If you are an older adult, you should be taking a supplement for B12 as well as trying to incorporate B12 into your diet. It is vital for good health and cognitive functioning. Studies continue to show all the ways it is beneficial for your overall health.
Benefits of Vitamin B12 for Seniors
It's no secret that getting your vitamins and nutrients is key to staying healthy. Vitamin B12 is particularly important because it plays a role in brain function, metabolism, nerve cells, and blood health. Vitamin B12 helps to metabolize an amino acid known as homocysteine.
With that in mind, let's go back to our initial question: how much vitamin B12 should a person over 65 take? Recent reports suggest that, along with a B12-rich diet, consuming 500 micrograms of B12 in the form of a supplement may help individuals over 65 maintain healthy vitamin B12 levels [2].
As people get older, their ability to absorb vitamin B12 decreases. This is because aging adults often develop problems with the acids and stomach enzymes needed to process the vitamin. Common risk factors for low vitamin B12 levels in older adults include: Low levels of stomach acid.
Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Weakness, tiredness, or lightheadedness. Heart palpitations and shortness of breath. Pale skin. A smooth tongue.
Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency
a pale yellow tinge to your skin. a sore and red tongue (glossitis) mouth ulcers. pins and needles (paraesthesia)
Milk and milk products are good sources of vitamin B12. Many ready-to-eat breakfast cereals are fortified with vitamin B12. Fish and red meat are excellent sources of vitamin B12. Poultry and eggs also contain vitamin B12.
If you are low in vitamin B12, a common recommended dose for oral supplements is about 1,000 mcg daily. But you should make sure to ask your healthcare provider about how much vitamin B12 you should look for in a supplement.
A few people experience gastrointestinal issues, such as bloating or diarrhea, from getting too much B-12. In rare cases, too much B-12 from a combination of diet and supplements can cause blood clots. You could also be allergic to a B-12 supplement and experience itching and rashes.
Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient that must be ingested daily because our bodies don't naturally produce it. B12 is important for many enzymatic processes, such as helping turn the food you eat into usable energy. The recommended daily amount for B12 is 2.4 mcg for adults.
There are very few reasons to take supplements, but getting enough of this vitamin may be one of the most important. Vitamin B12 may not be high on your nutritional radar, yet it is essential to some of the body's most important functions, like forming red blood cells and maintaining nerve function.
The RDA for vitamin B12 ranges from 2.4 mcg for adults to 2.8 mcg for people who are breastfeeding. Most people meet these needs through diet alone, but older adults, people on strict plant-based diets, and those with digestive disorders may benefit from supplements, though dosages vary based on individual needs.
Bananas also contain fibre and potassium. It helps manage blood pressure, reduce stress, and relieve constipation and ulcer problems. The fruit also helps regulate body temperature. Another fruit that is rich in vitamin B12 is blueberries.
The lowering effects of vitamin B12 together with folic acid on blood pressure have been reported in intervention study in adults. However, no study has reported the association of vitamin B12 by itself with systolic or diastolic blood pressure in children or in adults.
[1] People who regularly take medications that suppress stomach acid for conditions like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or peptic ulcer disease—such as proton-pump inhibitors, H2 blockers, or other antacids—may have difficulty absorbing vitamin B12 from food.
Methylcobalamin. Methylcobalamin is the most bio-available type of Vitamin B12 which means the body absorbs it more easily. Naturally occurring, it is found in animal-based foods such as meat, fish, milk and eggs so Methylcobalamin B12 is readily available in many people's daily diets.
It's usually best to take the tablets on an empty stomach. This means at least 2 hours after a meal or snack and at least 30 minutes before you eat again.
Diet. Some people can develop a vitamin B12 deficiency as a result of not getting enough vitamin B12 from their diet. A diet that includes meat, fish and dairy products usually provides enough vitamin B12, but people who do not regularly eat these foods can become deficient.
Not getting enough vitamin B12 to the point of a deficiency can cause a variety of serious symptoms including depression, joint pain, and fatigue.
And given B12 is required for the production of red blood cells, a deficiency in Vitamin B12 can lead to a deficiency in Iron. This is why the onset of anemia is often the result of a B12 deficiency rather than an Iron deficiency on its own.
Vitamin B12 testing requires a blood sample, which is usually taken from your arm in a medical office, health clinic, hospital, or lab.