Japanese study links B12 and folate deficiency to fatigue

OSAKA, Japan — Japanese researchers said vitamin B12 and folate deficiency may be linked to chronic fatigue and low motivation even in clinically healthy people. The findings were reported by Professor Hiroaki Kanouchi of Osaka University. The study covered about 600 healthy Japanese adults, according to ScienceDaily. Researchers measured homocysteine, folate and B12 levels in the blood before assessing participants’ fatigue and motivation. The results showed that participants with higher homocysteine levels had lower levels of the two vitamins. The analysis also found that physical fatigue was more pronounced among men, while loss of motivation was more pronounced among women. Kanouchi said the findings show the importance of addressing fatigue and low motivation in the future.