Study Highlights Risks of Vitamin D and B12 Co-Deficiency in the Elderly

Deficiencies of vitamin D and vitamin B12 are common among older people, but relatively little research has examined what happens when both occur together. In this study of 1,359 hospital patients aged 65 and older, 45.9 percent were deficient in vitamin D, 13.5 percent were deficient in vitamin B12, and 7.1 percent were deficient in both.

Vitamin D deficiency by itself was independently associated with poorer cognitive performance and greater frailty. Patients deficient in both nutrients showed the greatest cognitive burden and a possible increase in depressive symptoms. Importantly, as this was a cross-sectional observational study – a research ‘snapshot’ that measures exposures and outcomes in a population at a single point in time – it cannot definitively establish that the deficiencies caused the cognitive problems or frailty.

Nevertheless, micronutrient deficiencies are modifiable and should not simply be accepted as an inevitable consequence of aging. Vitamin B12 deficiency becomes more likely with age as absorption can decline, while commonly prescribed drugs including proton-pump inhibitors and metformin can further interfere with B12 absorption. Vitamin D deficiency is similarly widespread among older people, particularly those who receive little sunlight. Rather than waiting until declining health becomes apparent, routinely paying attention to micronutrient status offers a simple opportunity to identify deficiencies that can be corrected. Maintaining an optimum supply of essential micronutrients throughout life should be regarded as a fundamental part of healthy aging.

To read how recent research has found that people with low levels of vitamin D, vitamin B12, and other micronutrients are more likely to suffer from chronic pain, see this article on our website.