Vitamin B12 is found in many common foods and is essential for the production of red blood cells and nerve cells. Elderly people often require vitamin B12 injections for a number of reasons ranging from diet to trauma to conditions that make them unable to absorb B12 normally.
Dangers of B12 Deficiency
People with a B12 deficiency are prone to problems including weakness, fatigue, shortness of breath, and numbness in the hands. In extreme cases it can result in anemia when there is not enough B12 in the body to produce red blood cells.
Causes
Elderly people often need B12 injections because their bodies are not able to produce the intrinsic factor, an enzyme needed to absorb B12. A poor diet and conditions such as Crohn's Disease also inhibit absorption of Vitamin B12.
Significance
Even if an elderly person does not suffer from one of the conditions listed above, they are more prone to suffer from B12 deficiency because the human body's ability to absorb B12 decreases with age, due in large part to a reduction in stomach acid.
Time Frame
Since the human body normally stores enough B12 to last three years, a Vitamin B12 injection gives most elderly people enough of the vitamin to last them for months or even years.
Considerations
Elderly people may need B12 injections on a regular basis if they suffer from pernicious anemia, a condition that renders them unable to absorb any B12 from the foods they eat.
Prevention
Some physicians recommend that elderly people take vitamins and B12 supplements to reduce their risk of become deficient, according to WebMD.com. Changes in diet can also help in some cases.
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