The Mosquito Patch uses natural ingredients to bring you a safe, effective bug repellant. The Mosquito Patch unlocks the bug-battling power of Vitamin B. May 5, 2010 - Mosquito Mythbusting: Will the Real Repellents Please Stand Up? Vitamin B: Can vitamin B tablets make you a less tasty treat to the biting.
Through their transmission of diseases like malaria, yellow fever and West Nile virus, mosquitoes have been responsible for more deaths than any other animal in history. While many mosquito-transmitted diseases are considered historical, or diseases only relevant outside the United States, West Nile virus cases have been seen in nearly every U.S. state. Even uninfected mosquitoes are reviled as they irritate people with their itchy bites. So it's understandable when people reach for easy ways to repel these blood-sucking insects. Vitamin B1, also known as thiamine, is one such easy solution. Unfortunately, there's no evidence that it works.
Close-up of a mosquito on the skin. Credit: Anest/iStock/Getty Images
Researchers Say No Way
The authors of a June 2005 review article published in the 'Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association' reported that of the scientific studies performed testing B vitamins as repellents, none found them to have significant repellent ability against mosquitoes. In addition, the American Mosquito Control Association asserts that systemic vitamin repellents, in general, do not work. Vitamin B1 delivered as a skin patch has also been tested and did not repel mosquitoes, according an February 2013 study report published in 'Acta Tropica.'
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Effective Repellents
While vitamin B1 is not effective as a mosquito repellent, there are plenty of alternatives. Many natural, plant-based repellents -- such as lemon eucalyptus leaf extracts and citronella -- are quite effective at repelling mosquitoes, report the authors of a March 2011 'Malaria Journal' review article. While some people prefer natural repellents, several safe and effective synthetic repellents are available, including those containing DEET or icaridin.
July 21st, 2010
From Peter Bartok, Houston, Texas
'Malaria is a major problem in the world. As a geologist I have done significant field work in malaria infested regions. Before doing work in Bolivia (several years ago) a doctor told me to take 1000 units of B12 three times a day. B12 exudes a mosquito repellent smell. During the six weeks I was there I was not bitten by mosquitoes. Can B12 prevent mosquito transmitted diseases? Thanks for being available.'
Answer
Since mosquitoes are perhaps the most insidious disease-spreaders around, your question is important. Mosquitoes transmit parasites that cause malaria, a disease that kills between 1 million and 3 million people a year worldwide.
Before I answer your question, Peter, I would like to clarify one point. You asked whether vitamin B12 can prevent mosquito-transmitted diseases. What I think you are asking is whether B12 can repel mosquitoes and thus prevent transmission of the disease. This is an important distinction because, as you are probably aware, many mosquito-transmitted diseases like malaria and West Nile Virus are not necessarily preventable. The best we can hope for is stemming the number of people stung by these infected mosquitoes.
Now, to answer your question, the notion that ingesting certain products like B vitamins (or garlic, for that matter) might repel mosquitoes is common, but unfounded. Based on scientific studies I was able to dig up, B vitamins are not effective mosquito repellants, and vitamin B12, specifically, is not well-studied.
What scientists know more about is another B vitamin - B1 - also known as thiamine. As part of a larger survey of effective mosquito repellants, a 2002 study in the New England Journal of Medicine reported that, 'No ingested compound, including garlic and thiamine (vitamin B1), has been found to be capable of repelling biting arthropods.'
The same study concluded that DEET-containing products offer the best protection. In addition to DEET, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends another product, Picaridin, and products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus. The CDC also recommends wearing long sleeves and pants while outdoors, and applying a repellent on your clothing.