Vitamin B12 deficiency is common among the elderly. Elderly people are particularly at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency because of the high prevalence of atrophic gastritis-associated food-cobalamin (vitamin B12) malabsorption, and the increasing prevalence of pernicious anaemia with advancing age.

What are the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency in the elderly?

Vitamin B12 Deficiency Symptoms

• Pale or jaundiced skin.
• Inflamed tongue.
• Weakness and fatigue.
• Tingling sensations in the hands or feet.
• Trouble walking.
• Blurred vision.
• Shortness of breath or dizziness.
• Changes in thinking, memory and mood.

Which condition in the elderly may lead to a secondary deficiency in vitamin B12?

Protein bound malabsorption is thought to be the most common cause of sub-clinical vitamin B₁₂ deficiency in the elderly and is commonly associated with some degree of atrophic gastritis.

Why am I suddenly B12 deficiency?

Some people can develop a vitamin B12 deficiency as a result of not getting enough vitamin B12 from their diet. A diet that includes meat, fish and dairy products usually provides enough vitamin B12, but people who do not regularly eat these foods can become deficient.

What happens when your vitamin B12 is low?

Not having enough B12 can lead to anemia, which means your body does not have enough red blood cells to do the job. This can make you feel weak and tired. Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause damage to your nerves and can affect memory and thinking.

What are the neurological symptoms of B12 deficiency?

A lack of vitamin B12 can cause neurological problems, which affect your nervous system, such as:

• vision problems.
• memory loss.
• pins and needles (paraesthesia)
• loss of physical co-ordination (ataxia), which can affect your whole body and cause difficulty speaking or walking.

How long does it take to recover from low levels of B12 deficiency?

How Long Does It Take to Recover from B12 Deficiency? Once you begin treating your vitamin B12 deficiency, it can take up to six to 12 months to fully recover. It is also common to not experience any improvement during the first few months of treatment.

Which disease is caused due to the deficiency of vitamin B?

Beriberi. Among the B vitamins, one of the earliest deficiency syndromes to be discovered was beriberi, a deficiency of vitamin B1 (thiamine). The symptoms of beriberi are weakness and numbness in the feet and legs, swelling, difficulty breathing, and heart failure.

How can I raise my B12 fast?

Top 12 Foods That Are High in Vitamin B12

1. Animal liver and kidneys. Organ meats are some of the most nutritious foods out there.
2. Clams. Clams are small, chewy shellfish that are packed with nutrients.
3. Sardines. Sardines are small, soft-boned saltwater fish.
4. Beef.
5. Fortified cereal.
6. Tuna.
7. Fortified nutritional yeast.
8. Trout.

Can low B12 cause muscle and joint pain?

Our body needs Vitamin B12-the water-soluble vitamin to make red blood cells, nerves and DNA. Its deficiency often leads to fatigue, lethargy, depression, poor memory, breathlessness, headaches, and pale skin. Arthritis, one of the leading causes of joint pain can also be worsened due to deficiency of Vitamin B12.

Can stress cause a B12 deficiency?

The need for vitamin B12 is that high If a healthy diet is followed, an insufficient supply of vitamin B12 is rare in healthy adults, but an insufficient supply can occur with persistent stress due to the fact that the usual diet no longer supplies enough.

Does B12 affect bowel movements?

Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea Vitamin B-12 deficiency can affect the digestive tract. A lack of red blood cells means that not enough oxygen reaches the gut. Insufficient oxygen here may lead to a person both feeling and being sick. It may also cause diarrhea.

What Blocks B12 absorption?

Factors inhibiting B12 absorption

• The antibiotic chloramphenicol (Chloromycetin)
• Acid reflux meds which are proton pump inhibitors (like Prilosec and Prevacid)
• Peptic ulcer disease treatment meds that are histamine H2 receptor antagonists (Tagamet, Pepcid, and Zantac)
• The diabetes drug, Metformin.

What is the most common cause of vitamin B12 deficiency?

However, the most common cause of vitamin B-12 deficiency anemia is a lack of a substance called intrinsic factor, which can be caused when your immune system mistakenly attacks the stomach cells that produce this substance. This type of anemia is called pernicious anemia.

What medications should not be taken with B12?

Certain medications can decrease the absorption of vitamin B12, including: colchicine, metformin, extended-release potassium products, antibiotics (such as gentamicin, neomycin, tobramycin), anti-seizure medications (such as phenobarbital, phenytoin, primidone), medications to treat heartburn (such as H2 blockers

How much B12 should an elderly woman take?

Recommended Vitamin B12 Dosage for Seniors A recent study found that for seniors, a daily dose of 500 micrograms was efficient in reversing the signs of B12 deficiency. In general, experts recommend 2.5 micrograms of vitamin B12 per day for people over the age of 14.