ReviewMolecular reproduction and development2026
Vitamin B12 and Reproductive Health: Clinical Insights, Emerging Mechanistic Understanding, and Nutritional Aspects.
Review in Molecular reproduction and development, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Epidemiological data from assisted reproductive technologies (ART) link vitamin B12 (VitB12) deficiency to shorter gestation, low birth weight, and reduced live birth rates. VitB12 also plays a critical role in fertility for both sexes by supporting gamete quality. Despite some contradictions, emerging evidence suggests early-life VitB12 deficiency may affect learning and cognitive development. Collectively, these findings suggest that VitB12 is a key determinant of both reproductive and developmental health. Mechanistically, VitB12 acts as a coenzyme in one-carbon metabolism, and its deficiency leads to elevated homocysteine (Hcy) and methylmalonic acid (MMA) levels, promoting oxidative stress and thereby impairing fertility. Although this remains the most established mechanism, other yet unidentified pathways may also mediate the effects of VitB12 on reproductive function. While the effects of severe VitB12 deficiency are well established, mild deficiencies may develop silently in individuals following plant-based diets or those with gastrointestinal disorders. Plant-based sources of VitB12 remain controversial, as many provide only trace amounts or biologically inactive analogs such as pseudovitamin B12, which may interfere with absorption. Further research is needed to evaluate their bioavailability and clinical effectiveness. This review synthesizes clinical evidence, mechanistic insights, and dietary considerations to highlight how VitB12 status shapes reproductive health.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.