A new study has revealed a strong link between low levels of vitamin B12 and chronic inflammation—a discovery that could change the way we think about preventing and managing serious health conditions.
The research, published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, shows that not getting enough vitamin B12 may lead to higher levels of inflammation in the body, which plays a role in illnesses like heart disease, diabetes, and even brain disorders.
Vitamin B12 is a nutrient your body needs for making red blood cells, keeping your nerves healthy, and supporting brain function. It’s found mostly in animal-based foods like meat, eggs, and dairy, which means people following strict vegetarian or vegan diets may be more at risk of having low B12 levels.
In this study, researchers looked at data from a group of people who were part of the PREDIMED trial—a large study in Spain originally designed to explore the health effects of the Mediterranean diet.
They focused on blood levels of vitamin B12 and two common markers of inflammation: interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP). These are chemicals your body produces when it’s fighting off infection or injury, but when levels stay high over time, they can damage tissues and lead to chronic illness.
The researchers found a clear pattern: people with higher levels of vitamin B12 in their blood tended to have lower levels of these inflammatory markers. This suggests that having enough B12 may help the body keep inflammation under control.
While past research hinted at a possible anti-inflammatory role for vitamin B12, this study is one of the first to show a more direct connection.
Although the study didn’t focus only on people who were severely lacking in B12, the results still highlight the importance of maintaining healthy levels of this nutrient.
A deficiency in B12 is already known to cause symptoms like tiredness, memory problems, and nerve damage. The new findings help explain why some people with B12 deficiency might also experience vague or hard-to-explain health issues linked to inflammation.
The research team also did experiments on mice to see how B12 deficiency affects inflammation in animals. These studies showed that animals with low B12 also had signs of higher inflammation.
Interestingly, the study hinted that aging and B12 deficiency might be closely connected in animals, which could help scientists better understand how to prevent B12 loss as people get older.
Looking ahead, researchers plan to study more people, including comparisons between men and women, to better understand how B12 affects different groups. They also want to explore how other health issues like infections, obesity, and gut problems might influence or be influenced by B12 and inflammation levels.
This research adds to growing evidence that what we eat can have a big impact on inflammation and our overall health. Making sure we get enough vitamin B12 through our diet—or through supplements if needed—might be a simple but powerful way to reduce inflammation and lower the risk of many chronic diseases.
In short, this study is a reminder of how important nutrition is, not just for energy and basic health, but for protecting our bodies from long-term harm. As scientists continue to explore the role of nutrients like B12, we may discover even more ways that simple dietary choices can make a big difference.
If you care about inflammation, please read studies about turmeric: nature’s golden answer to inflammation, and what to eat to reduce chronic Inflammation.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how a plant-based diet could help ease inflammation, and Vitamin D deficiency linked to increased inflammation.
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