The Serum Vitamin B12 in the Elderly

1966 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 220-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.A. Dawson ◽  
D. Donald
Keyword(s):  
Serum Vitamin ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Vitamin B

scholarly journals Masked vitamin B12 and folate deficiency in the elderly

1985 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
pp. 613-619 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. M. Craig ◽  
C. Elliot ◽  
K. R. Hughes
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Investigation ◽  
Binding Capacity ◽  
Serum Vitamin ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Folate Deficiency ◽  
Significant Negative Correlation ◽  
Serum Folate ◽  
Fe Deficiency ◽  
Vitamin B ◽  
Geriatric Unit

1. A high incidence of vitamin B12 or folate deficiency, or both, may be found in the elderly, particularly those in hospital. This report concerns fifty cases detected in an inner-city-area geriatric unit during the course of routine clinical investigation. The majority had none of the classical haematological signs of vitamin B12 or folate deficiency, and all the patients reported had a mean corpuscular volume (MCV) of less than 100 fl.2. There was a significant negative correlation between the MCV and the erythrocyte folate (P< 0.01), supporting earlier published work using a low serum folate as an index of folate deficiency.3. There was no correlation between the MCV and the serum vitamin B12. Published work differs on this point.4. Serum iron, total Fe-binding capacity and percentage Fe saturation results were available in forty patients in this series. There was a significant positive correlation between the serum Fe and the MCV (P<0.01) and 34% of patients had haematological evidence of Fe deficiency. In the majority, however, there was no evidence that associated Fe deficiency had masked the haematological signs of vitamin B12 or folate deficiency.5. More attention should be paid to the problem of ‘masked’ vitamin B12 and folate deficiency in the elderly. There is a case for routine screening of the elderly for vitamin B12 and folate deficiency irrespective of the MCV.

Effects of a Nutritional Supplement Fortified with Vitamin B-12 on Well Nourished, Free-Living Elderly Subjects

2006 ◽  
Vol 76 (2) ◽  
pp. 95-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Hirsch ◽  
Laura Leiva ◽  
Pía de la Maza ◽  
Vivian Gattás ◽  
Gladys Barrera ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Manifestations ◽  
Serum Vitamin ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Nutritional Supplement ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Vitamin B ◽  
Free Living ◽  
Healthy Elderly ◽  
Vitamin B 12

Vitamin B-12 deficiency is prevalent among the elderly population but it is often unrecognized because the clinical manifestations are not present. Objective: To evaluate the effects of a nutritional supplement fortified with vitamin B-12 on well nourished, free-living elderly subjects. Patients and methods: Healthy elderly subjects attending two of four clinics were allocated to receive, over six months’ duration, a nutritional supplement with 3.8 µg of vitamin B-12. Subjects attending the other two clinics served as controls. Serum vitamin B-12 levels were measured at baseline and 6 months after the supplementation was started. Results: After 6 months of consuming the supplement fortified with vitamin B-12, serum B-12 concentration increased from 350.1 ± 166.5 pmol/L to 409.0 ± 166.1 and decreased in the control group from 319.4 ± 129.1 to 290.1 ± 135.7 (ANOVA, p < 0.005). Conclusion: A supplementation with 3.8 µg /day of vitamin B-12 led to significant improvements in the serum concentrations of vitamin B-12 in older persons.

Serum-Vitamin-B12 Concentration in the Elderly

1961 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 163-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.D.T. Cape ◽  
N.K. Shinton
Keyword(s):  
Serum Vitamin ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Vitamin B

scholarly journals Folate and vitamin B12: friendly or enemy nutrients for the elderly

2007 ◽  
Vol 66 (4) ◽  
pp. 548-558 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geraldine J. Cuskelly ◽  
Kathleen M. Mooney ◽  
Ian S. Young
Keyword(s):  
Folic Acid ◽  
Serum Vitamin ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Megaloblastic Anaemia ◽  
Vitamin B ◽  
Folic Acid Fortification ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Criteria For Diagnosis ◽  
Folate And Vitamin B12 ◽  
The Uk

