{"id":10416,"date":"2016-11-28T07:00:34","date_gmt":"2016-11-28T13:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.senioradvisor.com\/blog\/?p=10416"},"modified":"2020-10-14T08:54:20","modified_gmt":"2020-10-14T13:54:20","slug":"more-doctors-recommend-b12-for-healthy-senior-minds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/d30braiqprupoq.cloudfront.net\/blog\/2016\/11\/more-doctors-recommend-b12-for-healthy-senior-minds\/","title":{"rendered":"More Doctors Recommend B12 for Healthy Senior Minds"},"content":{"rendered":"

More Doctors Recommend B12 for Healthy Senior\"More<\/a> Minds<\/h1>\n

For seniors who want to keep their memory and mental skills sharp, researchers now recommend Vitamin B12 supplements. That\u2019s because our ability to absorb B12 often declines with age, which can lead to a cascade of mind and body problems. Here\u2019s the latest thinking on B12 supplements for healthy senior brains.<\/p>\n

How aging can reduce B12 absorption<\/h2>\n

Your body can only absorb the B12 found in meat and dairy foods if it makes enough stomach acid. As we age, acid production declines. Up to 30% of seniors are unable to absorb enough B12 from food, which is why doctors and researchers are now suggesting supplements. Without enough B12, people can slowly develop severe memory, mood, and balance problems.<\/p>\n

As health writer Jane Brody notes in her New York Times column, B12 deficiency<\/a><\/strong> is also a risk for vegans and vegetarians, people who take proton-pump inhibiting medications for reflux, people with some digestive diseases, and those who\u2019ve had stomach surgery. These people may also benefit from taking an over-the-counter B12 supplement.<\/p>\n

B12 deficiency symptoms to watch for<\/h2>\n

The Mayo Clinic says that many signs of B12 deficiency in seniors<\/a><\/strong> are sometimes missed because they look like other conditions, such as \u00a0dementia. If you notice these changes, ask your doctor about them. He or she may want to run a B12 test.<\/p>\n