MD Reports veg diet causes MORE strokes than flesh/secretion diet

July 15, 2008

Hmmm. And flesh/secretions/embroys reduce the risk? Hello Doc, it's called a SUPPLEMENT, something of which meat eaters take HANDFULLS and still die of the same thing!!!!! Remind me not to get medical attention next time I visit India LOL!

[Times of India]NEW DELHI: Strokes are the second most common cause of deaths and thecommonest cause of severe disability.Now a study has shown that deficiency of Vitamin B12, usually seen invegetarians, can predispose a person to strokes much more than theusual risk factors — diabetes and hypertension. (WTF??)"While 20% of Indians suffer from diabetes and high BP," says Dr ArunGarg, consultant neurologist, Max Hospitals, "incidence ofhomocysteinemia (increased levels of homocysteine, an amino acid)caused by vitamin B12 deficiency, is 70%. This is seen more amongvegetarians as this vitamin is mainly found in meat and milk, if it'sneither boiled nor pasteurised.." In fact, deficiency of vitamins B12,B6 and folate causes two-thirds of strokes. (I think that is highly debatable - is

there a doctor in the house????)This risk is four times higher in vegetarians. As folate is found invegetables and fruits, its deficiency is rare among Indians, but thatof vitamin B12 is common....The link between strokes and vegetarianism was confirmed in afive-year study by Garg and Dr A K Jain, neurologist, Jain NeuroCentre, in two Max hospitals and this Centre. From 2003, 4,680 OPDpatients were screened for vitamin B12 and homocysteine levels. Thosewith a history of stroke, heart disease, diabetes, chronic renal,liver problems, alcoholics and those on vitamin supplements wereexcluded. Most had vague complaints — tingling, numbness, chronicheadaches and depressive symptoms like sleeplessness and fatigue.It was found that 60% patients had vitamin B12 levels below 400 pg/mland 38.9% had less than 200

pg/ml. Homocysteine levels were high (over15 micromol/l) in 36%. And out of these, over 80% were either strictvegetarians or took non-vegetarian food less than once a week. Thisshowed the co-relation between vegetarians and strokes.-- full story:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/HealthSci/Vegetarians_prone_to_strokes_Study/articleshow/3227413.cms