Part of an ongoing series on how to use supplement and behavior-based plans to treat common maladies. To read the detailed supplement plan, order supplements, or download the patient resource sheets, go here to create a free patient account at Fullscript by entering your name and email address: Dr. Mark McDonald’s Fullscript dispensary
I’ve discussed the benefits of vitamin B12 in preventing a variety of chronic diseases and included it in my supplement plans to prevent dementia and fatigue and low energy A recent publication in the Annals of Neurology, though, shows that even "normal" vitamin B12 levels may lead to cognitive decline and brain damage.
In older healthy adults with average vitamin B12 blood levels of 414.8 pmol/L, which far exceeds the U.S. recommended minimum level of 148 pmol/L, researchers found strikingly poor assessments of cognitive performance in study participants whose vitamin B12 levels fell in the lower range of normal. Specifically, lower vitamin B12 levels correlated with slower processing speeds, suggesting a potential for cognitive decline, even though all participants maintained vitamin B12 levels within the "normal" range.
It appears that, with age, vitamin B12 levels tend to drop due to malabsorption and dietary deficiencies. This leads to white matter lesions that affect cognitive function. Vitamin B12 can only be obtained by eating animal protein. This is why all vegans are vitamin B12 deficient, unless they take vitamin B12 supplements.
I recommend anyone suffering from cognitive changes in older age (as well as signs of depression, low energy, or fatigue) check their vitamin B12 level. If it’s low, eat more meat…or start taking a high-quality vitamin B12 supplement like the one I recommend in the plan below.
Vitamin B12 deficiency is easy to correct and provides immeasurable protection against the development of chronic disease in nearly every major organ system. Say yes to vitamin B12 and no to cognitive decline.
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