The National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States recalled the importance of vitamin B12 intake. According to experts, long-term deficiency of this compound can provoke a serious brain disease – dementia.

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Vitamin B12 helps to maintain a healthy nervous system and blood cells, but its absorption decreases with age. The lack of this compound, first of all, affects the elderly, in whose stomach there is not enough hydrochloric acid to absorb the nutrient from the food they receive. This can lead to dementia. People with this type of disorder often have high levels of “homocysteine” in their blood, and vitamin B12 lowers this level. Also on the list of risk factors for dementia are high blood pressure and being overweight.

The NIH warns that signs of a B12 deficiency include numbness in the arms and legs, problems with balance, depression, confusion and soreness in the mouth. You can check if a person is deficient in this vitamin using a special analysis. You should also be aware that some drugs interfere with the absorption of the compound.

Adults are advised to take 2.4 to 3.0 mcg of the vitamin. B12 is found in a wide variety of foods, including beef liver, fish, eggs, and milk. It is possible to compensate for the lack of a compound with the help of vitamin supplements; in difficult cases, doctors prescribe B12 injections.