What Should Vegetarians and the Elderly Supplement?
American experts believe vitamin B12 deficiency is more widespread than previously thought, particularly among vegetarians and the elderly—who are most prone to deficiency. Experts recommend that vegetarians and older adults take vitamin B12 supplements.
Vitamin B12 is crucial for maintaining healthy nerve and red blood cells. Deficiency can cause various diseases—from fatigue and mild dizziness to nerve damage, anemia, and dementia. Dr. Anthony Komaroff from Harvard Medical School in Boston stated that doctors used to believe vitamin B12 deficiency manifested only in a rare condition called pernicious anemia, where patients lack a protein needed for intestinal absorption of vitamin B12. However, recent evidence shows vitamin B12 deficiency is actually quite common.
Differing from many other vitamins, natural vitamin B12 exists only in animal products—including poultry, beef, lamb, fish, eggs, and dairy—but in relatively small amounts in eggs and dairy. Therefore, vegetarians, especially those avoiding eggs and dairy entirely, may have very low levels of vitamin B12.
For individuals over 50, the situation is similar because many suffer from gastric atrophy, impairing stomach acid secretion. As Dr. Komaroff explained, stomach acid is vital for absorbing vitamin B12 from food. He emphasized that taking vitamin B12 supplements is critical for both vegetarians and the elderly. They can consume multivitamins or fortified cereals.