When Dr. Hedda Haning started forgetting things, her daughter was the first to suggest she might have a vitamin deficiency.
The 73-year-old retired anesthesiologist had not considered the culprit might be low levels of B12. When she was in medical school, they were taught to think of a lack of the vitamin only as a cause of pernicious anemia.
Haning's B12 levels weren't particularly low when tested, either, but subsequent tests showed that her levels of methylmalonic acid were up, an indicator that she did have a B12 deficiency.
Haning began taking B12 supplements nearly three months ago. Already, she said, her memory has improved.
"One of the most incredible things to me, is that I could go into the drugstore and get the large amount of B12 that is required to ensure you're absorbing it, and have enough for a year for $25," she said. "At Kroger, it's half as much. What kind of testing or therapy can you get for $25 a year? You can't even walk in the doctor's office for that."
B12 deficiency is common in the elderly, and affects up to 15 percent of adults over 60, according to the National Institutes of Health. The memory loss associated with B12 deficiency can mimic forgetfulness caused by a slew of other health problems, and studies from South Danish University in Denmark indicate that some memory loss caused by B12 deficiency is irreversible, highlighting the need for prevention.
"I think the message is that with the onset of this deficiency, the symptoms are so subtle, and so similar, to any other form of cognitive decline that a person could have it hit them without warning," said Dr. Ray Haning, Hedda's husband.
Dr. Michael Brumage, health officer for the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department, said many patients with B12 deficiency don't experience anemia, and cognitive decline may be their only symptom.
"We have to be conscious of B12 deficiency in the elderly, whether they don't get enough B12 in their diet, if there's a problem with the stomach so that it doesn't absorb B12 well, or if part of the gut has been removed during surgery," he said. "I would think that, for many physicians, this isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you see someone with cognitive impairment."
Studies have shown it to be impossible to take too much B12, Hedda Haning said, and those with absorption problems may need a higher dose to ensure they receive enough of the vitamin.
"I would personally like to see more physicians be aware that this could be a root cause for memory loss, and advising people to add B12 to their diets, because it's a relatively inexpensive way to potentially prevent some mild cognitive impairment," Brumage said. "Once the impairment manifests, it's a little more difficult to treat."
West Virginia has the second-oldest population of any state in the country, and Haning said it's important for older people to take control of their health in ways that can prevent more damage and higher costs down the road.
"We're living to be older, and if something is a problem, it's bound to mound up more and more as we live on," she said.
Reach Lydia Nuzum at lydia.nuzum@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-5189 or follow @lydianuzum on Twitter.