Effects of dietary intervention on vitamin B12 status and cognitive level of 18-month-old toddlers in high-poverty areas: a cluster-randomized controlled trial

Relationship between vitamin B12 levels and motor development: A systematic review

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Nutrition plays a crucial role in the development and health of the human brain, from early stages to adulthood. The complex process of neurodevelopment necessitates interaction among various factors, with balance in the concentration of vital macronutrients and micronutrients being essential. Regarding micronutrients, vitamin B12 stands out, playing a vital role in the development and functioning of the motor nervous system. The objective was to investigate the influence of reduced levels of vitamin B12 on infant motor development and analyze the effects of supplementation on this aspect of development.

METHODS

For this purpose, the criteria of the PRISMA method and registration in the PROSPERO database were used. The search was conducted in the following databases: PubMed (Medline), Scopus, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect. A total of 684 records were initially identified.

RESULTS

Of the eight included articles, there was diversity regarding geographical contexts and study designs. The final sample comprised a total of 1,559 participants of both sexes. Studies aimed at correcting low levels of vitamin B12 opted for supplementation, following various protocols that varied in dose, administration method, and duration. At the end of the studies, the serum level of this vitamin ranged from 131 pmol/L to 1141 pmol/L.

CONCLUSION

There is a complex array of factors contributing to reduced levels of vitamin B12, especially in the early stages of life, which significantly impacts infant motor development. Despite methodological variations among studies, evidence suggests that low levels of vitamin B12 may affect motor development and that supplementation could be an effective means of enhancing motor aspects in healthy children. However, due to the diversity of outcomes, it is important to promote comprehensive public policies to encourage appropriate interventions in this area.

Exploring Vitamin B12 Supplementation in the Vegan Population: A Scoping Review of the Evidence

With a significant portion of the population adopting veganism and conflicting views among nutrition professionals regarding the necessity of vitamin B12 supplementation, this review aims to explore existing studies evaluating interventions through food supplementation. It focuses on the impact of vitamin B12 deficiency across different demographics. The present study seeks to understand how research has addressed the relationship between the rise in veganism and vitamin B12 deficiency over the past decade. A scoping review was conducted following the PRISMA flow diagram. Studies from 2010 to 2023 were identified using Boolean operators and key terms in electronic databases such as PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, and EBSCO (Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts, and Academic Search Complete). Out of 217 articles identified, 70 studies were included. The topical analysis categorized the studies into three groups: those associating vitamin B12 deficiency with diseases (n = 14), those analyzing the dietary habits of vegetarian individuals (vegan or not) without a specific focus on vitamin B12 (n = 49), and those addressing food guides and nutrition institution positions (n = 7). The authors concluded that vitamin B12 deficiency is prevalent among vegans due to limited consumption of animal products. For vegetarians, supplementation is an efficient means of treating and preventing deficiency; a daily dose of 50 to 100 micrograms is advised. There are still significant gaps in the research, nevertheless, such as the absence of randomized controlled trials evaluating various forms or dosages of vitamin B12 among vegetarians and the requirement for more information and awareness of the vitamin's significance in vegan diets.

Evaluation of Neurodevelopmental Screening Test Scores in Children with Vitamin B12 Deficiency

INTRODUCTION

 Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to hematological findings, neurological symptoms, and neurodevelopmental delay. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of vitamin B12 deficiency on the neurodevelopment of children.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

 This study included 89 children aged between 6 and 24 months without any complaints; 44 of these were evaluated in the study group (serum vitamin B12 <300 pg/mL) and 45 in the control group (serum vitamin B12 ≥300 pg/mL). Denver Developmental Screening Test II (DDST-II) and the Social Communication Area Screening Test (SCAST) were evaluated in each participant.

RESULTS

 The mean vitamin B12 level in the study group was 206.11 ± 9.1 pg/mL, and in the control group, it was 540.65 ± 24.1 pg/mL. When DDST-II results were analyzed, the rate of getting suspicious and abnormal results in the study group was significantly higher compared with the control group (p = 0.001). The rate of the "risky" SCAST results of the cases was found to be statistically significantly higher in the study group than in the control group (p = 0.003). Vitamin B12 values of patients with suspicious or abnormal DDST-II results and with risky SCAST results were found to be statistically significantly lower than those with normal neurodevelopmental screening tests results (p = 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSION

 Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to neurodevelopmental delay in children, even in the absence of neurological and hematological symptoms or complaints, which highlights the importance of early detection and intervention of vitamin B12 deficiency.

