What Is the Recommended Vitamin B12 Dosage for Seniors?

Approximately 20% of Americans over the age of 60 have vitamin B12 deficiency. Vitamin B12 plays many important roles in the body, including keeping your brain sharp. It also maintains the health of your nerves and helps your red blood cells work properly. When you get older, your body starts to absorb nutrients differently, and you are more prone to developing a vitamin B12 deficiency. Low vitamin B12 can also lead to nerve damage – the most common presenting symptoms are numbness and a tingling sensation in the extremities. This article will help you figure out the right Vitamin B12 dosage for seniors with deficiency and how Nurse Next Door McLean can help your loved one stay healthy. 

Why Vitamin B12 Is Important for Seniors 

You need this vitamin to have a healthy hemoglobin level in your blood. Hemoglobin is the compound that carries oxygen to every single cell in your body. Seniors with a vitamin B12 deficiency can have anemia, balance issues, tingling sensations and even mood changes and memory problems. 

Older individuals with memory problems can even get misdiagnosed with dementia if they have memory issues due to B12 deficiency. Seniors with a low appetite are more likely to experience this condition. 

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How Aging Affects Vitamin B12 Absorption

As you age, your stomach will produce less and less gastric acid. Gastric acid is very important for releasing vitamin B12 from food. Low gastric acid level may lead to vitamin B12 deficiency. 

Seniors often face a condition called atrophic gastritis which means that their stomach lining is thinning down. If you’ve been taking PPIs (like omeprazole), antacids, or metformin, these drugs can also affect vitamin B12 absorption. 

Recommended Vitamin B12 Dosage for Seniors

According to Harvard Health Publishing, 2.8 micrograms is the amount of vitamin B12 a senior needs per day. This is the minimum but taking more within the recommended limits also won’t hurt – you might need that to compensate for your stomach’s lowered ability to absorb vitamin B12 if you’re taking it orally. B12 is water soluble so any excess of it will be excreted by the body easily. The best vitamin B12 dosage for seniors with deficiency and gastric issues might be higher though. 

Vitamin B12 Dosage for Seniors with Deficiency 

What is the best way to figure out the right vitamin B12 dosage for seniors with deficiency? Blood tests. Taking a test will help your doctor figure out just how low you are on vitamin B12 and they can decide the best dose for you. 

Repeating the blood tests after taking a supplement is also important. That way your doctors know how well your body is responding to the prescribed dose, so they can adjust it accordingly. 

If your blood levels are way too low, they might prescribe injections that go directly into your bloodstream to quickly deliver vitamin B12 to your body. 

In the start, the dosing will be more frequent. With time, your doctor will maintain it with a monthly injection. If you have any of the symptoms mentioned above, you must have your levels checked as soon as possible. 

Sources of Vitamin B12: Foods and Supplements 

These are the foods that are naturally rich in vitamin B12: fish, eggs, and dairy. Aging affects your appetite and digestion, so you might not be eating enough of these regularly. If you’re on a vegan or vegetarian diet, then you’re even more likely to experience this. Fortified cereals, plant-based milks, and nutritional yeast are excellent options though, for vegetarians. 

Supplements are also easily available. You can use tablets, drops, or injections. In older adults, supplements might do the trick faster than whole foods. To get the right vitamin B12 dose for seniors, you can use a mix of fortified foods and moderate supplementation. 

Signs of Vitamin B12 Deficiency to Watch For

This deficiency develops slowly, so you might mistake these symptoms for normal aging. Fatigue, weakness, pale skin, numbness, tingling, mood changes, memory and balance problems – all of these are early signs. 

If you’ve had this deficiency for a long time, you might develop mouth sores, a rapid heartbeat, and other neurological symptoms too. It is always better to get tested if you experience changes in energy, cognition, or nerve sensations. Early detection means that you won’t have to deal with irreversible nerve damage. 

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When to Consult a Healthcare Professional

If you’re feeling very tired compared to how you used to be or if your hands are going numb from time to time, it’s time to get a blood test after talking to your doctor. They can help you figure out the best vitamin B12 dosage for seniors. 

How Does Nurse Next Door McLean Help Seniors with Vitamin Deficiency? 

After figuring out the right vitamin B12 dosage for seniors with deficiency, you should know that support is available. Our team can help you with: 

• Preparing meals that are rich in vitamin B12
• Taking vitamin B12 supplements on time in the prescribed dosage
• In-Home IV infusion therapy to overcome vitamin deficiencies

Call Nurse Next Door McLean at (703) 774-9421 and we’ll match you with a trained Registered Nurse (RN) to address the vitamin B12 deficiency. Take control of your health today!