Vitamin B-12 and a number of other vitamins and minerals contribute to bone growth and health. Although the length and size of adult bones remain unchanged, the bone marrow continuously undergoes change. In a constant cycle, B-12 helps form new red blood cells in the bone marrow as old ones age and die. As you age, the replication stage slows and fails to keep up with the rate of bone-depletion. This causes your bones to lose density and become brittle. Vitamin B-12 plays an important role in maintaining bone integrity throughout life.
Research
Several studies support the role of vitamin B-12 in bone density and osteoporosis, the weakening of bone. Probably the most notable study, the Framingham study of osteoporosis conducted in 1987, involved men and women ages 69 to 93. According to Pub Med, this study noted low levels in B-12 in people with osteoporosis. Some people had active symptoms of B-12 deficiency, such as balance disturbances and cognitive decline. The asymptomatic subjects proved anemic in B-12 on blood tests. In 2002, the Agricultural Research Service, an arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, funded another study using the offspring of the Framingham study subjects and found similar results.
Sources of B-12
Vitamin B-12, cobalamin, comes in small amounts in certain foods, including animal meats and livers. Beef, herring and mackerel contain the highest amounts of B-12. Other sources include egg yolks, milk, cheese, clams, sardines, salmon, crab meat and oysters. The vitamin is unstable if exposed to heat, acid or light. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements,vitamin B-12 comes in the form of cyanocobalamin for supplementation and in another form of B-12, hydroxycobalamin, for maximum absorption.
Recommended Doses
To maintain strong bones, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends these daily allowances for vitamin B-12. For infants up to 6 months, give 0.4 mcg, and for infants from 7 to 12 months, increase to 0.5 mcg. In children 1 to 3 years, the RDA is 0.9 mcg, and from age 4 to 8, it is 1.2 mcg. Children ages 9 to 13 need 1.8 mcg. Everyone over age 14 should take in 2.4 mcg of vitamin B-12 daily.
B-12 Absorption
Some adults, especially older adults, have difficulty absorbing vitamin B-12. Supplementing the diet with capsules or injections can help. Also, some foods, in addition to the B-12 sources, come fortified with the vitamin. Look for breakfast cereals enriched with it. Sometimes medications block the absorption of vitamin B-12. Drugs.com reports that omeprazole and its brand name Prilosec can deplete B-12 stores when taken for several years to treat gastrointestinal problems such as indigestion. Speak to your doctor if you have taken 40 mg for four years or more.
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