Vitamin B-12, also known as cobalamin, plays a key role in a number of functions in your body, including energy production, nervous system function and control of homocysteine. A B-12 deficiency can cause diarrhea, numbness and shortness of breath. Evidence indicates that vitamin B-12 doesn't cause hypertension, but might help reduce it. However, further research is needed.
Hypertension
Hypertension refers to the elevated pressure it takes to move blood through your arteries. Although hypertension rarely produces symptoms, it impairs blood vessel function and decreases blood flow to the tissues of the heart and brain. This can increase your risk for heart attack, kidney failure, heart disease and stroke. A normal blood pressure reading is 120/80 mmHg, and hypertension is considered 140/90 mmHg, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Vitamin B-12 and Hypertension
If you have hypertension, you may also have low vitamin B-12 levels, according to a study conducted by researchers at the Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre. Scientists studied the levels of homocysteine, an indicator of heart disease, and vitamin B-12 levels in patients with high blood pressure and normal blood pressure. Participants with high blood pressure were more likely to have low vitamin B-12 levels compared with those who had normal blood pressure. The findings appeared in the March-April 2009 issue of the "Indian Heart Journal."
Nitrosyl-Cobinamide
A derivative of vitamin B-12 called nitrosyl-cobinamide might be effective for reducing blood pressure, according to research reported in the December 2007 issue of "Experimental Biology and Medicine." Scientists at the University of Calfornia-San Diego School of Medicine discovered that nitrosyl-cobinamide combines with nitric oxide, a gas molecule that widens blood vessels, in your body. As a result, nitrosyl-cobinamide can stimulate the release of nitric oxide inside cells, thereby dilating blood vessels and decreasing blood pressure. Although these findings are promising, further research on humans is necessary.
Interactions
If you plan on supplementing with nitrosyl-cobinamide or vitamin B-12, keep in mind that they may interact with certain medications, such as anticonvulsants, colchicines and proton pump inhibitors, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. As always, consult your health-care provider before taking supplements.
References
- Mayo Clinic; High Blood Pressure (Hypertension); March 2011
- "Indian Heart Journal"; Plasma Homocysteine iin Obese, Overweight and Normal Weight Hypertensives and Normotensives; R.A. Karatela and G.S. Sainani; March-April 2009
- "Experimental Biology and Medicine"; A Vitamin B12 Derivative Could Potentially Be Used to Treat Hypertension and Heart Disease; Gerry R. Boss et al.; December 2007
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin); June 2009
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