I am planning tp develop a transdermal patch with vitamin B12 on it but I need to know if it requires anything else for it to be absorbed well.
Talking with naturopaths is confusing, need science to help me out!
For a transdermal patch to effectively deliver the compound of your interest via absorption through the skin into circulation, you have to first consider the nature of molecule of your interest.
I am not sure that cyanocobalamin, folate, or both mixed together will absorb through the skin - both being quite hydrophilic compounds.... but that just a guess based on my recollection of their structures and I may be wrong so you should perform some literature surveys.
Best,
I will use methylcobalamin. My question is whether folate is essential for vitamin B12 to work effectively or not?
DMSO is very good for carrying molecules through the skin, vitamin B12 is similarly soluble in both DMSO and water. Can't say about folate (or folic acid) or not.
Combined Vit.B12 and folate deficiency is rarer than each one alone. So, when there's evidence of a megaloblastic anemia, it's necessary to determine whether it's due to Vit.B12 or folate deficiency, so that the appropriate therapy is started. None of these is effective in case of deficiency of the other. In emergency situations, both are administered to improve the patient's condition until the proper diagnosis is complete. You can find information regarding the specific steps of the folate cycle in which each one acts in any good hematology textbook. To sum up, vit. B12 does not require any folate to be administered.
Yes, vitamin B12 can be provided on its own, without folate. I'm not sure why no one answered your fairly simple question. We worry about too much folate masking vitamin B12 deficiency, not the other way around. Good luck.
Agree with you Alayne! Thought I was never going to get a straight answer!
David,
Perhaps you should have asked a straightforward question to get a straight answer. For example, is it necessary to include folate in treating Vit B12 deficiency?
The way you have phrased your question, puts a great deal of emphasis on how to produce transdermal patch for delivery (with or without folate to facilitate the delivery of Vit B12), which is an entirely different issue.
"and what would you answer be to my simple question?"
If by that you mean if folate is necessary to treat for Vit B12 deficiency, your question has already been answered by others.
B-12 can be taken on its own. If plasma measurements indicate B-12 deficiency it should be administered by injection, NOT orally since there may be an absorption problem. Measurement of RBC folate is preferable to plasma folate since it provides an index of body stores rather than plasma that is more variable due to recent dietary intake. Plasma B12 is am important measurement to determine whether deficiency exists. Vegans and members of certain religions that never consume meat products are susceptible. In addition, methylmalonic acid is also a useful indicator of B-12 status. See publications by Dr. Sally Stabler at Univ. of Colorado in Denver.
If your outcome of interest requires conversion of duridylic acid to dthymidylic acid (e.g., DNA synthesis, hence cell division) an inadequacy of folate may set a limit to the conversion. In such situation you may also need to supplement with folate to evoke optimal response to your vitamin B12 dose.
Although vitamin B12 is water soluble, it needs several carriers/factors to move from stomach to the target tissue in the body. As to absorption from your ID patch, you may find hint in the formulations of the IM injection preparations of vitamin B12.
Hi again David! Thought you wanted some science about Vit. B12 and folate requirements!
I do agree. But its so because your idea is novel and interesting (at least to me).