How to Improve the Absorption of B12

About 10 to 15 percent of adults over age 60 suffer from vitamin B12 deficiency, according to Oregon State University's Linus Pauling Institute. Pernicious anemia is an autoimmune condition present most commonly in the elderly, in which the stomach does not not produce enough acids to release food-bound vitamin B12 from the proteins that carry it. Vegetarians and vegans also are prone to vitamin B12 deficiencies because the nutrient is primarily present in animal products. Vitamin B12 deficiencies also can stem from insufficient dietary intake or from the body's inability to absorb the nutrient.

Things You'll Need

• Sublingual B12 supplement
• Calcium supplement
• B12 injection

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Instructions

• 1

  Take a sublingual vitamin B12 supplement, which you place under your tongue for slow absorption, rather than swallowing or chewing it. This type of supplement makes the nutrient immediately available to the digestive enzymes, circumventing the digestive process that separates bound vitamin B12 from the foods that contain it.

• 2

  Take a calcium supplement. Calcium is necessary for vitamin B12 absorption, so increasing your daily intake can help your body to better absorb vitamin B12.

• 3

  Consider alternatives to medications that can interfere with vitamin B12 absorption, such as Tagamet, Pepsid and Zantac. These medications reduce your amount of stomach acid, making it more difficult for your body to absorb the vitamin B12 in the food you eat. Ask your health care practitioner to help you weigh the benefits of those medications, relative to the negative consequences of reduced vitamin B12 absorption.

• 4

  Consider a monthly injection of vitamin B12. Injecting the vitamin directly into muscle tissue makes it easier for your body to absorb and use it. This approach is most commonly used for patients suffering from pernicious anemia and Crohn's disease.

• 5

  Eliminate foods containing gluten from your diet if you suffer from celiac disease. These foods compromise your stomach's ability to absorb vitamin B12.