The Eurecat Reus technology centre is studying the effect of supplementation with different forms of vitamin B12 not drawn from animal sources on the vitamin’s nutritional status in the body and quality of life of people who follow a vegetarian diet and are thus at greater risk of experiencing a deficiency since this type of vitamin can only be obtained by eating animal-based products.
“More and more people are following a vegetarian diet as part of a healthy eating approach,” says Anna Crescenti, a researcher in Eurecat’s Nutrition and Health Technology Unit and the project’s principal investigator. “However, unless they do this in a balanced way it can lead to insufficient vitamin B12 intake and therefore to nutritional shortcomings.”
Hence “you need to ensure you have the right levels of this vitamin as it helps the brain and nervous system to work properly and in forming blood and various essential proteins.”
Vitamin B12 deficiency is the greatest risk in vegetarians when their diet is not well balanced. Symptoms which may result from this insufficiency include fatigue, breathing difficulties, abdominal discomfort, tingling, diarrhoea, impaired balance and muscle weakness.
“Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient for the proper functioning of a number of biological processes,” points out Nàdia Ortega, director of the Nutrition and Health Technology Unit at Eurecat. “Deficiency comes about when the vitamin’s reserves are depleted due to inadequate dietary intake or alterations in its absorption.”
Volunteers sought for NORMB12 study
The Nutrition and Health Technology Unit at Eurecat Reus is looking for volunteers who follow a vegetarian diet to take part in the NORMB12 study it is running. Anyone who would like to be included can email estudis@eurecat.org or call 636 944 723.
Fifty-four adults are being recruited for the study who follow a vegetarian diet with no meat and fish intake but who can eat dairy products and eggs, do not take vitamin B12 supplements and have a borderline vitamin B12 deficiency, which will be confirmed by the tests to be performed during the volunteers’ pre-selection visit.
Over a three-month period, the volunteers involved in the nutritional intervention study will have to ingest one of the vitamin B12 supplements or placebo every day. During this time, their vitamin B12 levels will be fully monitored at eight visits to the Eurecat centre in Reus when various parameters related to the nutritional status of the vitamin and their quality of life will be analysed.
