Vitamin B12, a water-soluble vitamin that gets flushed out of your system through urination when taken in excess, can be found in foods, supplements and medications. You need to continuously replenish your body with vitamin B12 through dietary intake because your body can't store it efficiently. Vitamin B12 has a variety of benefits for your body and mind, and an inadequate amount of vitamin B12 can lead to a series of preventable health conditions.
Red Blood Cell Formation
Humans need vitamin B12 to produce sufficient amount of healthy red blood cells. These cells deliver oxygen to the body's tissues, which people need to survive.
Neurological Function
Researcher Anna Vogiatzoglou and team followed a group of seniors, who had no cognitive impairment at time of enrollment, for five years. The researchers found that seniors with greater decreased brain volume tend to have lower levels of vitamin B12 and holotranscobalamin, a transport protein of vitamin B12. This significant correlation led the researchers to conclude in the September 2008 issue of "Neurology Journal" that vitamin B12 should be investigated further for its possible role in brain atrophy and cognitive impairment in elderly populations.
DNA Synthesis
Vitamin B12 plays a role in protecting DNA and preventing cells from turning cancerous. The Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University states that without adequate vitamin B12, the body can't produce enough working methionine, an amino acid that plays a role in lowering the level of homocysteine -- the amino acid that correlates with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency
As you age, your nervous system, sensory systems, muscles, bones and immune system age as well -- they become exhausted. The accumulation of toxins over the years contributes to the exhaustion, and without proper nutrition and exercise, ill health conditions result. Seniors should take adequate vitamin B12 to avoid or reduce the following symptoms: numbness, tingling in the arms and legs, difficulty walking, loss of balance, forgetfulness, disorientation, dementia, depression, diarrhea or constipation, dizziness, loss of appetite, difficulty focusing, shortness of breath, swollen tongue or bleeding gums.
Recommended Intakes
Seniors 51 and older should take 2.4mcg per day of vitamin B12. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, the dietary intake should be in the form of supplements or fortified food because seniors tend to lose their ability to produce adequate stomach acid -- a substance needed to break down food to release vitamin B12. Furthermore, decreased stomach acid allows bad bacteria to proliferate, inducing a range of digestive conditions, including interference with vitamin B12 absorption.
References
- National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet -- Vitamin B12
- "Neurology Journal"; Vitamin B12 Status and Rate of Brain Volume Loss in Community-dwelling Elderly; Anna Vogiatzoglou, MSc, et al.; Sept. 2008
- Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University: Micronutrient Information Center -- Vitamin B12
- Medline Plus: Anemia-B12 Deficiency
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