In the UK vitamin B12deficiency occurs in approximately 20% of adults aged >65 years. This incidence is significantly higher than that among the general population. The reported incidence invariably depends on the criteria of deficiency used, and in fact estimates rise to 24% and 46% among free-living and institutionalised elderly respectively when methylmalonic acid is used as a marker of vitamin B12status. The incidence of, and the criteria for diagnosis of, deficiency have drawn much attention recently in the wake of the implementation of folic acid fortification of flour in the USA. This fortification strategy has proved to be extremely successful in increasing folic acid intakes pre-conceptually and thereby reducing the incidence of neural-tube defects among babies born in the USA since 1998. However, in successfully delivering additional folic acid to pregnant women fortification also increases the consumption of folic acid of everyone who consumes products containing flour, including the elderly. It is argued that consuming additional folic acid (as ‘synthetic’ pteroylglutamic acid) from fortified foods increases the risk of ‘masking’ megaloblastic anaemia caused by vitamin B12deficiency. Thus, a number of issues arise for discussion. Are clinicians forced to rely on megaloblastic anaemia as the only sign of possible vitamin B12deficiency? Is serum vitamin B12alone adequate to confirm vitamin B12deficiency or should other diagnostic markers be used routinely in clinical practice? Is the level of intake of folic acid among the elderly (post-fortification) likely to be so high as to cure or ‘mask’ the anaemia associated with vitamin B12deficiency?

Nutritional B12 Deficiency in Infants of Vitamin B12-Deficient Mothers

2011 ◽  
Vol 81 (5) ◽  
pp. 328-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oya Halicioglu ◽  
Sezin Asik Akman ◽  
Sumer Sutcuoglu ◽  
Berna Atabay ◽  
Meral Turker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Megaloblastic Anemia ◽  
Maternal Diet ◽  
Clinical Manifestations ◽  
Serum Vitamin ◽  
Failure To Thrive ◽  
Clinical Findings ◽  
Vitamin B ◽  
Animal Products ◽  
Hematological Evaluation ◽  
Nutritional Vitamin

Aim: Nutritional vitamin B12 deficiency in infants may occur because the maternal diet contains inadequate animal products. Clinical presentations of the infants who had nutritional vitamin B12 deficiency were analyzed in this study. Subjects and Methods: Patients with nutritional vitamin B12 deficiency were enrolled in the study between 2003 and 2010. The diagnosis was based on a nutritional history of mothers and infants, clinical findings, hematological evaluation, and low level of serum vitamin B12. Results: Thirty children aged 1 - 21 months constituted the study group. Poverty was the main cause of inadequate consumption of animal products of the mothers. All infants had predominantly breastfed. The most common symptoms were developmental delay, paleness, apathy, lethargy, anorexia, and failure to thrive. Hematological findings were megaloblastic anemia (83.3 %), thrombocytopenia (30 %), and severe anemia (13.3 %). All of the mothers had low serum B12 levels; eight of them had megaloblastic anemia. Conclusion: The unusual clinical manifestations of vitamin B12 deficiency may also be seen apart from neurological and hematological findings. Nutritional vitamin B12 deficiency due to maternal deficiency might be a serious health problem in infants. Therefore, screening and supplementation of pregnant and lactating women to prevent infantile vitamin B12 deficiency should be considered.

Serum Vitamin B12 Concentrations among Mothers and Newborns and Follow-up Study to Assess Implication on the Growth Velocity and the Urinary Methylmalonic Acid Excretion

2009 ◽  
Vol 79 (56) ◽  
pp. 297-307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laila Hussein ◽  
Sahar Abdel Aziz ◽  
Salwa Tapouzada ◽  
Boehles
Keyword(s):  
Early Diagnosis ◽  
Growth Velocity ◽  
Methylmalonic Acid ◽  
Post Partum ◽  
Serum Vitamin ◽  
Vitamin B ◽  
Postnatal Life ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Metabolic Marker ◽  
Biochemical Measurement

