B Vitamins Reduce Schizophrenia Symptoms, Study Finds (newsmax.com)

A new study published in the journal Psychological Medicine finds that high doses of B vitamins reduce the symptoms of schizophrenia. 

Researchers found that using B vitamins, including B6, inositol, and B12 as an adjunctive with antipsychotics significantly improved symptoms of the debilitating condition.

 Newsmax reports: 

 For the new study, researchers identified 18 clinical trials with a combined total of 832 patients receiving antipsychotic treatment for schizophrenia. 

They found that B-vitamin interventions which used higher dosages or combined several vitamins were consistently effective for reducing psychiatric symptoms, whereas those which used lower doses were ineffective.

 The evidence also suggested that B-vitamin supplements were most beneficial when they were added to medicine regimens early after diagnosis.

What are the benefits of vitamin B complex?

A vitamin B complex is a dietary supplement that delivers all eight of the B vitamins:

 B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6, B7 (biotin), B9 (folate), B12, B17.

 Also found naturally in a number foods, B vitamins help the body to produce energy and form red blood cells.

You can barely stay awake in the afternoon—even if you slept 8 hours.

 

"Fatigue is one of the first signs of B12 deficiency," says Lisa Cimperman, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

That's because your body relies on the vitamin to make red blood cells, which carry oxygen to your organs.

 And without enough oxygen in your cells, you'll feel tired no matter how long you sleep.

Fatigue can mean a number of things, though, so you can't assume you're B12 deficient if feeling sleepy is your only complaint—doctors usually are tipped off if you've got fatigue plus other symptoms.

You put your keys in the fridge.

Or have to think hard to remember your niece's name.

 You may be worried that it's early dementia, but sometimes low B12 is to blame.

 "At one point I couldn't remember how to write a check," says Pauline Smith, 56, who was diagnosed with low levels.

 "I've seen this deficiency mistaken for Alzheimer's in elderly patients," notes Cimperman.

(Cut your Alzheimer's risk by eating these nutrient-rich foods.)

 "But once they have a blood test and it reveals a B12 deficiency, they start taking a supplement and their symptoms start to fade."

You feel wobbly or dizzy.

Being off-kilter is another common symptom.

 "I would get dizzy just walking up the stairs," says Mossess.

One Turkish study compared the vitamin B12 levels of patients who sought treatment in the ER for dizziness with those of 100 healthy volunteers.

 The result:

Those dizzy patients had 40% less B12 than the volunteers.

Every little thing makes you cry or worried.

Do you feel more down or anxious than ever?

 "A lack of B12 wreaks havoc on your mood, possibly leading to depression or anxiety," says Grassi.

Doctors aren't sure exactly why it increases your risk for depression, but it may have something to do with the fact that B12 is involved in the synthesis of brain chemicals, such as serotonin and dopamine, that help regulate mood.

Something's up with your eyes.

In extreme cases, lack of B12 can damage the optic nerve or plug up the blood vessels in the retina, causing blurry vision, double vision, sensitivity to light, and even vision loss.

Says Smith:

"The first symptom of retinal damage I noticed was a shadow in my right eye that affected my field of vision.

 I saw even more shadows until I got my B12 levels up."