Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Elderly Persons
Clinical Study Title:
Low vitamin B-12 intake and status are more prevalent in Hispanic
older adults of Caribbean origin than in neighborhood-matched non-Hispanic
whites.
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English Summary: |
Vitamin
b12 deficiency is a problem for most elderly persons,
but its prevalence in certain races and ethnic groups
has not been investigated. This study looked at the
prevalence of vitamin b12 among adults of Puerto Rican
and Dominican descent, as compared to whites of a
non-hispanic origin. When compared to the white participants,
Hispanics of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent had
much lower vitamin b12 concentration in their blood.
Supplement use helped to correct this deficiency for
all participants who had deficiencies. This suggests
that people of Hispanic origin may be prone to vitamin
b12 deficiency, and that a daily supplement with vitamin
b12 may help to avoid the deficiency. |
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Authors:
Kwan LL. Bermudez OI. Tucker KL.
Institution:
The Jean Mayer U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research
Center on Aging, Tufts University
Country of Publication:
United States
Source:
Journal of Nutrition. 132(7):2059-64, 2002 Jul.
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