High Serum Folate Concentration, Vitamin B12 Deficiency, and Anthropometric Nutritional Status in Brazilian Children Aged 6-59 Months: Data from the Brazilian National Survey of Child Nutrition

BACKGROUND

Vitamin B12 and folate are key nutrients that help children reach their full potential in growth and development; however, little is known about the status of these vitamins in Brazilian children.

OBJECTIVES

To describe the serum concentrations of vitamin B12 and folate, to investigate the association between high folate concentration (HFC) and vitamin B12 deficiency, and to evaluate the association between vitamin B12 and stunting/underweight in Brazilian children aged 6-59 mo.

METHODS

Data from 7417 children aged 6-59 mo collected during the Brazilian National Survey on Child Nutrition were used. Serum concentrations of vitamin B12 of <150 pmol/L and folate of <10 nmol/L were classified as deficient, and folate concentrations of >45.3 nmol/L were classified as HFC. Children with length/height-for-age z-score of less than -2 were considered stunted, and those with weight-for-age z-score of less than -2 were underweight. Logistic regression models were performed.

RESULTS

In Brazil, 14.2% (95% CI: 12.2, 16.1) of children aged 6-59 mo had vitamin B12 deficiency, 1.1% (95% CI: 0.5, 1.6) had folate deficiency, and 36.9% (95% CI: 33.4, 40.3) had HFC. Vitamin B12 deficiency was higher in children from the northern region of Brazil (28.5%), between 6 and 24 mo (25.3%), whose mothers had lower formal education (0-7 y; 18.7%). Children with HFC had 62% lower odds (OR: 0.38; 95% CI: 0.27, 0.54) of vitamin B12 deficiency than those with normal/deficient folate. Children with vitamin B12 deficiency and normal/deficient folate had higher odds of stunting (OR: 1.58; 95% CI: 1.02, 2.43) than children without vitamin B12 deficiency and normal/deficient folate.

CONCLUSIONS

Vitamin B12 deficiency is a public health problem among Brazilian children aged <2 y with vulnerable socioeconomic status. HFC was inversely associated with vitamin B12 deficiency, and lower odds of stunting were observed in children with HFC and vitamin B12 deficiency than in those with vitamin B12 deficiency and normal/deficient folate.

Association of development quotient with nutritional status of vitamins B6, B12, and folate in 6-59-month-old children: Results from the Brazilian National Survey on Child Nutrition (ENANI-2019)

BACKGROUND

Vitamins B6, B12, and folate are essential for the formation and maintenance of the human brain, but studies evaluating these vitamins with early childhood development (ECD) in children under five are limited and controversial.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the association between vitamins B6, B12, and folate concentrations/status and ECD.

METHODS

Data regarding 6,520 children aged 6-59 months (from the Brazilian National Survey on Child Nutrition [ENANI-2019]) were analyzed. ECD was assessed using the Survey of Well-being of Young Children's milestones questionnaire. Vitamin B6 concentration (nmol/L) was classified according to the tertile of the distribution and with the cutoff <20 nmol/L. Folate concentrations >45.3 nmol/L were classified as high, and vitamin B12 <150 pmol/L as deficient. The graded response model was used to estimate developmental age, and the developmental quotient (DQ) was calculated as the developmental age divided by chronological age. Multiple linear regression models were adjusted for confounders.

RESULTS

The DQ mean (95% confidence interval) for Brazilian children was 0.99 (0.97-1.01). Children aged 6-23 months (1.13 [1.10-1.16]) had a higher DQ mean than those aged 24-35 (0.99 [0.95-1.03]) and 36-59 months (0.89 [0.86-0.92]). Child age was inversely associated with DQ (β=-0.007; p<0.001). An interaction between child age and vitamin B12 deficiency in the DQ (β=-0.005; p<0.001) indicated that, in children aged 36-59 months, the DQ was markedly lower in children with B12 deficiency than in those without B12 deficiency. Vitamin B6 concentrations were directly associated with the DQ (β=0.0004; p=0.031) among children aged 24-59 months in the adjusted model. No association was observed between folate status and DQ.

