Older people ‘who feel tired should be tested for vitamin B12 deficiency’

Older people who feel tired or wobbly on their feet should be offered a vitamin B12 test, according to new guidance.

As many as one in 10 people over the age of 75 suffer from vitamin B12 deficiency, which can lead to anaemia, tiredness, blurred vision, impaired balance and delirium.

While the vitamin is commonly found in fish, meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products, absorption can be hindered by certain medication and autoimmune disorders.

But new advice, from the National Institute for health and Care Excellence (NICE), means up to 46,000 people could benefit by being diagnosed.

The guidance recommends that if one sign or symptom and one or more risk factors are present a blood test should be offered.

Risk factors linked to the condition include age, especially people 65 and over, previous surgery of the digestive system and certain health conditions such as type 1 diabetes.

The draft guidance, which will now go to public consultation, states that while some people may only need one blood test to diagnose the condition, others may need further tests.

If someone is found to have a deficiency, NICE recommends either B12 tablets or injections – depending on the cause identified.

Vitamin B12 helps maintain a healthy nervous system and reduce tiredness and fatigue. Our bodies use the vitamin to manufacture red blood cells, allowing the body to provide oxygen to our tissues.

A deficiency is more common in older people because the ageing process causes physiological changes that mean the vitamin is not properly absorbed by the body.

Older people are also at higher risk of developing health problems such as memory loss and dementia which can impact their diet and eating habits.

Vegans, who do not eat meat or dairy products, may also be at a higher risk if they do not take supplements.

WHAT SHOULD A BALANCED DIET LOOK LIKE?

Meals should be based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally wholegrain, according to the NHS

• Eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day. All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruit and vegetables count

• Base meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally wholegrain

• 30 grams of fibre a day: This is the same as eating all of the following: 5 portions of fruit and vegetables, 2 whole-wheat cereal biscuits, 2 thick slices of wholemeal bread and large baked potato with the skin on

• Have some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soya drinks) choosing lower fat and lower sugar options

• Eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 portions of fish every week, one of which should be oily)

• Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and consuming in small amounts

• Drink 6-8 cups/glasses of water a day

• Adults should have less than 6g of salt and 20g of saturated fat for women or 30g for men a day

Source: NHS Eatwell Guide