Do Vitamin B12 Shots Help Your Memory?

Vitamin B12 has been proven to play a role in the preservation of mental and cognitive abilities, as well as memory. The intake and absorption of B12, which is naturally present in meat, milk and fish, becomes increasingly important as we age.

Significance

• B12 helps prevent brain shrinkage, a tell-tale sign of the onset of dementia or Alzheimer's. B12 helps form myelin, which insulates nerve fibers. Without it, memory loss can result, along with dips in moods and possibly nerve damage. In fact, symptoms of low B12 levels may mimic the symptoms of Alzheimer's.

Deficiency

• While B12 deficiencies are relatively rare, a body's inability to absorb B12 is more common, especially in older adults. The body can store several years' worth of B12, but when absorption is compromised and B12 is not used adequately by the body, mental and physical abilities may be affected. In the most extreme cases, pernicious anemia may result if the intestinal tract is not adequately absorbing B12.

Recommended Dosage

• The recommended daily allowance for B12 in adults is 2.8 mcg/day. One chicken breast combined with one cup of yogurt and one hard-boiled egg contains enough B12 for a day. Or one cup of raisin bran plus one cup of milk can provide the recommended daily allowance. Adults age 50 and older may boost their B12 intake through diet or vitamin supplements.

Warning

• Vitamin B12 is often a part of a B-complex supplement and is necessary in building DNA and keeping nerve cells and red blood cells healthy. During digestion, B12 is released by stomach acid, then combines with IF, or intrinsic factor. It is then absorbed into the bloodstream.

Warning

• Because B12 is found naturally in a variety of foods and because deficiencies are relatively rare, injections may not be necessary or appropriate. Check with your healthcare provider before altering your vitamin regimen or supplementing your B12 intake.