Groton Chiropractic Care Checks for Vitamin B Deficiency and MMA
Boost your brain (and gut and nervous system) power with B vitamins. But study a bit about MMA - methylmalonic acid. That’s a big word! It’s an even bigger conversion element to understand and test. Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office shares just how B vitamins and methylmalonic acid are connected, how they are checked and how important they are to a smooth operating body system. Groton vitamin B deficiencies need to be noticed. Your Groton chiropractor is just the one to shine a spotlight on them. Chiropractic services address the whole person!
B12 DEFICIENCY EFFECT ON BRAIN
Researchers have recognized for some time that Vitamin B12 deficiency can produce serious and irreversible damage to the brain and nervous system. Such deficiency is really an issue for homocysteine (decelerates the conversion of methionine to homocysteine which converts to other amino acids via B12, B11, and B6) and methylmalonic acid (increases) levels. (1) Recently, researchers investigated more deeply in what way vitamin B9 folate and B12 deficiencies are connected to metabolic diseases and affected memory function, cognitive impairment, glucose metabolism and inflammation modulation. They concluded that folate and B-12 deficiencies impaired memory function by hindering hippocampal insulin signaling and bothering the gut microbiota. (2) The gut and brain are intimately connected! Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office helps Groton chiropractic patients find out just what their B vitamin levels are now so they can elevate them as needed to protect the brain and the gut.
HOW TO TEST FOR B12 LEVEL
New research indicated that testing methylmalonic acid serum levels to define B12 levels more accurately. Testing for methylmalonic acid serum levels is a more preceise way to figure out B12 levels. MMA is elevated in 90–98% of patients who have B12 deficiency. Why? Methylmalonic acid stays in the myelin sheath of the nerve if B12 does not convert it properly. A blood test for MMA can detect vitamin B12 deficiency sooner. The body produces very little MMA – necessary for metabolism and energy production – on its own. MMA levels increase in the blood and urine if there is not sufficient vitamin B12 available for conversion. (3,4) Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office urges Groton chiropractic patients to check B levels and improve them as necessary.
HOW TO IMPROVE B12 LEVELS
Potential issues contributing to B12 deficiency are insufficient intake of B12 through diet (animal products [eggs, meat, milk] and algae), weakened absorption due to drugs taken like proton pump inhibitors and histamine 2 receptor agonists), surgical removal of small bowel for Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, bariatric surgery, bacterial overgrowth into small bowel, diabetes’ medication metformin, malnutrition due to alcoholism, and nitrous oxide abuse. (5) To improve B12 levels, Groton chiropractic patients may choose to address the dietary consumption of more vitamin B12-rich foods. Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office is certainly ready to chat about supplementation ideas with you as well. It is all part of the Groton chiropractic treatment plan!
CONTACT Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. James Cox on The Back Doctors Podcast With Dr. Michael Johnson as he talks about the importance of chiropractic care and gentle spinal manipulation via The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management to maintain a healthy immune system incorporating the nervous system.
Schedule your Groton chiropractic appointment at Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office today. Your brain, gut and nervous system will thank you for getting your B vitamin levels tested via the MMA connection!
