A study led by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco found that healthy older adults with lower B12 levels showed signs of neurological and cognitive decline. The results of this study was published in Annals of Neurology.

Vitamin B12 is necessary for the synthesis of DNA, red blood cells, and nervous tissue. Usually its deficiency leads to anemia, which is characterized by impaired blood formation—but the consequences are not limited to this pathology.

An analysis of the diet and health data of 231 elderly people—whose average age was 71—found that low levels of vitamin B12 were associated with slower processing speed and greater brain damage. These results showed the onset of neurological and cognitive decline in subjects who had no history of dementia.

The researchers noted that the brain function impairments were not observed in cases of obvious vitamin B12 deficiency, but when values fell below normal.

According to the researchers, these findings may serve as a basis for reviewing therapeutic strategies aimed at maintaining the health of the elderly.

Also, the researchers reminded that to saturate the body with vitamin B12, you do not need to start by taking supplements. Vitamin B12 is primarily found in animal-based foods. The best sources include meat (beef, pork, lamb), fish (salmon, tuna, trout), dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt), and eggs.

Fortified plant-based foods like cereals, nutritional yeast, and plant-based milk alternatives can also provide B12, especially for vegetarians and vegans.