An estimated 25 percent of people between ages sixty and seventy are deficient in B12, an essential nutrient. So are nearly 40 percent of people eighty and older. A B12 deficiency may be mistaken for an age-related decline in mental function, including memory loss and a reduction in reasoning skills, and may affect mood.
Some potential benefits of B12 supplements include the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, sleep disorders, and diabetic neuropathy. It is important to know that a deficiency of this vitamin can be hidden, and even progress, if extra folic acid is taken to treat or prevent anemia. There are no known toxic effects of taking large doses of vitamin B12, but neither is there any scientific evidence that extra vitamin B12 brings extra benefits. Vitamin B12 has no established UL (upper limit). To hedge your bets, take a multivitamin tablet daily.