Yes, seniors should take vitamin B12, ideally from supplements or fortified foods, because aging reduces stomach acid needed to absorb B12 from natural sources, increasing deficiency risk, which can impact cognitive function, nerve health, and energy levels. While the standard daily need is 2.4 mcg, older adults often need higher doses (like 25-100 mcg) from supplements or fortified foods to overcome absorption issues, say health experts.
Symptoms include weak muscles, numbness, trouble walking, nausea, weight loss, irritability, fatigue, and increased heart rate.
Generally safe. Most people get enough vitamin B-12 from a balanced diet. But older adults and people who follow vegetarian or vegan diets may find it helpful to take vitamin B-12 supplements.
They need to know if you have any of these conditions:
Best B12 products for seniors
Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms develop gradually and include extreme fatigue, pale skin, shortness of breath, headaches, and nerve issues like numbness or tingling in hands/feet, plus cognitive problems such as memory loss and confusion, often linked to anemia but also affecting nerves and brain function, requiring medical diagnosis and treatment.
You should be able to get all the vitamin B12 you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. If you take vitamin B12 supplements, do not take too much as this could be harmful. Taking 2mg or less a day of vitamin B12 in supplements is unlikely to cause any harm.
Vitamin B12 itself is vital for energy production, red blood cell formation, and nerve function. Typically, B12 cocktails include a mix of B12 injections or supplements, coconut water, citrus fruits, and other natural ingredients known to aid in weight management.
May improve brain health
One study found that low B12 levels, even within the lower normal range, can in part lead to poor memory performance. Vitamin B12 is an important nutrient for the neurons in your brain. Brain atrophy, which refers to the loss of neurons in your brain, is connected to memory loss and dementia.
What is vitamin B12 and what does it do? Vitamin B12 is a nutrient that helps keep your body's blood and nerve cells healthy and helps make DNA, the genetic material in all of your cells. Vitamin B12 also helps prevent megaloblastic anemia, a blood condition that makes people tired and weak.
B12 deficiency can trigger specific food cravings, most notably for meat, fish, or eggs, as the body seeks animal-based sources to replenish the vitamin, especially in those on vegetarian/vegan diets or older adults. While cravings for sugary or salty foods can also signal general B-vitamin issues, the distinct urge for protein-rich animal products is a key indicator, but professional testing is crucial for confirmation.
If you're at risk for vitamin B12 deficiency, the following can provide some protection: Supplements. Even the lowest doses in B12 supplements are many times the recommended dietary allowance. Doses up to 1,000 mcg, though unnecessary, aren't harmful.
Two common types of GERD medicines have been linked to vitamin B-12 deficiency:
Analysis Says Excessive Vitamin B12 Concentration Can Increase Mortality Risk. Elevated serum vitamin B12 concentration was positively associated with all-cause mortality risk, particularly among older adults, with concentrations exceeding 400 pmol/L showing significantly higher mortality rates.
The study found that older adults who ate diets containing the highest amounts of riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, had a 49 percent lower risk of developing disabling dementia than their peers who ate the least.
B Vitamins For Brain Fog
Sufficient levels of vitamin B12 are necessary to optimize nerve function, memory, and quick thinking. If you don't eat adequate amounts of shellfish, poultry, and dairy products, vitamin B12 supplements can help improve cognitive decline, poor memory, as well as muddled thinking.
Cautions with other medicines
The foods highest in Vitamin B12 are animal products, with clams and liver (beef, lamb) being exceptionally rich sources, often providing several hundred percent of the daily value in a single serving, alongside seafood like mussels, sardines, and salmon, dairy, eggs, and fortified cereals and nutritional yeast for vegans.
Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause physical, neurological and psychological symptoms. Physical symptoms can include: Feeling very tired or weak. Experiencing nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.
While Vitamin B12 is generally safe, potential disadvantages (side effects) can occur, especially with high doses or injections, including headaches, nausea, diarrhea, weakness, skin issues (rash, itching), and rarely, more serious heart or allergic reactions (like anaphylaxis), though toxicity from oral intake is rare as excess is usually excreted. Conversely, a deficiency can cause serious problems like irreversible nerve damage, memory loss, fatigue, infertility, and increased risk of certain cancers, making proper intake crucial.
5 Symptoms That Indicate High Vitamin B12 Levels
People may experience frequent episodes of dizziness with no apparent cause. Headaches may be persistent and more intense than common tension headaches.
In fact, some studies have even suggested the opposite. For instance, one study noted that individuals who regularly took vitamin B12 supplements gained between 2.5 to 17 fewer pounds (1.2 to 7.7 kg) over a decade than those who didn't supplement.
Cutaneous manifestations associated with vitamin B12 deficiency are skin hyperpigmentation, vitiligo, angular stomatitis, and hair changes. A diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency is often overlooked in its early stages because these signs are not specific to vitamin B12 deficiency alone.
The Boots Vitamin B12 Blood Test Kit checks your vitamin B12 levels, using a finger-prick blood sample. Use of this kit requires internet access. All personal data in relation to this product, services and online platforms are collected and processed by MyHealthChecked.
The best form of B12 is often considered methylcobalamin, as it's a naturally occurring, active form the body uses immediately, though adenosylcobalamin is also an active form, with a combination often recommended for better results, especially for deficiency or absorption issues, while cyanocobalamin, a cheaper synthetic option, is effective but requires conversion and is less ideal for some. For general supplementation, natural forms like methylcobalamin or adenosylcobalamin are preferred for better retention.