Glitches in your memory are commonplace as you age. Writing a note to remember important events, following a routine or placing the car keys in the same place each day help prevent memory blunders. However, occurrences that are not part of the normal aging process like forgetting how to do tasks done repeatedly over the lifespan, may be linked to deficiencies in vitamins.
Abnormal Memory Loss
Complex processes in your brain work in unison to help you remember information for short-term or long-term recall. As you age, your body produces less of the chemicals involved in memory storage often due to changes in your body chemistry but sometimes due to extenuating factors. Poor nutrition habits, medical complications, head trauma or side effects of medication are a few of the causes connected to abnormal forms of memory loss. Consider your memory difficulties serious if you are more forgetful than you use to be to a point that it impacts your daily functioning; if you have trouble learning new information, which impairs the important decisions you make toward your safety, relationships or finances; and if you are told you repeat yourself exhaustively in conversation.
Vitamin B-12 Deficiency
Vitamin B-12 is one of eight B vitamins essential to your daily functioning. It is the only water-soluble vitamin that stores in your body, sometimes for years, so deficiency is rare. However, digestive disorders from aging or improper intake of natural sources of vitamin B-12 in a vegetarian diet can lead to deficiency of this vitamin. Memory loss is a significant side effect of B-12 deficiency. According to MayoClinic.com, this vitamin binds to proteins from food and once ingested, it combines with substances made in your stomach before it is released into your bloodstream. Adults over the age of 50 do not make these digestive substances as readily and should begin taking supplemental vitamin B-12 to prevent deficiency related memory loss. The recommended daily allowance of vitamin B-12 for adults is 2.4 mcg from natural sources. If you are over 50 or vegetarian, consult your physician for a B-12 supplement recommendation.
Thiamine Deficiency
Thiamine, or vitamin B-1, is important for food metabolism, muscle, heart and liver health and neurological functions. This vitamin is present in a variety of foods including vegetables, whole grains, dairy and poultry. However, if you drink alcohol in excess you impair the nutritional absorption of thiamine into your body. Lack of this nutrient results in memory impairment that could lead to the neurological condition Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. Symptoms of this condition include mental confusion, difficulty remembering past information and new information and confabulation, or making up information. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, thiamine deficiency is prominent in up to 80 percent of alcoholics worldwide but does not necessarily lead to Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome if the deficiency is corrected early enough. Adults need 1.1 to 1.2 mg of thiamine per day.
Vitamin B-3 and B-6
Niacin, or vitamin B-3, and vitamin B-6 are important nutrients that help your body make brain chemicals, or neurotransmitters, involved in maintaining memory, mood and cognitive functions. Both are involved in the synthesis of the neurotransmitter serotonin, a chemical that helps you learn new information to commit to memory. As with the other eight B-vitamins, niacin and B-6 intakes are met with a well-balanced diet of foods including poultry or fish, whole grains, nuts and vegetables. However, deficiency can occur due to poor nutrient absorption from alcoholism, general malnourishment or a rare hereditary disorder that inhibits nutrient absorption. Adults are recommended to get 14 to 16 mg of niacin daily and 1.5 to 1.7 mg of vitamin B-6.
Additional Nutrient Considerations
Vitamins C and E, antioxidants that are important for maintaining your immune system may also play a role in protecting your memory as you age, notes Harvard Health Publications. Fruits and vegetables, nuts and olive oil are sources of these vitamins. The daily recommended intake for vitamin C is 75 to 90 mg and for vitamin E it is 15 mg. Protect your memory with nutrient-rich meals that include vegetables, fruit, lean meat and low-fat dairy. Talk to your physician before you take supplements and to determine your specific nutrient needs as you age.
References
- Harvard Health Publications: Preventing Memory Loss
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism: The Role of Thiamine Deficiency in Alcoholic Brain Disease; Peter R. Martin M.D. et al; July 2004
- Linus Pauling Institute: Vitamin B6
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
- MayoClinic.com: Vitamin B-12; Can it Improve Memory in Alzheimer's?: Glenn Smith Ph.D; January 6, 2011
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin E