CONCLUSIONS

In Brazil, the DQ is lower among older children, and those with vitamin B12 deficiency. Vitamin B6 status was directly associated with the DQ in children aged 24-59 months.

Plasma vitamin B12 concentration is positively associated with cognitive development in healthy Danish 3-year-old children: the SKOT cohort studies

Adequate vitamin B₁₂ (B₁₂) and folate concentrations are essential for neural development in early childhood, but studies in well-nourished children are lacking. We investigated the relation between plasma B₁₂ and folate at 9 and 36 months and psychomotor development at 36 months in well-nourished Danish children. Subjects from the SKOT cohorts with B₁₂ measurement and completed Ages and Stages Questionnaire, 3rd edition (ASQ-3) at 36 months were included (n 280). Dietary intake, B₁₂ and folate concentrations were collected at 9 and 36 months, and ASQ-3 was assessed at 36 months. Associations between B₁₂ and folate at 9 and 36 months and ASQ-3 were analysed using regression models. Associations between diet and B₁₂ were also investigated. No children had insufficient B₁₂ (<148 pmol/l) at 36 months. B₁₂ at 36 month was positively associated with total ASQ-3 corresponding to an increase of 100 pmol/l B₁₂ per 1·5 increase in total ASQ-3 score (P = 0·019) which remained significant after adjustment for potential confounders including 9 months values. B₁₂ at 9 months or folate at any time point was not associated with total ASQ-3. Intake of milk products was associated with B₁₂ at 36 months (P = 0·003) and showed a trend at 9 months (P = 0·069). Intake of meat products was not associated with B₁₂. In conclusion, B₁₂ was positively related to psychomotor development at 3 years in well-nourished children, indicating that the impact of having marginally low B₁₂ status on psychomotor development in well-nourished children should be examined further.

Health outcomes associated with micronutrient-fortified complementary foods in infants and young children aged 6–23 months: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Appropriate feeding of infants and young children is essential for healthy growth and the prevention of stunting, wasting, and overweight. We aimed to assess the beneficial versus harmful effects of providing fortified complementary foods to children in the complementary feeding period.

Methods

In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched the databases Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Global Index Medicus, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, and WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform from inception to March 9, 2021. We included randomised controlled trials and controlled clinical trials done in infants and children aged 6–23 months with no identified health problems. Consumption of foods fortified centrally (ie, during industrial processing) with one micronutrient or a combination of vitamins, minerals, or both was compared with the same complementary foods, but without micronutrient fortification. Two review authors independently screened studies for eligibility, extracted data, assessed risk of bias, and rated the certainty of the evidence. The main outcomes were growth (measured by Z scores for weight for age, weight for height or length, and height or length for age, or other growth measures), stunting, wasting, nutrient adequacy or excess, anaemia, haemoglobin concentration, iron status, serum zinc concentration, and serum retinol concentration. We used a random-effects meta-analysis for combining data. This study is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42021245876.

Findings

We included 16 studies with 6423 participants, 13 of which were done in malaria-endemic areas. Overall, 12 studies were included in the quantitative syntheses. We identified five further ongoing studies. There was no difference between participants who received fortified complementary foods and those who received non-fortified complementary foods in weight-for-age Z scores (mean difference −0·01, 95% CI −0·07 to 0·06; five trials; 1206 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), weight-for-height or length Z scores (−0·05, −0·19 to 0·10; four trials; 1109 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), and height or length-for-age Z scores (−0·01, −0·21 to 0·20; four trials; 811 participants; low-certainty evidence); stunting and wasting were not assessed in any study as outcomes. Moderate-certainty evidence from six trials with 1209 patients showed that providing fortified complementary foods to children aged 6–23 months reduced the risk of anaemia (risk ratio 0·57, 95% CI 0·39 to 0·82). Those who received fortified complementary foods compared with those who did not had higher haemoglobin concentrations (mean difference 3·44 g/L, 95% CI 1·33 to 5·55; 11 trials; 2175 participants; moderate-certainty evidence) and ferritin concentration (0·43 μg/L on log scale, 0·14 to 0·72; six trials; 903 participants; low-certainty evidence). The intervention led to no effects on serum zinc concentration (−0·13 g/dL, −0·82 to 0·56; two trials; 333 participants; low-certainty evidence) and serum retinol concentration (0·03 μmol/L, −0·02 to 0·08; five trials; 475 participants; moderate-certainty evidence).

