Oral vitamin B12 supplementation reduces plasma total homocysteine concentration in women in India.

People in India have a high prevalence of low vitamin B12 status and high plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) concentrations. In a proof of principle trial, we studied the effect of oral vitamin B12 (500 microg) and/or 100 g cooked green leafy vegetables (GLV) every alternate day in a 2x2 factorial design over a 6-week period. Forty-two non-pregnant vegetarian women (age 20-50 years) were randomly allocated to four study groups.

Vitamin B12 deficiency and hyperhomocysteinemia in rural and urban Indians.

Background: Low vitamin B12 concentration in South Asian Indians is common, but the exact prevalence is not known.

Aim: To investigate prevalence and associations of low vitamin B12 concentration and hyperhomocysteinemia in rural and urban Indian men living in and around Pune, Maharashtra.

Method: We studied 441 middle-aged men (149 rural, 142 slum and 150 urban middle-class residents, mean age 39 y).

Maternal total homocysteine concentration and neonatal size in India.

The smallness of Indian babies is ascribed to small maternal size and their chronic under nutrition. Micronutrient nutrition of the mother may be particularly important. We investigated the relationship between maternal circulating concentrations of total homocysteine (tHcy), vitamin B12 and folate and offspring size at birth.