Vitamin B12 & Hypertension

Vitamin B-12 is an effective treatment for anemia, cognitive health and potentially for energy and weight loss. However, B-12 also has important ramifications for heart health. In addition to lowering the levels of an amino acid associated with heart attack and stroke, a derivative of B-12 might play a role in relieving blood pressure. By attaching to a chemical known to regulate pressure and ease the burden on the heart, the developers of a new drug hope B-12 helps deliver a new era in blood pressure treatment.

Vitamin B-12 Facts

Like all of its cousins in the B complex of vitamins, B-12 is naturally in mostly animal products --- meat and dairy --- but plant-based foods can be fortified with it. You can also take it as a supplement in pill form or a prescription injection. B-12's function is to help your body create red blood cells. It's also involved in building DNA. It is a major player in your central nervous system and it helps converts carbohydrates into energy. As most people age, they lose the ability to absorb vitamin B-12 properly. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 3 percent of Americans age 51 and older are B-12 deficient. Vitamin B-12's chemical makeup is striking. It's the only vitamin that comes with a metal ion, cobalt, attached. For that reason, some refer to vitamin B-12 as cobalamin.

Hypertension

Hypertension is a serious health issue requiring treatment by a qualified health care provider. When you have high blood pressure, there's too much force against the walls of your veins and arteries as your heart beats. Over time, that pressure stretches and weakens your blood vessels, increasing the likelihood of scarring and plaque buildup. In turn, this puts you at increased risk for heart attack and stroke. A normal blood pressure reading is 120/80 mm Hg or lower. Beyond that, you move into prehypertension stage, and if your blood pressure measures greater than 140/90 mm Hg, you've entered stage 1 hypertension. The CDC reports that 33 percent of Americans age 20 and older have high blood pressure. Treatment involves lifestyle factors such as improving your diet, getting more exercise and learning new stress-management strategies. Many people also take one or more of hundreds of available blood pressure medications.

B-12: A New Hypertension Medication?

In Dec. 2007, researchers from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, reported the development of a new drug called nitrosyl-cobinamide. This is similar to B-12, and created in one of the last intermediary steps in B-12 development. Nitrosyl-cobinamide involves the addition of nitric oxide to the B-12 analog --- they bind together naturally. Nitric oxide has been useful in maintaining blood pressure and optimizing heart function. Other drugs with nitric oxide, for example, increase blood flow to the heart by dilating the coronary arteries. This reduces the work heart has to do. However, other drugs have been problematic, for example, nitroglycerine introduces cyanide and another drug becomes tolerated too quickly to be effective long-term. Scientists have long sought an agent that could "donate" nitric oxide without toxicity or tolerance issues. The B-12 derivative may be just that. Additional research has yet to confirm that the experimental drug works and is safe.

B-12 Recommendations

While your health care provider may not tell you to begin taking extra B-12 as a treatment for hypertension, the vitamin is an essential part of your daily diet. From the age of 14 onward, the Institute of Medicine recommends 2.4 mcg daily for both sexes. Pregnant women, however, need 2.6 mcg and nursing mothers need 2.8 mcg.