Why Is Vitamin B12 Supplementation Important for the Elderly?

Vitamin B12 is one of the B complex vitamins, and it is necessary for certain body functions. It plays a role in keeping a healthy nervous system and in the formation of new and healthy red blood cells. However, certain factors can cause Vitamin B12 deficiency, and this deficiency results to other health problems, including pernicious anemia and nervous system disorders. One of these factors is age. The elderly, who are defined as those who are 65 years old and order, are at risk of developing the deficiency. A person's levels of the vitamin may start to diminish as early as when he or she is 40, though.

One reason why the elderly are at risk of developing Vitamin B12 deficiency is that the levels of stomach acid decline with age. In fact, it is reported that around 30 percent of the elderly may not have enough stomach acid to absorb sufficient amounts of the vitamin from natural sources. Its natural sources are primarily animal foods, such as beef liver and shellfish. As the vitamin is protein-bound, sufficient levels of stomach acid are needed for it to be released and absorbed by the stomach.

The confusion or memory loss experienced by the elderly can be a result of the deficiency of the vitamin. Thus, when a family member experiences confusion or memory loss, getting him or her a Vitamin B12 test should be taken into consideration. Moreover, some studies suggest that the vitamin may help prevent Alzheimer's disease.

Why bother giving the elderly supplementation of the vitamin when they will not be able to really absorb it to begin with? Well, the thing about synthetic Vitamin B12 supplements, which are usually available in sublingual liquid drops, is that they do not depend on stomach acid to be absorbed. But still, only some of the vitamin may be absorbed, so larger doses may be required.

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