Feature Articles: Food, Fitness and Health
Elderly are at Risk for Vitamin B-12 Deficiency
Tammy Roberts, MS, RD, LD, Nutrition and Health Education Specialist in Barton County, University of Missouri Extension
Up to 30% of the population over 50 years of age is at risk for developing a vitamin B-12 deficiency because of changes that occur in the digestive tract.
According to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin B-12 helps maintain healthy nerve cells and red blood cells.
Vitamin B-12 is contained within the protein in food. Hydrochloric acid in the stomach allows the vitamin B-12 in food to be released so that it can combine with a substance called intrinsic factor. Once combined with intrinsic factor, vitamin B-12 can be absorbed by the intestinal tract and used in the body.
Up to 30% of adults over the age of 50 do not produce enough hydrochloric acid or intrinsic factor to be able to utilize vitamin B-12. For this reason, a supplement is recommended. The body is able to absorb synthetic vitamin B-12 that is added to fortified foods such as cereal and in vitamin supplements without the aid of hydrochloric acid.
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin B-12 is 2.4 micrograms per day for adult men and women. For someone who has adequate hydrochloric acid in the stomach, it is easy to get the required amount of vitamin B 12. Three ounces of cooked salmon provides 3 micrograms of B-12; 3 oz of lean beef tenderloin provides 2.3 micrograms; one cup of fat-free yogurt provides 1.4 micrograms and one cup of milk provides 0.9 micrograms of vitamin B 12. Cereals fortified with vitamin B 12 contain 1.5-6 micrograms per ¾ cup.
Some signs and symptoms of a vitamin B-12 deficiency include anemia, tiredness, weakness, constipation, loss of appetite and weight loss. A person could also experience numbness and tingling in the hands and feet and have difficulty maintaining balance. Other symptoms include depression, confusion, dementia, poor memory or a soreness of the mouth or tongue.
If you think it is possible you have a vitamin B-12 deficiency, consult with your physician. If he or she recommends a supplement, look for the word “cyanocobalamin” on the label. This is the crystalline form of vitamin B-12 that is more easily absorbed by people over the age of 50.
Last update: Friday, March 07, 2008
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