Vitamin B12 deficiency increases the risk of osteoporosis
Many women are aware that a high intake of calcium may help prevent osteoporosis but I’m not sure if many of them know that that adding a magnesium supplement may improve their body’s ability to absorb calcium. And fewer still are probably aware of the emerging research that shows how a vitamin B-12 supplement may also play an important role in bone health as we age.
While doctors are not sure of the reasons behind the connection, people with osteoporosis have been found also to have a vitamin B12 deficiency. Symptoms of B12 deficiency include poor balance, forgetfulness, and cognitive decline and, according to a study conducted by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), may be linked to osteoporosis.
Researchers funded by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) reported the findings in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. While vitamin B12 deficiency has been linked with low levels of markers of bone formation, the mechanism behind the relationship is not known.
The scientists examined the relationship between vitamin B12 blood levels and indicators of bone health measured in 2,576 men and women, aged 30 to 87, participating in the Framingham Osteoporosis Study. They found that those with vitamin B12 levels lower than 148 pm/l were at greater risk of osteoporosis than those with higher levels. The study found that those with vitamin B12 concentrations below 148 pm/l had significantly lower average bone mineral density–at the hip in men, and at the spine in women–than those with concentrations above.
Osteoporosis usually progresses with no outward effect until a fracture occurs. The recommended dietary allowance for vitamin B12 is 2.4 micrograms per day for both men and women. Low stomach acid and ageing can lower the ability to absorb the vitamin. This study suggests adequate vitamin B12 intake is important for maintaining bone mineral density and it would be worth having a blood test to check for a deficiency.