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From: sdyer@bbncca.ARPA (Steve Dyer)
Newsgroups: net.med
Subject: Re: Folic Acid/Nitrous Oxide
Message-ID: <627@bbncca.ARPA>
Date: Sat, 17-Mar-84 20:31:44 EST
Article-I.D.: bbncca.627
Posted: Sat Mar 17 20:31:44 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 18-Mar-84 01:43:06 EST
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	>If you use NO regularly you might seriously consider taking
	>supplements of B-12 and getting your blood checked once in a
	>while (when you see your doctor ASK THEM TO CHECK FOR THIS).

If you used NO regularly, you'd be DEAD!  Nitrogen oxide, NO, quickly turns
to nitrogen dioxide, NO2, which combines with water to produce nitric acid.
Howard, you might know a bit about nutrition, but remind me to get another
anesthesiologist! :-) Nitrous oxide is N2O, and is fairly inert, which
brings me to my next question...

I'd be very interested to hear the references on nitrous oxide-induced
B-12 deficiency.  I hadn't heard of this effect, as late as the 1980
Goodman and Gilman, but more research (and recreational use) may have
uncovered something.

Lastly, how much folic acid do you want?  In my teenage days as a pharmacy
clerk, I clearly remember that a common prescription-only dosage strength
of folic acid was 5mg/tablet.  This was available from Lederle, and probably
from many other generic suppliers.  I don't see why a nutritionally-informed
doctor would not prescribe this, to be used with whatever other vitamins
you might have.  The cost shouldn't be too much.
-- 
/Steve Dyer
{decvax,linus,ima}!bbncca!sdyer
sdyer@bbncca.ARPA