Abstract
Vitamin B-12 is a “cobalamin”, a term that describes structures with a corrin ring which has a central cobalt atom, phosphate, a base, and ribose. One of several groups can be attached to the cobalt: cyanide, forming vitamin B-12; 5’deoxyadenosine, forming 5’ deoxyadenosylcobalamin; or a methyl group, forming methylcobalamin. Methylcobalamin is a cofactor for the conversion of homocysteine to methionine, and adenosylcobalamin is required for the conversion of methyl malonyl CoA to succinyl CoA. These cofactor functions explain why in vitamin B-12 deficiency there is elevated methylmalonic acid (MMA) in urine and serum, and plasma homocysteine (Hcy).
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin,Vitamin B-6,Folate,Vitamin B-12, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin and Choline (National Academy Press, Washington D.C., 1998).
L.H. Allen. Vitamin B-12 metabolism and status during pregnancy, lactation and infancy, in: Nutrient Regulation during Pregnancy, Lactation and Infant Growth, edited by L.Allen, J.King and B. Lonnerdal, pp. 173–186, (Plenum Press, New York, 1994).
A.L. Luhby, J.M. Cooperman, A.M. Donnenfeld, J.M. Herrero, D.N. Teller, and J.B. Wenig. Observations on transfer of vitamin B-12 from other to fetus and newborn, Am. J. Dis. Child. 96:532–533.
Y. Adkins and B. Lonnerdal. High affinity binding of the transcobalamin II-cobalamin complex and expression of haptocorrin by human mammary epithelial cells, Biochim. Biophys. Acta (submitted).
Y. Adkins. The Role of Haptocorrin in Vitamin B-12 Nutrition in Infancy, PhD Thesis, Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, 2000.
N. Trugo and F. Sardinha. Cobalamin and cobalamin-binding capacity in human milk, Nutr. Res. 14:2233, 1994.
B.L. Specker, A. Black, L. Allen, and F. Morrow. Vitamin B-12: low milk concentrations are related to low serum concentrations in vegetarian women and to methylmalonic aciduria in their infants, Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 52:1073–1076, 1990.
A.K. Black, L.H. Allen, G.H. Pelto, M.P. de Mata, and A. Chavez. Iron, vitamin B-12 and folate status in Mexico: associated factors in men and women and during pregnancy and lactation, Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 124:1179–1188, 1994.
J.E. Casterline, L.H. Allen, and M.T. Ruel. Vitamin B-12 deficiency is very prevalent in lactating Guatemalan women and their infants at three months postpartum, J. Nutr. 127:1966–1972, 1997.
D.R. Miller, B.L. Specker, M.L. Hop, and E.J. Norman. Vitamin B-12 status in a macrobiotic community, Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 53:524–529 (1991).
S.M. Graham, O.M. Arvela, and G.A. Wise. Long-term neurologic consequences of nutritional vitamin B-12 deficiency in infants, J. Pediatr. 121:710–714.
U. von Schenck, C. Bender-Gotze, and B. Koletzko. Persistence of neurological damage induced by dietary vitamin B-12 deficiency in infancy, Arch. Dis. Child. 77:139, 1997.
P.C. Dagnelie, W.A. F.J.V.R.A. Vergote, J. Burema, M.A. van’t Hof, J.D. van Klaveren, and J.G.A.J. Hautvast. Nutritional status of infants aged 4 to 18 months on macrobiotic diets and matched omnivorous control infants: A population-based mixed-longitudinal study, Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 43:325–338, 1989.
J. Schneede, P.C. Dagnelie, W.A. van Staveren, S.E. Vollset, H. Refsum, and P.M. Ueland. Methylmalonic acid and homocysteine in plasma as indicators of functional cobalamin deficiency in infants on macrobiotic diets, Pediatr. Res. 36:194–201, 1994.
M. Van Dusseldorp, J. Schneede, H. Refsum, P.M. Ueland, C.M.G. Thomas, and E. de Boer. Risk of persistent cobalamin deficiency in adolescents fed a macrobiotic diet in early life, Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 69:664–671, 1999.
M.W.J. Louwman, M. van Dusseldorp, F.J.R. van de Vijver, C.M.G. Thomas, J. Schneede, P.M. Deland, H. Refsum, and W.A. van Staveren. Signs of impaired cognitive function in adolescents with marginal cobalamin status, Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 72:762–769, 2000.
L.H. Allen, J.L. Rosado, J.E. Casterline, H. Martinez, P. Lopez, E. Munoz, and A.K. Black. Vitamin B12 deficiency and malabsorption are highly prevalent in rural Mexican communities, Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 62:1013–1019, 1995.
G.T. Bondevik, B. Eskeland, R.J. Ulvik, M. Ulstein, R.T. Lie, J. Schneede, and G. Kvale. Anemia in pregnancy: possible causes and risk factors in Nepali women, Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 54:3–8, 2000.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2002 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Allen, L.H. (2002). Impact of Vitamin B-12 Deficiency During Lactation on Maternal and Infant Health. In: Davis, M.K., Isaacs, C.E., Hanson, L.Å., Wright, A.L. (eds) Integrating Population Outcomes, Biological Mechanisms and Research Methods in the Study of Human Milk and Lactation. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 503. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0559-4_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0559-4_6
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-5132-0
Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-0559-4
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive