If you had to pick one nutrient that has the biggest impact on future risk of cognitive decline, it’s probably vitamin B12. It is also one of the most commonly deficient vitamins. Children, however, need it too. In the UK and US, the reference range for a standard serum B12 test is badly out of date and wrong – set at only 180pg/ml. At Food For The Brain, we now know that, in adults, brain size is shrinking with B12 levels below 500 pg/ml, hence other countries have adopted this level as adequate.
So, on the one hand, we need to have a conversation about the food you give your child and whether it is likely to provide sufficient B12, and, on the other hand, we have to explore why some children don’t absorb enough, and what can be done about this.
The food front is the easy part. As the last email showed you, only animal produce provides B12 (in meat, fish, eggs and milk). The easy ‘safety guard’ is to supplement 5 to 10mcg a day depending on the age of your child in an ‘optimum nutrition’ style multivitamin. (The RDA in most multivitamins only give 2.5mcg which may not be enough). Vegan children simply must either supplement or eat foods that are fortified with supplemental B12.
If you or your child is vegan do read the Report Vitamin B12 – Why Vegans Need it in your Library.
Why It Matters:
✔ B12 is vital for keeping your child’s cognition sharp
B12 deficiency, probably more to do with limited absorption than diet, and some children are born with a difficulty in this area which may be genetic. If one of their parents has ‘pernicious anaemia’ which is a chronic B12 deficiency as a result of malabsorption, then the chances of a child having this problem is much higher.
✔ Testing your child’s B12 status
Vitamin B12 status is rarely properly checked for in adults, let alone children. About a quarter of those with pernicious anaemia wait a decade before being diagnosed. The tell-tale symptoms are feeling very tired or weak, experiencing nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea, not feeling as hungry as usual, weight loss, having a sore mouth or tongue and having yellowish skin.
If your doctor does test your child’s B12 status they’ll probably use a serum B12 test. It used to be that anything above 180 pmol/l was considered adequate which is still the ‘normal’ range in the UK and US, but in Japan and the EU they treat a level below 500pmol/l as too low.
✔ B12 and chronic fatigue
Another common sign of B12 deficiency, known as pernicious anaemia, is chronic fatigue. If your child has a few of these symptoms listed above, make sure you get tested first due to the strong genetic link. There’s some very good information on the Pernicious Anaemia Society website www.pernicious-anaemia-society.org.
How to Implement Change
Today’s Challenge: Include a B12-rich food in your child’s next meal—try eggs, cheese, or a portion of fish!
💬 Encouragement for Parents: B12 is essential for a sharp, focused brain. You’re taking great steps to ensure your child gets the nutrients they need!
📌 Next email: Best Foods for Folate – Is Your Child Eating Them?