VITAMIN B12Excretion and DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

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Abstract
Fifty ug. of crystalline vit. B12 were given to 13 diabetics without retinopathy and 22 diabetics with retinopathy, as well as a number of healthy individuals of comparable age as controls. It was found that the microbial activity of vit. B12 in the urine of patients with retinitis and of individuals without retinitis was twice or half that of healthy subjects, respectively. The use of radioactive vit. B12 showed that this marked difference in the B12 activity in the urine of the 2'' groups is a reflection of the difference in the retention of the vit. rather than the presence of the inhibitory substance in the urine. This difference is believed to be related to the adrenal function. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that injn. of cortisone to normal rats results in greater excretion of the injected radiovit.