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2. May Prevent Major Birth Defects
Studies show that a fetus’s brain and nervous system require sufficient B12 levels from the mother to develop properly. Vitamin B12 deficiency in the beginning stages of pregnancy may increase the risk of birth defects, such as neural tube defects. For women with a vitamin B12 deficiency and levels below 150 mg/dL the risk was five times higher, compared to women with levels above 400 mg/dL Summary Appropriate vitamin B12 levels are key to a healthy pregnancy. They’re important for the prevention of brain and spinal cord birth defects.
Health Benefits
Reduced Risk of Macular Degeneration
Supplementing with vitamin B12 is believed to lower homocysteine in the bloodstream, which may help prevent age-related macular degeneration, an eye disease that can cause blindness in older adults.
In one study of 5,000 women age 40 and up, those who took supplements of vitamins B12, B6, and folic acid had 34% fewer cases of macular degeneration after seven years than a placebo group. Mothers with low B12 levels are also more likely to miscarry or give birth prematurely. Brain atrophy, which refers to the loss of neurons in the brain, is associated with memory loss and dementia.
More studies are needed before researchers can be certain of the impact of B12 supplementation on memory loss and dementi.
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December 9, 2021
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How Much Vitamin B12 Do I Need?
The amount of vitamin B12 a person needs steadily increases as they age:
Older individuals may want to up their vitamin B12 intake. “Around the age of 50, it becomes harder to absorb vitamin B12, so older adults should aim to eat more B12-rich foods or take a supplement if needed,” says Wong. Medical conditions may also require a person to seek out additional amounts of the vitamin.
Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency include megaloblastic anemia — in which abnormally sized or immature red blood cells are produced — weight loss , weakness, neurological changes like memory loss and depression, as well as fatigue. Your small intestine helps absorb B12 with help from a substance secreted by the stomach known as intrinsic factor. This makes people with certain health conditions more susceptible to B12 deficiency.
“Without intrinsic factor, the free vitamin B12 in the digestive tract is unable to be absorbed,” says Graber.