(Newswire.net — October 12, 2016) — Scientists have searched hard for a miracle cure that will prevent dementia and help aging individuals retain their sanity. One study has suggested that vitamin B12, which has been a common injection for weight loss, might help aging individuals keep their minds as they age.
Vitamin B12 Deficiency is a Real Problem in the Elderly
The National Academy of Medicine has spent considerable time examining the effects of proper nutrition on the aging brain. According to the academy’s findings, there are a variety of dietary supplements that show signs of helping the brain maintain its spunk. Vitamin B12 is one of them.
The findings have been supported by other studies, including research from Wayne State University School of Medicine. “A B12 vitamin deficiency as a cause of cognitive issues is more common than we think, especially among the elderly who live alone and don’t eat properly,” Dr. Rajaprabhakaran Rajarethinam of Wayne State wrote in the study.
Vitamin B12 is an important enzyme typically found in animal protein foods, including meat, fish, cheese, eggs, and milk. These are the natural forms of vitamin B12, and the easiest forms of it for the body to digest properly.
In order for the body to get the full benefits of this vitamin, there must be adequate stomach acid to release the vitamin into the blood stream. As we age, problems with stomach acid production can occur, which result in digestive challenges as well as greater difficulty in transfering essential vitamins to the bloodstream.
Findings show that between 10 and 30 percent of people who are older than 50 don’t produce enough stomach acid for their nutritional needs, though most people don’t realize they aren’t getting the right amounts of vitamins. In addition, most individuals don’t consume enough of these foods in their diet, particularly in nursing homes where nutrition is not based on individual needs.
Both of these issues are likely saddling older adults with a vitamin B12 deficiency, which could have very real negative effects on the brain. The National Academy of Medicine believes that this lack of an essential nutritional factor has led many originally healthy-minded people to develop dementia and other serious mental degradation conditions.
Vitamin B12 has long been recognized as an essential nutrient for cognitive function, and when the body doesn’t absorb enough, this can cause serious problems. “Depression, dementia and mental impairment are often associated with” a deficiency of B12 and its companion B vitamin folate, “especially in the elderly,” said Dr. Rajarethinam.
Search for the Cure
Usually, a doctor will prescribe vitamins for this particular deficiency. But if the stomach doesn’t generate enough acid to get the nutrients from food, it won’t get the nutrients from vitamin supplements either.
As a result, doctors will often prescribe vitamin B12 shots. These shots, commonly used for weight loss, offer a direct way to get this essential nutrient directly into the blood stream.
Though this treatment is not regulated by the FDA, most doctors trust the shots and patients who have taken regular doses in this form have shown highly positive results. Doctors strongly recommend taking only the prescribed doses, however, since too much vitamin B12 can lead to negative health effects over time.
In addition to vitamin B12 shots, doctors will often encourage greater consumption of foods that are high in vitamin B12. The body doesn’t absorb the vitamin very efficiently, but eating more of the foods that contain the nutrient can increase its internal intake, which should help to solve some of the deficiency problem.
Researchers are constantly looking for solutions that will increase the secretion of stomach acid in people over 50, but for now, these are the best solutions. Understanding vitamin B12’s essential role in helping the aging brain holds great promise for the future.