Correction Re: more on b12 deficiency

[Guest guest]

In the below post, just take one of the two deficiencies in the

second sentence and transplant it into the first sentence. <g> The

first line should read: , B12 *DEFICIENCY* is quite rare...

> >

> > Everything I have read says that B12 deficiency is very rare,

> especially in

> > North America. For a meat eater, is supplementing with B12 or B-

> complex

> > really just a waste of time if we are not deficient; or will

> supplementing

> > with B vitamins even though we are not deficient be of any help

> with skin

> > conditions becasue we have an overlaod of it in our systems?

> >

> > The b-complex I have been taking also has Biotin and Folic acid

> which I

> > assume can only help the skin as well--but is supplementing with

> any of

> > these just a waste of time if there is no deficiency?

> > Thanks,

> >

> >

> > >From: " emarjency " <emarjency@s...>

> > >To: rosacea-support@y...

> > >Subject: more on b12 deficiency

> > >Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2002 21:24:40 -0000

> > >

> > >Sent to me privately, but I wanted to reply publicly, so the

author

> > >is not identified:

> > >

> > >-=-=-=

> > >

> > >Marjorie, did you all do a search on meating-eating diets and B12

> > >deficiencies? It is my understanding that more meat-eating

people

> > >show a deficiency in B12 than vegans/vegetarians.

> > >

> > >B12 deficiency is an environmenal, world-wide issue. B12 is a

> > >bacteria that lives in the soil. Animals ingest it when they eat

> > >grass, etc. Humans used to ingest it when eating vegetables. As

> > >well, in a healthy gut, B12 can be manufactured by both animals

and

> > >humans. However, due to the harmful farming practicies used

world-

> > >wide, the earth's soil has become alarmly deficient in B12

> bacteria.

> > >Add to this that most people scrub their vegetables as well most

> > >people cook their vegetables before eating them, it's no wonder

> that

> > >people are becoming B12 deficient.

> > >

> > >-=-=-=

> > >

> > >First, B12 is not a bacteria -- it is a vitamin that is made by

> > >bacteria. Yes, the bacteria in our bodies makes B12, but even in

> the

> > >healthiest individuals the majority is made in the lower

> intestines,

> > >whereas B12 absorption takes place higher in the GI tract (in the

> > >small intestines). So B12 from our bodies, healthy or otherwise,

is

> > >made either too little or too low to be helpful to us. That B12

> just

> > >gets excreted out along in our feces.

> > >

> > >In countries without good public health systems, their soil is

> > >contaminated with human feces (and its B12), and that's the

source

> of

> > >B12 in humans who eat unwashed vegetables from that soil. They

may

> > >not be Vitamin B12 deficient, but they are subjected to all the

> > >infectious diseases that come from exposure to human waste; that

> > >doesn't sound like " harmful farming practices " to me. <g>

> > >

> > >The problems with B12 deficiency among non-vegetarians has

nothing

> to

> > >do with diet, but is related to the availability and function of

> the

> > >stomach's intrinsic factor and other requirements for B12 to be

> > >properly absorbed from food. So supplementation (in vitamin

pills

> or

> > >fortified foods) is recommended for everyone over the age of 50,

> > >whatever diet they are on. (see

> > >http://www.cc.nih.gov/ccc/supplements/vitb12.html)

> > >

> > >I don't believe people in countries with horrible public health

> > >survive commonly into their 50s, but those that do would require

> > >supplementation as well, even if they continued to eat their

feces-

> > >covered vegetables.

> > >

> > >Stores of B12 are such that it takes decades for a previous meat-

> > >eater to develop B12 deficiency. Not so with children, however,

> which

> > >is why many of the studies in the Medline search talked about

> > >children of vegetarian/vegan mothers.

> > >

> > >Here are some vegetarian sites that support the above

information:

> > >

> > >http://www.vegsoc.org/info/b12.html

> > >

> > >http://chetday.com/b12.html

> > >

> > >Marjorie

> > >

> > >Marjorie Lazoff, MD

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >--

> > >Please read the list highlights before posting to the whole

group

> > >(http://rosacea.ii.net/toc.html). Your post will be delayed if

you

> don't

> > >give a meaningful subject or trim your reply text. You must

change

> the

> > >subject when replying to a digest !

> > >

> > >See http://www.drnase.com for info on his recently published

book.

> > >

> > >To leave the list send an email to

> > >rosacea-support-unsubscribe@y...

> > >

> > >