaviors, together with taking multivitamins (reverse causality). The well-established causes, equivalent to smoking, continual obstructive pulmonary illness, and former cancers, are the actual lung most cancers dangers.” So, we’re left with this “rooster or the egg causality dilemma,” which is why, ideally, we’d like randomized managed trials to see if there’s any trigger and impact.
This turned much more pressing with genetic proof suggesting that these born with increased lifelong ranges could also be at elevated threat. Fortunately, as you may see beneath and at 4:47 in my video, we do have randomized managed trials—greater than a dozen randomized managed trials randomizing hundreds of individuals as much as 2,000 micrograms of B12 each single day for years, actually.
The findings? “Vitamin B supplementation doesn’t affect most cancers incidence, loss of life on account of most cancers, or whole mortality.” And this contains particularly lung most cancers, as seen beneath and at 5:02 in my video. In truth, if something, vitamin B dietary supplements may very well decrease the chance of essentially the most harmful type of pores and skin most cancers.
In the event you missed my earlier video, take a look at Do Vitamin B12 Supplements Cause Acne?.
For my different B12 updates, see associated posts beneath. All of those movies could be present in one digital obtain: Latest Vitamin B12 Recommendations.
I’ve additionally explored vitamin B12’s position in stroke threat. See the associated posts beneath. That sequence is obtainable for digital obtain, too: Why Do Vegetarians Have Higher Stroke Risk?.
