This B vitamin has a strong pancreatic defense

CHENGDU, China From the lab to the dinner table, a new study offers hope for the risk of acute pancreatitis. The secret ingredient? Vitamin B12nutrients that can do more than just keep our blood and arteries healthy.

Acute pancreatitis, a sudden inflammation of the pancreas, is a painful and potentially life-threatening condition that affects thousands of people every year. It can lead to serious complications and often requires hospitalization. Until now, treatment methods are limited, focusing more on supportive care than on solving the cause of inflammation.

Add vitamin B12, a nutrient found in foods such as fish, meat, eggs and dairy products. The study, led by researchers at Sichuan University in China, suggests that having high levels of vitamin B12 in your blood can reduce the risk of developing acute pancreatitis. But how did they come to this conclusion?

The research team used an ingenious method called Mendelian randomization. This approach leverages genetic information to narrow down causal relationships between factors such as vitamin levels and disease. By analyzing data from a number of population studies, including the UK Biobank and the FinnGen consortium, researchers found that people with a genetic variant associated with high levels of vitamin B12 had a lower risk of acute pancreatitis.

The scientists did not stop there. To further investigate the potential protective effects of vitamin B12, they turned to mouse models. They created mice that lack a specific gene (CD320) that is important for cellular uptake of vitamin B12. When these vitamin B12-deficient mice were given substances that commonly cause pancreatitis, they developed more severe inflammation compared to normal mice.

The project was deepened when researchers treated normal mice with vitamin B12 before or after pancreatitis. Surprisingly, vitamin B12 treatment significantly reduced pancreatic damage and inflammation. It was as if vitamin B12 had thrown a protective blanket over the pancreas, protecting it from harm.

So, how does vitamin B12 work in the pancreas? Studies suggest that it all comes down to energy. Vitamin B12 plays an important role in the production of cellular energy, helping to produce a molecule called ATP – the energy currency of cells. Researchers have found that pancreatic cells from mice treated with vitamin B12 have higher levels of ATP. This extra energy can help pancreatic cells withstand stress and avoid the type of damage that leads to acute pancreatitis.

If further studies confirm these findings in humans, vitamin B12 supplementation may become a simple and cost-effective way to prevent or treat acute pancreatitis. This can be especially important for people who are at high risk of this condition, such as those with gallstones or alcohol abuse.

However, before you rush to the pharmacy to stock up on vitamin B12 supplements, it’s important to note that some research is needed. The study, while promising, was done primarily in mice, and human trials are needed to confirm the results in humans. In addition, the optimal dose and timing of vitamin B12 supplementation for the prevention or treatment of pancreatitis still needs to be determined.

However, this study opens an exciting new avenue for the research and treatment of pancreatitis.

“These exciting new findings add to the growing body of evidence that vitamin B12 can reduce the severity of acute pancreatitis by increasing ATP levels in the pancreatic ducts, providing new insights into treatment strategies for the disease.” This one,” says the main author Prof. Dr. Xianming Mo from the Western China Center of Excellence for Pancreatitis in a statement. “This study lays a solid foundation for the future use of vitamin B12 in the management of acute pancreatitis.”