We talk a lot here about nutrition, and about eating a diet rich in all the vitamins and minerals your body needs.
But a vitamin B12 deficiency is one that can sneak up on older adults. That’s because its symptoms — including fatigue, memory problems and walking difficulties — progress slowly. It’s also easy to blame them on other health conditions or (incorrectly so) just on getting old.
Unfortunately, a B12 deficiency will get worse over time and is often not recognized until cognitive changes — like depression — become evident.
Studies link B12 deficiency with depression
A December 2021 study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that not having enough vitamin B12 is a set-up for depression in older adults.
People who were deficient in vitamin B12 had a 51 percent increased likelihood of developing depressive symptoms over four years, even after controlling for other factors linked to depression.
This is just the most recent study that has connected a B12 deficiency with depression.
In 2020, researchers from the California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences and Psychology reviewed forty published studies, all of which supported the correlation between low B12 levels and the risk of developing depression.
And in 2000, six doctors drew evidence from the Women’s Health and Aging study and concluded that, once again, not getting enough vitamin B12 doubled the risk of depression in older women.
Why are so many older adults low in B12?
As we age, our bodies naturally become less efficient at absorbing Vitamin B12.
And, on top of that, other factors can increase the risk of a deficiency:
Medications. Many adults use proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and other anti-acid medications to control heartburn. But stomach acid is a necessary condition for the absorption of vitamin B12, so overuse of these medications often causes a deficiency.
Metformin, which is prescribed for diabetes, also interferes with B12 absorption.
Pernicious anemia. When your body can’t make enough healthy red blood cells because it lacks vitamin B-12, you have pernicious anemia. Autoimmune diseases, Crohn’s disease, and type 1 diabetes all are risk factors for pernicious anemia.
Surgeries. Any surgery that removes part of the stomach or small intestine means there’s less area through which vitamin B12 can be absorbed.
Keeping your B12 levels up
When you’re in your 60s you should officially start getting blood tests to test for vitamin B12 deficiency. Around this age, you should be getting around 2.4 micrograms of B12 a day.
B12-rich foods to keep in your diet include:
- eggs
- chicken
- rainbow trout
- haddock
- salmon
- yogurt
- cheese
- milk
Supplements are a good idea, too. B12 often comes in the form of a sublingual tablet, which is absorbed under the tongue and enters the bloodstream directly without having to go through the gastrointestinal tract.
There are two forms of B12 commonly used in supplements. Cyanocobalamin is a synthetic version and methylcobalamin is the natural form also found in foods. Though both are beneficial, some studies indicate the latter is better absorbed by the body.
One more note: If you increase your B12 and still find you’re battling the blues, talk to your doctor about checking your vitamin D levels. Low levels of the important vitamin are also linked to depression, and older adults are prone to deficiency. In fact, vitamin D3 and K2 have been shown to help with both depression and anxiety.
Sources:
Study Reveals Low Vitamin B12 Associated With Depression Risk — U.S. Pharmacist
Low vitamin B12 but not folate is associated with incident depressive symptoms in community-dwelling older adults: a 4 year longitudinal study — British Journal of Nutrition
How to Detect & Treat Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Older Adults — Better Health While Aging
Vitamin B12 Supplementation: Preventing Onset and Improving Prognosis of Depression — Cureus