Interpretation

Fortified complementary foods are effective strategies to prevent anaemia in infants and young children aged 6–23 months in malaria-endemic regions. Effects of complementary food fortification should be further investigated in low-income and middle-income countries, but should also be assessed in high-income countries, and in regions where malaria is not endemic.

Funding

WHO.

One-Carbon Metabolism in Nepalese Infant-Mother Pairs and Child Cognition at 5 Years Old

BACKGROUND

One-carbon metabolism (OCM) refers to the transfer of methyl groups central to DNA methylation and histone modification. Insufficient access to methyl donors and B-vitamin cofactors affects epigenetic maintenance and stability, and when occurring in early life may impact future health and neurodevelopment.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to examine the relative associations between one-carbon metabolites in Nepalese mother-infant pairs and child cognition measured at 5 y of age.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study from Bhaktapur, Nepal, in a population at high risk of subclinical B-vitamin deficiencies and cumulative infection burden. Venous blood samples from 500 mother-infant pairs were collected when the infants were 2 to 12 mo old, and metabolite concentrations measured by microbiological assays and GC-tandem MS. We re-enrolled 321 of these children at 5 y and assessed cognition by the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, 3rd edition, and subtests from the Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment, 2nd edition (NEPSY-II). The associations of the independent metabolites or unobserved metabolic phenotypes (identified by latent class analysis) with the cognitive outcomes were estimated by seemingly unrelated regression. We explored direct and indirect relations between the OCM pathway and the cognitive outcomes using path analysis.

RESULTS

Infant cystathionine concentration was inversely associated with 4 cognitive outcomes (standardized βs ranging from -0.22 to -0.11, P values from <0.001 to 0.034). Infants with a metabolic phenotype indicating impaired OCM and low vitamin B-12 status had poorer cognitive outcomes compared with infants with normal OCM activity and adequate vitamin B-12 status (standardized βs ranging from -0.80 to -0.40, P < 0.001 and 0.05). In the path analysis, we found several OCM biomarkers were associated with affect recognition through infant plasma cystathionine.

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated plasma cystathionine during infancy reflects a metabolic phenotype of impaired OCM and low vitamin B-12 status and is associated with poorer cognitive function when the children are 5 y old.

One-carbon pathway and cognitive skills in children with Down syndrome

This work investigates the role of metabolite levels in the intellectual impairment of subjects with Down syndrome (DS). Homocysteine, folate, vitamin B12, uric acid (UA), creatinine levels and MTHFR C677T genotype were analyzed in 147 subjects with DS. For 77 subjects, metabolite levels were correlated with cognitive tests. Griffiths-III test was administered to 28 subjects (3.08–6.16 years) and WPPSI-III test was administered to 49 subjects (7.08–16.08 years). Significant correlations were found among some metabolite levels and between homocysteine levels and MTHFR C677T genotype. Moreover, homocysteine, UA and creatinine levels resulted increased with age. We did not find any correlation between metabolites and cognitive test score in the younger group. Homocysteine showed statistically significant correlation with WPPSI-III subtest scores when its level is ≥ 7.35 µmol/L, remaining correlated in higher thresholds only for non-verbal area scores. Vitamin B12 showed correlations with all WPPSI-III subtest scores when its level is < 442 pg/mL. The relevance of the present findings is the detection of a specific metabolite threshold related with a better or worse cognitive score, suggesting that vitamin B12 and homocysteine may have a role in cognitive development in children with DS.