Folic acid, Vit B12 to help prevent brain stroke in vegetarian population in India

An urgent need to do more population-based studies regarding stroke in India to know the exact prevalence, etiology, and incidence rates

Brain stroke has long been considered a disease of the elderly, but recent data suggests it is now commonly occurring in young population in India as well. The occurrence of stroke in young adults is particularly concerning as these patients in the prime of their life are often affected by physical disability, depression, cognitive impairment, and loss of productivity, all of which have serious personal, social, and economic implications.

Hyperhomocysteinaemia, a medical condition characterised by an abnormally high level of homocysteine in the blood, is often found in people with vitamin B12 deficiency. This is one of the risk factors for stroke. 

During a discussion on World Stroke Day on October 29th, Dr Sanjay Pandey, Head, Dept of Neurology, Amrita Hospital, Faridabad said: “Considering the large vegetarian population in India with inadequate intake of vitamin B12, this risk factor for stroke is quite significant. Many studies have published data suggesting that vitamin B12 therapy helps lower homocysteine levels in an individual. This provides a strong case for stroke prevention through food fortification with folic acid and vitamin B12 in vegetarian population.”

Image credit- shutterstock

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