Objective:Cobalamin (B12) deficiency has been reported in infants born to mothers with low cobalamin intake. Early diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency in infants is critical for the prevention of neurobehavioral disorders. We investigated the relationship between serum vitamin B12 level in newborns and in their healthy mothers who consumed an omnivorous diet. Anthropometry was studied longitudinally to assess the growth velocity of the infants. Urinary methylmalonic acid (MMA) excretion of 6-month old infants was compared retrospectively as the biomarker correlated with the initial serum vitamin B12 concentrations. Methods: Serum cobalamin and blood hemoglobin were determined in 84 pairs of newborns and their mothers. Urinary MMA excretion was measured in the same subjects during the first 6 months of the post partum period. Results: At birth, median serum cobalamin levels were 152.0 pmol/L in the mothers and 296.6 pmol/L in the newborns. Maternal and neonatal serum cobalamin levels had no effect on growth velocity during the first six months of postnatal life. Serum maternal and neonatal cobalamin levels were inversely associated with urinary MMA excretion. Conclusion: Early diagnosis of vitamin B12 status in neonates and infants is crucial, particularly in nutritionally deprived areas. Biochemical measurement of plasma cobalamin or its metabolic marker MMA is highly recommended. Urinary MMA measurement in cobalamin diagnostics provides an advantage in that blood sampling is not required. A vitamin B12 taskforce should be created to alleviate vitamin deficiency and its negative consequences.

scholarly journals TO STUDY OF ASSOCIATION OF CLINICAL PROFILE WITH SERUM VITAMIN B12 AND FOLATE LEVEL IN CHILDREN WITH INFANTILE TREMOR SYNDROME

2021 ◽  
pp. 118-120
Author(s):  
Dinesh Kumar ◽  
Mahesh Kumar Gupta ◽  
Sunil Gothwal ◽  
Umesh Gurjar ◽  
Kailash Kumar Meena ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Serum Vitamin ◽  
Psychomotor Retardation ◽  
Clinical Profile ◽  
Vitamin B ◽  
Folate Level ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Medical College ◽  
Mother And Child Health ◽  
Mother And Child ◽  
And Child Health

Background-We planned the present study with objective of to find out correlation in vitamin B and folate levels with 12 clinical profile in children with ITS Methods- This Hospital based cross sectional observational study was conducted in, Sir Padampat Mother and Child Health Institute (SPMCHI),SMS Medical College,Jaipur. Results- Vitamin B and folate were reduced in children with generalized tremors, psychomotor retardation, delayed 12 milestones,presence of hepatomegaly and splenomegaly. Conclusion- All children with Infantile Tremor Syndrome should be screened for vitamin B and folate levels,high risk 12 children should be supplemented B and folic acid.

scholarly journals Vitamin B12 status, cognitive decline and dementia: a systematic review of prospective cohort studies

2012 ◽  
Vol 108 (11) ◽  
pp. 1948-1961 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fiona O'Leary ◽  
Margaret Allman-Farinelli ◽  
Samir Samman
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Cohort Studies ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Quality Assessment ◽  
Prospective Cohort ◽  
Methylmalonic Acid ◽  
Serum Vitamin ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Vitamin B ◽  
Prospective Cohort Studies

Poor vitamin B12 status may lead to the development of cognitive decline and dementia but there is a large variation in the quality, design of and results reported from these investigations. We have undertaken a systematic review of the evidence for the association between vitamin B12 status and cognitive decline in older adults. A database search of the literature to 2011 was undertaken, using keywords related to vitamin B12 and cognition. All prospective cohort studies assessing the association of serum vitamin B12 or biomarkers were included. Quality assessment and extraction of the data were undertaken by two researchers. The quality assessment tool assigns a positive, neutral or negative rating. Of 3772 published articles, thirty-five cohort studies (n 14 325 subjects) were identified and evaluated. No association between serum vitamin B12 concentrations and cognitive decline or dementia was found. However, four studies that used newer biomarkers of vitamin B12 status (methylmalonic acid and holotranscobalamin (holoTC)) showed associations between poor vitamin B12 status and the increased risk of cognitive decline or dementia diagnosis. In general, the studies were of reasonable quality (twenty-one positive, ten neutral and four negative quality) but of short duration and inadequate subject numbers to determine whether an effect exists. Future studies should be of adequate duration (at least 6 years), recruit subjects from the seventh decade, choose markers of vitamin B12 status with adequate specificity such as holoTC and/or methylmalonic acid and employ standardised neurocognitive assessment tools and not screening tests in order to ascertain any relationship between vitamin B12 status and cognitive decline.

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