Why Vitamin B12 Levels Should Be Checked Routinely As We Age
A vitamin B12 deficiency can happen without warning. The symptoms of this deficiency can sometimes be misdiagnosed or ascribed to normal aging if the physician does not check for it.
B12 is a vital vitamin that plays a role in many of the body’s processes. This nutrient is required for the formation of red blood cells, development and maintenance of a healthy nervous system, metabolic cycles for the production of energy, neurological functions and the production of DNA. Severe vitamin B12 deficiency can result in pernicious anemia. However, there are less dramatic symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency that are commonly associated with aging, including muscle weakness, tremor, unsteady gait, chronic fatigue, shakiness, hypotension, incontinence, depression and other mood disorders, as well as cognitive problems such as poor memory and mental fogginess. Many of these symptoms will diminish and/or disappear when taking a high quality methylcobalamin supplement.
B12 is a vital vitamin that plays a role in many of the body’s processes. This nutrient is required for the formation of red blood cells, development and maintenance of a healthy nervous system, metabolic cycles for the production of energy, neurological functions and the production of DNA. Severe vitamin B12 deficiency can result in pernicious anemia. However, there are less dramatic symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency that are commonly associated with aging, including muscle weakness, tremor, unsteady gait, chronic fatigue, shakiness, hypotension, incontinence, depression and other mood disorders, as well as cognitive problems such as poor memory and mental fogginess. Many of these symptoms will diminish and/or disappear when taking a high quality methylcobalamin supplement.
There are a number of different reasons why our B12 levels decline with age. Firstly our body’s ability to absorb B12 from food declines as we age. Often, the malabsorption occurs in conjunction with a decline in our consumption of foods rich in this vitamin. We eat less because the aging body requires less energy if it is engaging in fewer or less strenous activities.
One reason that absorption becomes a problem as we age is because both stomach acid and intrinsic factor levels produced by stomach cells decline. Dietary Vitamin B12 is released from ingested proteins in the stomach through the action of pepsin and stomach acid. Studies have shown that as much as 30 percent of the aging population lack sufficient stomach acid to absorb adequate amounts of B12 from natural sources. Intrinsic factor is a requirement for the body to then absorb Vitamin b12 from the small intestine into the liver where it is either stored or released into the circulatory sytem to be transported to cells throughout the body.
Due to this decline in vitamin B absorption, regular consumption of fortified breakfast cereals or daily supplementation of vitamin B12 is recommended for people over the age of 50. The vitamin B12 found in supplements and fortified foods, does not depend on stomach acid to be absorbed. Still the amount of absorption will vary person to person.
Typically, treatment for vitamin B12 deficiency requires the consumption of much larger doses than the body actually requires. This is the only way to return levels to the ideal range. Physicians often recommend a daily supplement in the form of a B12 injection of 2,000 micrograms for about a month; and then, they lower the amount to about 1,000 micrograms daily or lower. However, injection is not the only option. There is considerable evidence that sublingual vitamin B12 may work as well as injections for people with absorption problems, even those with anemia.
Due to this decline in vitamin B absorption, regular consumption of fortified breakfast cereals or daily supplementation of vitamin B12 is recommended for people over the age of 50. The vitamin B12 found in supplements and fortified foods, does not depend on stomach acid to be absorbed. Still the amount of absorption will vary person to person.
Typically, treatment for vitamin B12 deficiency requires the consumption of much larger doses than the body actually requires. This is the only way to return levels to the ideal range. Physicians often recommend a daily supplement in the form of a B12 injection of 2,000 micrograms for about a month; and then, they lower the amount to about 1,000 micrograms daily or lower. However, injection is not the only option. There is considerable evidence that sublingual vitamin B12 may work as well as injections for people with absorption problems, even those with anemia.
Recommended daily amounts of vitamin B12 vary, but generally, minimum B12 levels in adults should be above 250 picograms per milliliter of blood serum. This level can be easily obtained from a well-balanced diet with animal protein unless there is a condition present that impairs the body’s ability to absorb it. Red meat, turkey, fish and shellfish are excellent sources of dietary vitamin B12. Additionally, dairy products, chicken and eggs all contain vitamin B12 in smaller amounts.
Biomaxx Energy Nutrition’s Sublingual Vitamin B12 Methylcobalamin Spray is the ideal oral supplement to maintain or increase your Vitamin b-12 levels as you age.
In addition to purified water, there are just 4 ingredients in our spray.
- Methylcobalamin, a form of B12 that is more readily absorbed and more effectively used by the body than the cheaper cyanocobalamin found in most Vitamin B12 supplements.
- Stevia extract, a natural sweetener
- Citric acid, a natural preservative
- Potassium sorbate, a natural preservative
- Contains NO: yeast, wheat, gluten, soy protein, milk/dairy, corn, sugar, starch or artificial coloring.
Please click here to learn more about B-12, Methylcobalamin and Sublingual Delivery of B-12 Methylcobalamin.
- Biomaxx Energy Nutrition Concentrate,
- BiomaxX Energy Nutrition Ready to Drink,
- Biomaxx Super Lipotropic Complex BiomaxX Vitamin
- B12-Methylcobalamin Sublingual Spray
Each of these products delivers 1000 mcg of Methylcobalimin per daily dose.
To visit Biomaxxenergy.com click here.
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