EAT YOUR LEAFY GREEN VEGETABLES

Report #7249

Chronic fatigue syndrome (1), heart attacks (2), pernicious anemia and a birth defect called spina bifida may have the same cause: high body levels of homocysteine, a chemical that accumulates in the body when a person lacks vitamins B12, folic acid or pyridoxine.

Many people complain of chronic fatigue and muscle pains that keep them from feeling good. Often their doctors do an extensive workup looking for diseases to explain their symptoms, only to find that all tests are normal. A recent article shows that many people with fatigue and muscle pains have high levels of a chemical called homocysteine in their spinal fluid. Homocysteine accumulates in the body when a person lacks vitamins B12, folic acid or pyridoxine. People with deficiencies of any one of these three vitamins often suffer from damage to their nerves and brain, characterized by loss of memory, irritability, fatigue, depression, loss of feeling in parts of their body and so forth. It is reasonable to consider lack of vitamin B12 as a cause of some cases of chronic fatigue and muscle pain. All people with chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia or multiple chemical sensitivities should get blood levels of vitamin B12 and homocysteine. Low blood levels of B12 or high levels of homocysteine should lead to a diagnosis of lack of B12 or folic acid and if indicated, be treated with 1000 mcg vitamin B12 pills each day. They should also be encouraged to eat lots of folic acid in leafy green vegetables, pyridoxine in most plants, and vitamin B12 from living moving tissue such as meat, fish, chicken, dairy products and eggs.

By Gabe Mirkin, M.D., for CBS Radio News

Checked 9/5/05