Older people get no benefit from widely used supplement

By The Press Association1st July 2015News EnglandNews England, Nutrition, Older People

Older people who take a popular vitamin supplement to improve their mobility, muscle strength, co-ordination and mental function may be wasting their time, new research suggests.

B12 supplements provide no mental or neurological benefit to people moderately deficient in the vitamin, the study found.

Scientists compared the effect of taking the vitamin or a dummy pill once daily for a year in a group of 201 participants over the age of 75.

Lead researcher Dr Alan Dangour, from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: “This is the first trial of the effect of vitamin B12 supplementation on neurological and cognitive function in older people with moderate vitamin B12 deficiency.

“Many people may be taking vitamin B12 supplements on a regular basis and it has been thought they would enhance function in older people.

“Our study found no evidence of benefit for nervous system or cognitive function from 12 months of supplementation among older people with moderate vitamin B12 deficiency.

“We advise older people concerned about their health and cognitive function to eat a diverse and healthy diet, keep cognitively active and when possible take regular physical activity.”

At the end of the trial, participants underwent tests of muscle strength, co-ordination, mobility, memory and thinking skills, and psychological health.

The findings are reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Severe vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to serious nervous system problems including muscle weakness, difficulty walking, fatigue, and “pins and needles” sensations, as well as depression and impaired memory.

The vitamin is found in fish, meat, poultry and dairy products and may be lacking in strict vegetarian diets.

Previous studies have suggested that people with moderate vitamin B12 deficiency have poorer nerve and memory functions. There is also clear evidence that vitamin supplements can help those severely lacking B12.

But the trial did not support the idea that in cases of moderate deficiency B12 supplements can offer health improvements.

The supplements used in the study contained a safe recommended dose of vitamin B12. However, the researchers acknowledged that it may have been too low to have a measurable effect. Alternatively it was possible the supplements only had an impact after being taken for several years.