Evading Vitamin B12 Deficiency in the Elderly

Food source of B12 vitamins

"We wanted to see what association there is between what people eat and the risk of developing a Vitamin B12 deficiency."

"The 2.4 level [B12 intake recommended by Health Canada] is really too weak, everyone is pretty much in agreement on that."

"We think that the needs increase, precisely as we age, because absorption is less and less efficient, So maybe 2.4 micrograms is okay when you're 30, but not when you're 70."

"If we look at studies and work done around the world, the recommendation is often between 5 to 10 micrograms." 

"A large glass of milk is 1.6 micrograms. So it's easy [to procure sufficient B12 from diet alone]."

Nancy Presse, professor of community health sciences, University of Sherbrooke, Quebec

A new study published in the November edition of the Journal of Nutrition points out that a significant number of seniors may be seriously deficient in Vitamin B12 intake. This is a problem with health consequences yet one that can be readily addressed through an increase of dairy products consumption over and above the amounts Health Canada recommends in their published food guides for maximum nutrition and health.

 

Vitamin B12 has an important role in some enzyme reactions in the body, essential for normal red blood cell formation and neurological function. Anemia can be caused by a deficiency in Vitamin B12 intake, potentially leading to irreversible neurological damage. 

 

An examination of blood and urine samples taken through a four-year study conducted with 1,750- seniors in good health led to this revelation. The samples found ten to 13 percent of study participants had a B12 deficiency. The recommendation on VitaminB12 intake by Health Canada is 2.4 micrograms daily. However, Dr. Presse and her colleagues found a daily intake of  4.8 micrograms represented the level required to significantly reduce risk of deficiency.

 

Seniors, according to Health Canada's recommendation, should make use of a vitamin supplement or eat foods rich in B12; for example soya drinks. The problem, points out Dr. Presse, is that foods such as this are not readily obtainable in Canada, as well as the fact that in her opinion, with an adequate diet providing the required levels of Vitamin B12, supplements are redundant. 

Good sources of Vitamin B12 are meat, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs and dairy products. The absorption of B12 requires calcium. As dairy products are rich in calcium, they represent the perfect source for both. Therefore consumption of dairy products could produce a greater impact on avoidance of deficiencies "and that is indeed what we saw", stated Dr. Presse.

It was found by the researchers involved in the study, the linkage between eating habits and deficiency rates that consuming an additional 1.5 micrograms of B12 in the form of dairy products is enough to create a 50- to 60-percent reduction in the risk of insufficient Vitamin B12. 

Factors, they acknowledge, from the use of prescribed medications to the aging of the stomach lining could explain as well, the increased risk of a deficiency among the elderly.

Health Canada recommends that seniors consume 2.4 micrograms of vitamin B12 daily. But that might not be enough. Photo by bbbrrn /Getty Images/

The most common problems related to low vitamin B12 levels include:

• Anemia. This means the red blood cell count is low. Red blood cells carry oxygen in the blood, so anemia can cause fatigue or shortness of breath. The breakdown of faulty red blood cells can also cause jaundice. (Learn more about anemia here: Anemia in the Older Adult: 10 Common Causes & What to Ask.)
• Neuropathy. This means that nerves in the body are not working well. This can cause a variety of symptoms, including tingling, numbness, burning, poor balance, and walking difficulties.
• Cognitive impairment. This means that nerve cells in the brain are not working well. This can cause memory problems, irritability, and even dementia