title: Effects of a nutritional supplement fortified with vitamin B-12 on well nourished, free-living elderly subjects.
abstract: Vitamin B-12 deficiency is prevalent among the elderly population but it is often unrecognized because the clinical manifestations are not present.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of a nutritional supplement fortified with vitamin B-12 on well nourished, free-living elderly subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Healthy elderly subjects attending two of four clinics were allocated to receive, over six months' duration, a nutritional supplement with 3.8 microg of vitamin B-12. Subjects attending the other two clinics served as controls. Serum vitamin B-12 levels were measured at baseline and 6 months after the supplementation was started.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 6 months of consuming the supplement fortified with vitamin B-12, serum B-12 concentration increased from 350.1 +/- 166.5 pmol/L to 409.0 +/- 166.1 and decreased in the control group from 319.4 +/- 129.1 to 290.1 +/- 135.7 (ANOVA, p < 0.005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A supplementation with 3.8 microg /day of vitamin B-12 led to significant improvements in the serum concentrations of vitamin B-12 in older persons.
authors.affiliation: INTA, University of Chile, Santiago. shirsch@inta.cl
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hirsch
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Leiva
authors.forename: Pía
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: de la Maza
authors.forename: Vivian
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gattás
authors.forename: Gladys
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barrera
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hertrampf
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bunout
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D006454:Hemoglobins; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol; D003404:Creatinine; D014805:Vitamin B 12