A new study has found a strong connection between low levels of vitamin B12 and chronic inflammation — a condition linked to several serious diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and brain disorders.
The research, published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, helps us better understand how vitamin B12 might play a protective role in the body by reducing inflammation.
Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient that helps keep nerves and blood cells healthy. It also supports brain function and energy levels. While scientists have long suspected that vitamin B12 might help fight inflammation, the exact link had not been clearly understood until now.
In this study, researchers looked at two major markers of inflammation in the body: interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP). These are molecules that the body produces when it’s under stress or fighting infection, and high levels of them are often found in people with chronic health problems.
To explore the relationship between vitamin B12 and inflammation, researchers examined samples from a group of participants in the PREDIMED clinical trial — a major health study in Spain that focused on the Mediterranean diet and heart disease prevention. They measured how much vitamin B12 was in the blood and compared it with the levels of IL-6 and CRP.
The results were clear: people with higher levels of vitamin B12 tended to have lower levels of the inflammatory markers. This means there was an inverse relationship — as vitamin B12 levels went up, inflammation went down.
This is an important finding because chronic inflammation is known to damage blood vessels, increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes, and play a role in the development of diseases like Alzheimer’s and type 2 diabetes. If maintaining good vitamin B12 levels can help reduce inflammation, it could offer a simple way to lower the risk of many serious health problems.
The researchers didn’t focus only on people with B12 deficiency, but the findings still suggest that low B12 might make inflammation worse. This might help explain why some people with B12 deficiency experience symptoms like fatigue, memory problems, or nerve issues — all of which could be linked to inflammation in the body.
To better understand the connection, the team also studied mice and found some interesting differences between animals and humans. These differences might help researchers develop new ways to prevent vitamin B12 deficiency in older adults, who are more likely to have low B12 levels.
The next step is to study larger and more diverse groups of people to confirm these results. The scientists also want to explore whether men and women are affected differently, and how B12 levels might play a role in conditions like obesity, infections, or irritable bowel syndrome.
They hope this research could eventually lead to new health guidelines or treatment options based on vitamin B12 intake.
In the meantime, this study is a good reminder of how important it is to get enough vitamin B12. Foods rich in B12 include meat, fish, dairy products, and eggs. People who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, as well as older adults, are more at risk of deficiency and may need supplements.
This research adds to growing evidence that what we eat has a powerful effect on our body’s health — not just physically, but also at the level of inflammation and long-term disease risk.
If you care about nutrition, please read studies about a breakfast linked to better blood vessel health, and drinking too much coffee could harm people with high blood pressure.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about unhealthy habits that may increase high blood pressure risk, and results showing plant-based protein foods may help reverse diabetes.
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