In fact, vitamin B12 can help stroke patients regenerate neurons and improve neural communications. This can allow survivors to improve various stroke side effects, such as impaired movement.
A vitamin B12 deficiency can increase homocysteine levels, which are a well-established risk factor for ischemic stroke.
A clot-busting medication called tPA, or tissue plasminogen activator, can be given to someone if they're having a stroke, potentially reversing or stopping symptoms from developing. But it has to be given within 4.5 hours of the start of symptoms, Dr. Humbert says.
The initial recovery following stroke is most likely due to decreased swelling of brain tissue, removal of toxins from the brain, and improvement in the circulation of blood in the brain. Cells damaged, but not beyond repair, will begin to heal and function more normally.
Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is a thrombolytic. tPA improves the chances of recovering from a stroke. Studies show that patients with ischemic strokes who receive tPA are more likely to recover fully or have less disability than patients who do not receive the drug.
Ischemic stroke, the most common type of stroke, is treated with the 'clot-busting' drug known as tPA. The drug must be given to patients within three- to four-and-a-half hours after the onset of stroke symptoms, and preferably sooner.
High blood pressure is the leading cause of stroke and is the main cause for increased risk of stroke among people with diabetes.
1. Fruits and vegetables
Foods high in potassium, such as sweet and white potatoes, bananas, tomatoes, prunes, melon and soybeans, can help you maintain a healthy blood pressure — the leading risk factor of stroke. Magnesium-rich foods, such as spinach, are also linked to a lower risk of stroke.
If you've had a heart attack or stroke or you have known heart disease, your health care provider may recommend that you take a daily aspirin to prevent heart attacks or strokes unless you have a serious allergy or history of bleeding.
Vitamin B12 and Health
Vitamin B12 is involved in the breakdown of a protein called homocysteine. High homocysteine levels are associated with an increased risk of heart disease and stroke as it may promote the formation of blood clots and excess free radical cells, and may impair normal blood vessel function.
No interactions were found between Vitamin B12 and warfarin.
As compared to placebo intervention, vitamin B (folic acid, vitamin B12, and vitamin B6) supplementation has been documented to effectively lower the plasma levels of total homocysteine and serves to reduce the risk of strokes in high-risk and healthy subjects [5].
Lemon Juice Might Lower Stroke Risk
One interesting health benefit of lemon juice is that it can help prevent strokes. A study that looked at the reported diets of over 69,622 people found that those who consumed citrus fruits and juices had the lowest risk of strokes.
If you have a stroke, the curcumin found in turmeric may help limit the damage that sometimes occurs when the blood and oxygen return to your brain tissues after the stroke, according to a study published in "Microcirculation" in August 2013. This damage is called a repurfusion injury.
The inverse association of magnesium intake and stroke is consistent with a meta-analysis of 7 prospective studies. They reported an 8% reduced stroke risk per 100 mg/d dietary magnesium increment.
Research shows that the brain possesses an extraordinary ability to heal itself after stroke. This ability, known as neuroplasticity, is why many stroke survivors go on to make astonishing recoveries. However, this healing process cannot happen on its own.
Some people who suffer a stroke can eventually recover fully, but not everyone. The amount of recovery depends on many factors, including the part of the brain that is damaged, the size of the damaged area, and how well the brain's neuroplasticity processes work.
Stopping More Strokes with tPA Treatment
The most widely known and the only FDA-approved drug for treatment of ischemic stroke — intravenous tPA (tissue plasminogen activator) — can reverse stroke if given to carefully selected patients within a few hours of stroke onset.
Check to see if they're breathing. If they're not breathing, perform CPR. If they're having difficulty breathing, loosen any constrictive clothing, such as a tie or scarf. Talk in a calm, reassuring manner.