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Vitamin B-12 & Seniors

Jun 5, 2011 | By Anna Aronson

Your body needs vitamin B-12 to make DNA and red blood cells, and for proper function of the nervous system. When your body has excess vitamin B-12, it can store it, in some cases enough of a supply to last several years, Mayo Clinic reports. Because of this storage capacity, deficiencies are rare. However, the elderly are among those at risk for a vitamin B-12 deficiency.

Risk Factors in Seniors

Seniors more commonly develop a vitamin B-12 deficiency because their bodies do not as readily absorb the vitamin from food sources. The precise cause of the absorption problem is a condition cause atrophic gastritis, which affects between 10 percent and 30 percent of older adults in the United States, the Office of Dietary Supplements reports. When the condition develops, the stomach no longer secretes enough hydrochloric acid, which in turn means it cannot absorb enough vitamin B-12. A lack of intrinsic factor in the stomach -- which is necessary for vitamin B-12 absorption -- also contributes to an increased risk of deficiencies in seniors.

Intake Recommendations

Although atrophic gastritis results in a limited ability to absorb the vitamin from food, many seniors can still get an ample supply of vitamin B-12 by eating a synthetic form of the vitamin via a supplement or eating fortified foods, the Office of Dietary Supplements reports. For this reason, the Institute of Medicine recommends that seniors get most of the vitamin B-12 they need either from a supplement or via fortified foods. The recommended dietary allowance for vitamin B-12 is 2.4 mcg per day for adults.

Vitamin B-12 Deficiency Symptoms

Seniors who cannot absorb enough vitamin B12 from their food may develop a variety of symptoms of the deficiency. Common signs include loss of appetite, diarrhea, constipation, fatigue, lightheadedness, difficulty concentrating, pale skin, shortness of breath and red, swollen or bleeding gums. A vitamin B-12 deficiency causes a type of anemia called pernicious anemia. As the deficiency develops, neurological impairments may become evident. These signs can include dementia, confusion, changes in mental status, tingling in the hands and feet and a loss of balance.

Treatment

The standard treatment for a vitamin B-12 deficiency is injections of the vitamin. The injections avoid the problem of the vitamin not being properly absorbed in the stomach because of a lack of intrinsic factor or hydrochloric acid, the Office of Dietary Supplements reports. Large oral doses of the vitamin can also address a deficiency, but intramuscular injections are more commonly used because of how successful the treatment is.

References

Article reviewed by GlennK Last updated on: Jun 5, 2011

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