Abstract

Vitamin B-12 deficiency is prevalent among the elderly population but it is often unrecognized because the clinical manifestations are not present. Objective: To evaluate the effects of a nutritional supplement fortified with vitamin B-12 on well nourished, free-living elderly subjects. Patients and methods: Healthy elderly subjects attending two of four clinics were allocated to receive, over six months' duration, a nutritional supplement with 3.8 μg of vitamin B-12. Subjects attending the other two clinics served as controls. Serum vitamin B-12 levels were measured at baseline and 6 months after the supplementation was started. Results: After 6 months of consuming the supplement fortified with vitamin B-12, serum B-12 concentration increased from 350.1 ± 166.5 pmol/L to 409.0 ± 166.1 and decreased in the control group from 319.4 ± 129.1 to 290.1 ± 135.7 (ANOVA, p < 0.005). Conclusion: A supplementation with 3.8 μg/day of vitamin B-12 led to significant improvements in the serum concentrations of vitamin B-12 in older persons. © Hogrefe & Huber Publishers.