Tag: Nutrition

Why You Should Take Vitamin K from Tampa and St Pete’s Medical Nutritionist, Anne Hermann, MD

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Posted by Anne Hermann on Mon, Apr 16, 2012 @ 05:28 PM

Anne Hermann, MD

The buzz in the nutrition world is that Vitamin K2 (menaquinone) is more important that we ever realized.  Vitamin K2 has always been recognized
for its crucial role in blood clotting.  Here are a few new recent findings about Vitamin K2:

 

Adding K2 to Vitamin D and Calcium reduces risk of fracture by 25%.  Vitamin K Supplementation for the primary prevention of osteoporotic fractures: is it
cost-effective and is future research warranted?  Gajic-Veljanoski O, Byoumi AM, Tomlinson G, Khan K, Cheung AM.  Osteoporosis Int. 2012 Mar 8

Vitamin K reduces heart disease.  High dietary menaquinone intake is associated with reduced coronary calcification.  Beulens JW. Bots ML, Atsma F, Bartelink ML. Atherosclerosis. 2009 Apr; 203(2):489-93

People with higher dietary Vitamin K2 intake have lower rates of death from cancer. Dietary vitamin K intake in relation to cancer incidence and mortality:  results from the Heidelberg cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition.  Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 May, 91(5):1348-58.

With all these benefits, I recommend that patients take 125 mcg of vitamin K2 per day.  For bone health, I recommend a preparation of Vitamin D and Vitamin K2.  Sources of vitamin K include kale, and other leafy green vegetables.  If you would like to have your vitamin K level checked, we do this through Spectracell Labs.

If you are on a blood thinner, you will need to talk to a physician about the safe amount of K2 for you.

Anne Hermann, MD, is a board certified physician nutrition specialist.  To schedule your appointment with Dr. Hermann, call (813) 902-9559.

This post was written by Anne Hermann. Follow Anne Hermann on Google, Facebook, Twitter & Linkedin.

MIC B vs B12 Shots for Weight Loss in Tampa and St. Petersburg

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Posted by Anne Hermann on Wed, Apr 04, 2012 @ 12:46 PM

Anne Hermann, MD

Why MIC B Shots are Better than B12 Shots for the Best Weight Loss

We are often asked if we do B 12 shots for weight loss.  To be accurate, there are better shots for weight loss than B12.  We recommend and use a MIC combo shot that provides a combination of amino acids and vitamins to aid in weight loss.

B12 shots (which we do offer for B12 deficiency) contain very high concentrations of B12, but do not have any other vitamins in them.  Before we give either shot, we usually check your blood level of B vitamins.   If you are low in B12, then you will feel better with the concentrated B12 shot.  If your B12 level is normal to high, adding more B12 will not make you feel any better or aid in weight loss.

So, for people with normal B12 concentrations, we recommend the MIC combo which has:

  • Methianine, Inositol and Choline: Amino acids that aid in the maintenance of muscle tissue
  • Vitamin C to boost immune system and skin health
  • Methylcobalamin, pyridoxine, niacin, riboflavin and thiamine, which are B vitamins that help prevent fatigue while you are on a calorie restricted diet.

Our formula also contains lidocaine to ensure that the injection is comfortable.  If you are receiving B shots for weight loss, please ask your provider if you are getting B12 or a B complex.  If it is just B12, be sure that the doctor monitors your blood levels so that you do not get too much.

For more information, we offer consults at (813) 902-9559 or (727) 278-3992.  Anne Hermann, MD is double board certified in Nutrition as well as Internal Medicine.

This post was written by Anne Hermann. Follow Anne Hermann on Google, Facebook, Twitter & Linkedin.

