So why does vitamin B12 deficiency particularly affect older adults? 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.
The prevalence of deficiency (serum vitamin B-12 < 148 pmol/L) varied by age group and affected ≤3% of those aged 20–39 y, ≈4% of those aged 40–59 y, and ≈6% of persons aged ≥70 y.
Atrophic gastritis, with resulting hypochlorhydria, is a major cause, especially in the elderly. Subtotal gastrectomy, once common before the availability of effective medical therapy for peptic ulcer disease, also can lead to vitamin B12 deficiency by this mechanism.
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.
Atrophic gastritis, in which your stomach lining has thinned. Pernicious anemia, which makes it hard for your body to absorb vitamin B12. Conditions that affect your small intestine, such as Crohn's disease, celiac disease, bacterial growth, or a parasite.
How to raise your B12 levels fast. The most common way to treat B12 deficiencies is by adjusting your diet. If this is unsuccessful, vitamin supplements may be recommended. If you're looking to boost the amount of vitamin B12 in your diet, you should eat more animal products, like meat, seafood, dairy and eggs.
This finding can be the basis of a hypothesis that chronic, very low levels of vitamin B12 could be the cause of permanent, or at least refractory, changes in cognition and memory, which can lead to dementia.
Research from 2015 suggests that vitamin B12 deficiency is more likely to affect those aged over 60 years and that some people may benefit from vitamin B12 injections. The scientists found that older adults have a higher risk of conditions linked to reduced stomach acid production, including gastric atrophy.
Pernicious anaemia causes your immune system to attack the cells in your stomach that produce the intrinsic factor, which means your body is unable to absorb vitamin B12.
A lack of vitamin B12 can cause neurological problems, which affect your nervous system, such as: vision problems. memory loss. pins and needles.
Although it's uncommon, vitamin B12 or folate deficiency (with or without anaemia) can lead to complications, particularly if you have been deficient in vitamin B12 or folate for some time. Potential complications can include: problems with the nervous system. temporary infertility.
A lack of B12 may lead to depression, confusion, memory problems, and dementia. It also can affect your balance. B12 supplements are usually safe.
Bananas are a cheap, healthy, and nutrient-dense fruit that can easily become a part of every individual's diet. It is one of the best fruits rich in vitamin B12.
Disturbed or blurred vision can also occur as a result of a Vitamin B12 deficiency. This happens when the deficiency causes damage to the optic nerve that leads to your eyes. The nervous signal that travels from the eye to the brain is disturbed due to this damage, leading to impaired vision.
Boosting your B
If you are a strict vegetarian or vegan, it's important to eat breads, cereals, or other grains that have been fortified with vitamin B12 or take a daily supplement. A standard multivitamin delivers 6 micrograms, more than enough to cover the average body's daily need.
The NHS notes that vitamin B12 deficiency can cause “loss of physical coordination (ataxia), which can affect your whole body and cause difficulty speaking or walking”. The Mayo Clinic describes the walking style saying a person with vitamin B12 deficiency can walk unsteadily, or with their feet set wide apart.
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]. Taking a vitamin B12 supplement may even help reverse a B12 deficiency and its symptoms, which can include: Fatigue.
Adults over 50 years of age should meet the Recommended Dietary Allowance by consuming vitamin B12 in the crystalline form, which does not require gastric acid or enzymes for initial digestion.
The range of time that B12 injections can last will depend on factors like a person's metabolism and how often the injections occur. As a whole, the effects of vitamin b12 injections can last for a week.