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Vitamin B12 supplementation improves heart rate variability in healthy elderly Indian subjects
Citation
Sucharita, S and Thomas, T and Antony, B and Vaz, M, Vitamin B12 supplementation improves heart rate variability in healthy elderly Indian subjects, Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical, 168 pp. 66-71. ISSN 1566-0702 (2012) [Refereed Article]
Copyright Statement
Copyright 2012 Elsevier B.V.
DOI: doi:10.1016/j.autneu.2011.12.002
Abstract
While vitamin B12 deficiency is global, data in elderly Indians are lacking. The problem in India is likely to be
higher because of vegetarianism and malabsorption related to gastro-intestinal parasites. Autonomic
dysfunction is known to occur much earlier in pernicious anemia. However, what is not known is whether
these changes are reflected in healthy elderly individuals. This study assessed cardiac sympathetic and parasympathetic
activity using heart rate variability (HRV) in healthy elderly individuals of low and high vitamin
B12 status and evaluated the effect of vitamin B12 supplementation in those with low vitamin B12 status. 140
elderly subjects aged ≥60 years were screened; 47 healthy subjects were assessed. They underwent blood
sampling, anthropometry, HRV and nerve conduction assessment. Subjects were classified based on vitamin
B12 level (148 pmol/L) into deplete vitamin B12 and replete vitamin B12 groups. Elderly subjects with low
vitamin B12 status underwent cyanocobalamin supplementation (100 μg) for 3 months. Low frequency (LF)
HRV in absolute units was significantly lower in the low vitamin B12 group. Following supplementation, LF
HRV in absolute units and total power rose significantly as compared to pre-supplementation values for
the entire supplemented group. In conclusion, elderly with lower vitamin B12 status have reduced low frequency
HRV suggestive of sympathetic involvement. Supplementation with vitamin B12 for 3 months results
in a significant increase in low frequency HRV to values comparable with unsupplemented, but vitamin B12
replete elderly.
Item Details
| Item Type: | Refereed Article |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | vitamin b12, hear rate variability |
| Research Division: | Medical and Health Sciences |
| Research Group: | Cardiorespiratory Medicine and Haematology |
| Research Field: | Cardiology (incl. Cardiovascular Diseases) |
| Objective Division: | Law, Politics and Community Services |
| Objective Group: | Community Service (excl. Work) |
| Objective Field: | Ageing and Older People |
| Author: | Antony, B (Dr Benny Eathakkattu Antony) |
| ID Code: | 104635 |
| Year Published: | 2012 |
| Web of Science® Times Cited: | 9 |
| Deposited By: | Menzies Institute for Medical Research |
| Deposited On: | 2015-11-17 |
| Last Modified: | 2017-11-07 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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