Best B12 Shots in Tampa St. Petersburg

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Posted by Anne Hermann on Wed, Apr 04, 2012 @ 01:00 PM

Anne Hermann, MD

Learn why we have the best B12 shots in Tampa and St Pete: Methylcobalamin vs Cyanocobalamin

B12 shots are given to people with low levels of B12.  A reputable weight loss clinic may use a B complex shot for weight loss, but should only use B12 if you have bloodwork that shows low B12 levels.  For more on B shots for weight loss: http://www.doctorhermann.com/blog/?Tag=B12

The other name for B12 is cobalamin and the best form of B12 injection is methylcobalamin or mythyl B12.

Most clinics use cyanocobalimin, or cyano B12, which has very small traces of cyanide attached to the B12.  In order for the more common, cyano B12 to be used by the body, our own metabolism must break the ‘cyano’ particle off from the B12.

Methylcobalin is a natural form of vitamin B12 and can be used much more easily by the body.  Be sure to ask your doctor which form they use before you start injections.

If you are looking for B12 for weight loss, make sure the doctor checks your level first.  If your B12 levels are already middle to high, you should have a B shot that gives less B12 and more other B vitamins such as folate, niacin, thiamine and sometimes amino acids that help maintain muscle.

Things that B12 helps with are:

Bell’s Palsy: methyl B12 reducesed the recovery time in Bell’s palsy. Jalaludin MA. Methylcobalamin treatment of Bell’s palsy. Methods Find Exp Clin Pharmacol 1995;17:539-544.

Diabetic Neuropathy  Alternative Med Review. 1998 Dec;3(6):461-3.

Heart Disease:   in one subgroup study, people with high B12 levels given additional B12 had a 34% reduction in stroke, death and heart attack.  Spence JD, Bang H, Chambless LE, Stampfer MJ.  Vitamin Intervention for Stroke Prevention Trial: an efficacy analysis. Stroke. 2005, 36(11): 2404-2409.

Anemia: B12 deficiency causes pernicious anemia and the only treatment is B12 shots

Fatigue:  Because we need B12 to prevent anemia and nerve damage, low B12 causes fatigue

To schedule your consultation with Dr. Hermann, please call (813) 902-9559 or (727) 278-3992.  Anne Hermann, MD is double board certified in Nutrition as well as Internal Medicine.

This post was written by Anne Hermann. Follow Anne Hermann on Google, Facebook, Twitter & Linkedin.

How to Treat Food Allergies in the Tampa-St Pete Area

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Posted by Anne Hermann on Mon, Mar 12, 2012 @ 01:30 PM

Dr. Anne Hermann

We all know that severe food allergies, caused by IgE antibodies, can be lethal.  But food allergies, caused by IgG antibodies, are more subtle.  We sometimes call the IgG allergy a food sensitivity because it will not kill you.  IgG allergies do cause sinus congestion, headache, achiness, constipation, diarrhea, rash, autism and a variety of vague symptoms.

There are two ways to determine whether you have a food sensitivity.  One is to do an elimination diet.  If, after eliminating specific foods from the diet, you feel better, then we know that something you are eating is causing your symptoms.  Then, we add back one food at a time to determine what food or foods caused the symptom.  The second and easiest way to determine whether you have a food sensitivity is blood testing.  A blood test will tell you if you have an allergy and how severe the allergy is.

In the old days (not too long ago), if someone had a food allergy, their only option was to eliminate that food from their diet.  This is difficult to do because certain foods, like soy, wheat, corn, dairy, and egg are found in small amounts in many food items.  Now, patients have the option of taking sublingual allergy drops by Allergy Easy.  These drops provide treatment for 59 different foods.  Allergy drops have allowed us to help many people who have multiple food allergies and have not been able to fully eliminate the foods they are allergic to from their diet.

We are proud to be offering the full spectrum of food sensitivity testing and treatment in a safe medical environment.  Anne Hermann, MD is double board certified in Internal Medicine and as a Physician Nutrition Specialist.  She has been practicing in Tampa Bay since 2003.

To schedule your appointment in either our Tampa or St. Pete Beach office, please call (813) 902-9559.

This post was written by Anne Hermann. Follow Anne Hermann on Google, Facebook, Twitter & Linkedin.