A Comprehensive Guide to B Vitamins for Older Adults
Created in partnership with Certified Nutritionist, Lorie Eber
Guide Sections
Being healthy means being well-informed, which is why we’re going the extra mile and providing our loyal readers with a comprehensive but easy-to-understand guide to B vitamins. Our goal — as always — is to translate complex nutritional science into helpful information that you can weave into your everyday life.
List of the 8 B-Group Vitamins
Eight B vitamins work as a team to keep you in optimal health. They are:
- Biotin
- Niacin
- Riboflavin
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin B12
- Folate (vitamin B9)
- Thiamin (vitamin B1)
- Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid)
The Role of B Vitamins in the Body
B vitamins play a critical role in keeping our brains healthy. They also help convert food into fuel for energy, keeping our metabolism humming and our cardiovascular system and hearts strong.
Important B Vitamins for Older Adults
Vitamin B12
Of all the B vitamins, vitamin B12, which is important for red blood cell production and maintaining healthy brain and nerve function, gets the most notoriety.
Vitamin B12 is a nutrient that helps our bodies make DNA, the genetic material in all cells. It’s estimated that 20% of older adults are deficient in this important nutrient. As older adults we need to monitor our B12 levels because our stomachs produce less hydrochloric stomach acid as we age. This acid breaks down our food and helps with digestion.
Unfortunately, even if you eat a healthy balanced diet, you may not be absorbing enough B12 from food. If you take Metformin for diabetes, or use drugs to control stomach acid, such as Prilosec or Pepcid, be aware that they interfere with vitamin B12 absorption.
If you suspect you might have a vitamin B12 deficiency don’t head for the vitamin aisle. Instead, head to the doctor.
A vitamin B12 deficiency can cause tiredness, weakness, constipation, loss of appetite and anemia. Nerve problems such as numbness and tingling in the hands and feet can also occur.
If you suspect you might have a vitamin B12 deficiency don’t head for the vitamin aisle. Instead, head to the doctor. It’s important to treat a vitamin B12 deficiency as soon as possible.
Folate (Vitamin B9)
Folate is a water-soluble B vitamin that’s naturally found in a variety of foods, especially dark green leafy vegetables.
Folate is important to maintain a healthy nervous system and there’s growing evidence that a lack of folate can affect mood and cognitive function in older adults. A folate deficiency negatively impacts the nervous system and can also result in anemia.
Folic Acid Supplementation Caution
Vitamin B9 deficiencies are fairly common and may be caused by alcoholism, inflammatory bowel disease, or celiac disease. Folate is the name for B9 in its naturally occurring state. Folic acid is a synthetic version used in supplements and added to fortified foods.
The Institute of Medicine’s recommended intake of folate is 400 micrograms (mcg) per day. It has also set a safe upper limit of 1,000 mcg per day. If you have a vitamin B12 deficiency, don’t automatically reach for supplements and eat fortified food products under the misapprehension that more is better. It’s easy to inadvertently overdose on the synthetic variation.
For example, if you take one B-Complex supplement and eat a bowl of folate enriched cereal, you’ll ingest twice the recommended daily dosage.
Overdoing your intake comes with serious risks, including increased incidence of colon, lung and prostate cancers. High levels of folate can also mask a vitamin B12 deficiency, and cause neurological damage. It’s best to consult with your physician if you have a folic acid deficiency.
Daily Recommended Intake of Vitamin B12 and Folate
Adults should aim for a 2.4 microgram daily intake of vitamin B12. If you’re vegetarian or vegan, you’ll need to eat a complete protein like nutritional yeast since vitamin B12 is found mainly in animal products, including meat, fish, eggs and dairy. Again, adults should aim for a 400 mcg daily intake of folate. Avocado and cooked broccoli are rich plant-based sources of folate.
How to Improve Your B Vitamin Absorption
Levels of intrinsic factor, a glycoprotein secreted by the stomach lining that’s critical for absorbing vitamin B12, naturally diminish as we age.
One of the primary causes of decreased production is atrophic gastritis, a thinning of the stomach lining, which may affect as many as 30% of adults over age 60. Taking a vitamin B12 supplement won’t help at all if you’re lacking in intrinsic factor.
Taking a vitamin B12 supplement won’t help at all if you’re lacking in intrinsic factor.
The best way to ensure against a vitamin B12 deficiency is to increase your intake of B12-rich foods. Bioactive forms of this vitamin are available from animal products, including shellfish, beef, mackerel, salmon, dairy products, and eggs, but not from plants, which puts vegans and strict vegetarians at risk.
For those who eschew all animal products, there are a few plant-based food sources of vitamin B12 including nutritional yeast, fermented beans, mushrooms, and nori seaweed, but judicious use of vitamin supplements is a safer alternative.
Habits that Can Hurt B Vitamin Absorption
Because B vitamins are water soluble, the nutrients will be lost in boiling or poaching. The best nutrient-preserving cooking methods are ones that use minimal amounts of water, coupled with short heating times. Microwaving and steaming fit the bill. Sautéing and stir frying are also good options because the addition of fat improves absorption.
Another well-known risk factor for a vitamin B12 deficiency is excessive alcohol intake. A recent randomized, diet-controlled, crossover study discovered that even consuming as little as one alcoholic drink per day over an 8-week period decreased vitamin B12 concentrations by 5%.
