The Role of a Vegetarian Diet in Vitamin B12 Deficiency and Its Neurological Implications: A Focus on Funicular Myelopathy
Vitamin B12, or cobalamin, is an essential water-soluble nutrient vital for numerous biological processes. Its critical roles include DNA synthesis, red blood cell formation, neurological function through myelin synthesis, and one-carbon metabolism, particularly in methylation reactions such as the conversion of homocysteine to methionine. A deficiency in this vitamin can lead to a spectrum of clinical manifestations, ranging from hematologic abnormalities to irreversible neurological damage, including funicular myelopathy—a rare but serious spinal cord disorder. This article explores the relationship between vegetarian and vegan diets, vitamin B12 deficiency, and the risk of neurological complications, with a focus on the mechanisms, clinical presentation, prevention strategies, and the emerging insights provided by proteomics. Update: Transcobalamin receptor antibodies in autoimmune vitamin B12 central deficiency https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scitranslmed.adl3758 Vitamin...