With dementia, you experience a loss of neurological function that becomes progressively worse, affecting your cognitive skills and your ability to care for yourself. Several types of dementia exist, such as Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. In some cases of dementia, the brain damage results from a nutritional deficit, such as one in vitamin B12.
Causes
Vitamin B12 occurs naturally in many foods, such as fish and red meat. The vitamin plays a role in your neurological functioning, so a deficit in vitamin B12 can result in problems. For example, the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University notes that a vitamin B12 deficiency can damage the covering of the neurons. A deficit can lead to dementia, which may or may not occur with mood changes. A vitamin B12 deficiency can occur if you eat a diet without enough of the vitamin in it, or if you have a medical condition that affects your absorption of the vitamin, such as celiac disease or Crohn's disease.
Symptoms
Dementia caused by a vitamin B12 deficiency can be brief or more long term, according to MedlinePlus. In early dementia, you may have personality changes, problems remembering new information, a loss of interest in activities and difficulty with finding the right word to use for an object. As the dementia progresses, you may have poor judgment, problems doing everyday tasks such as driving, changes in your sleep and issues with reading and writing. Hallucinations and violent behavior may occur.
Diagnosis
When testing for dementia, your doctor will look for any metabolic irregularities. For example, she may test your vitamin B12 level, as well as perform a thyroid function test, liver function test, blood glucose level test and lumbar puncture to rule out other metabolic causes, notes MedlinePlus. Your doctor will test your vitamin B12 levels by drawing blood. A vitamin B12 level of below 170 to 250 pg/mL is considered a deficit, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. Other diagnostic tests for dementia include a brain scan and a neurological exam.
Treatment
If your doctor determines that your dementia is due to a deficiency of vitamin B12, you may need to take vitamin B12 supplements. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends between 100 and 1,000 mcg of vitamin B12 and notes that injections of the vitamin may provide the best results. Consult your doctor before starting vitamin B12 supplements. Your doctor may also recommend that you include more vitamin B12-rich foods in your diet. Examples include salmon, fortified cereals, clams, yogurt, beef, tuna, liver and milk. MedlinePlus adds that medications used to treat Alzheimer's disease, such as cholinesterase inhibitors, do not help with dementia due to a vitamin B12 deficiency.
Complications
Having dementia due to a vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to some complications. For example, a vitamin B12 deficiency can also result in nerve injury, leading to a loss of sensation, notes MedlinePlus. You may experience urinary tract infections or pressure sores as complications of the disorder. Other possible complications include skin infections, pneumonia and loss of your ability to care for yourself and interact with others.
