B Vitamin Deficiency and Tiredness in Older Adults: Understanding the Mechanism and Tips for Age-Defying Energy Levels
As we age, our energy levels usually decline. While ageing is inevitable, constant tiredness isn’t. Several studies have noted that dropping vitamin B levels is a common cause of exhaustion in older people.
If you feel tired even when you get enough sleep, eat a healthy diet, and stay hydrated, a lack of vitamin B might be the culprit. In this article, we will take a closer look at the role of B vitamins in energy production and how you can revitalise with activity and supplementation.
Older people are more likely to develop vitamin B deficiencies. For example, according to the NHS, vitamin B12 and folate deficiency affect about 1 in 10 individuals aged 75 or older, and 1 in 20 individuals between 65 and 74. (1)
What Are B Vitamins?
Synonyms: Vitamin B Complex, B-Complex Vitamins, or vitamin B.
Vitamin B is a group of EIGHT essential nutrients. It comprises eight water-soluble vitamins your body needs to:
- Generate energy from food you eat
- Make new blood cells
- Maintain skin and brain health
The member vitamins, food sources, and daily requirements are listed below:
1. Thiamine (B1)
Food sources: peas, fresh fruits (such as bananas and oranges), nuts, wholegrain breads, some fortified breakfast cereals and liver.
Adults need 1 mg a day for men and 0.8 mg a day for women.
2. Riboflavin (B2)
Food sources: milk, eggs, fortified breakfast cereals, mushrooms and plain yoghurt.
Adults need 1.3 mg a day for men and 1.1 mg a day for women.
3. Niacin (B3)
Food sources: meat, fish, wheat flour and eggs.
Adults need 16.5 mg a day for men and 13.2 mg a day for women.
4. Pantothenic acid (B5)
Food sources: chicken, beef, liver, kidneys, eggs, mushrooms and avocado.
There’s no recommended daily intake for pantothenic acid in the UK.
5. Pyridoxine (B6)
Food sources: pork, chicken, fish, peanuts, soya beans, wheatgerm, oats, bananas and milk
Adults need 1.4 mg a day for men and 1.2 mg a day for women.
6. Biotin (B7)
Food sources: meats, eggs, fish, meat, seeds, nuts, and some vegetables like sweet potatoes.
There’s no recommended daily intake for biotin.
7. Folate (B9)
Food sources: broccoli, brussels sprouts, leafy green vegetables, spinach, peas, chickpeas, kidney beans and liver.
Adults need 200 mcg (micrograms) of folate a day.
8. Cobalamin (B12)
Food sources: meat, fish, milk, cheese and eggs.
Adults need 1.5 mcg (micrograms) of vitamin B12 a day.
Why Do Vitamin B Levels Drop As You Age?
Ageing changes how our bodies absorb, store, and use vitamins, including B vitamins.
Likewise, older people are more likely to have one or more long-term (chronic) medical conditions. These diseases or their medications can also lead to B vitamin deficiency.
The authors of a 2023 review note the following causes for a higher risk of vitamin B12 deficiency in older people: (2)
- Digestive issues, leading to decreased absorption
- Chewing problems or poor oral health
- Insufficient vitamin B12 in their diet
- Having more than one chronic disease
- Use of several medications to treat chronic conditions, such as certain diabetes medications and antibiotics
- Excessive alcohol use
- Weight-loss surgeries that impair the absorption of nutrients
How Do B Vitamins Help Release Energy from Food You Eat?
“Without enough B vitamins, you’ll feel tired even when you eat right, sleep well, and stay hydrated”.
Did you know that 7 out of 8 B vitamins play a crucial role in energy production inside your cells? The only exception is folate.
Though folate doesn’t directly affect energy release from food, it helps maintain energy levels by helping your body make red blood cells (RBCs). RBCs carry oxygen from your lungs to various tissues.
Note that vitamins are non-energy-yielding nutrients. The others are water and minerals.
However, your body needs B vitamins to extract energy from energy-yielding nutrients, such as carbs, proteins and fats.
Role of B vitamins in energy production
Dietary B vitamins are transported through the small intestines into the bloodstream. These molecules then reach the cells, where they act on the powerhouse of the cell, known as the mitochondria.
In the mitochondria, the B vitamins play crucial roles in many biochemical reactions that help release energy from dietary carbs, fats, and proteins in the form of ATP. (Adenosine triphosphate).
The role of each B vitamin in energy production is described below: (3)
Thiamine (B1)
- Helps your body make energy-rich molecules like DNA and RNA that are involved in protein synthesis.
- Helps your body break down glucose for energy release.
Riboflavin (B2)
- Participates in various reactions involved in energy production.
- Helps release energy from several molecules found in the diet, such as glucose, fats, and amino acids.
Niacin (B3)
- Plays a pivotal role in over 200 reactions in the body.
- Helps extract energy from dietary carbs and fats.
- Helps break down carbs and fats during exercise.
Pantothenic acid (B5)
- Involved in reactions that help release energy from carbs, proteins, and fats.
Pyridoxine (B6)
- Helps your body break down carbs.
- Improves energy levels by increasing oxygen delivery throughout your body.
Cobalamin (B12)
- Helps convert carbs in your diet into energy (glucose).
- Helps your body break down fats.
Biotin (B9)
- Helps your body process carbs, fats and proteins.
- Involved in generating glucose from non-carbs such as proteins.
Tips to Combat Fatigue As You Age
Getting older can take its toll on various aspects of life. One of them is your energy level. That said, constant tiredness shouldn’t deprive you of your right to enjoy the moments of life.
Below are some expert-recommended tips to reclaim and keep your energy levels.
Eat “real” foods
(Ultra) Processed foods are notorious for making you feel sluggish. Not to mention, they’ve been linked to many chronic conditions, including obesity, mental illness, diabetes and certain cancers. (4)
Choose nutrient-dense foods such as leafy vegetables, fish, meat, liver, eggs, berries, and fresh fruits. Not only are these foods rich in B vitamins, but they also contain a generous amount of other essential nutrients.
Further Reading: How food processing starves our bodies of nutrients, leaving us feeling run down and tired
Stay active
Exercise, regardless of type, can boost your energy levels. Physical activity, often considered a panacea for a healthy life, strengthens your muscles, improves lung health, and helps your heart work more efficiently. All these benefits add up to increase your energy. Moreover, exercise can help improve your sleep.
Check your medications
Some medications can make you lethargic. These include medications for allergies, depression, and high blood pressure. Review your medications regularly and ask your healthcare provider if you can take a lower dose or switch to another medication.
Try a supplement
Taking a high-quality vitamin B supplement can work wonders for your energy levels. As mentioned earlier in the article, 5% to 10% of older adults in the UK have some form of vitamin B deficiency, particularly vitamin B12.
To make things worse, many cases are undiagnosed or underdiagnosed.
Thus, supplementation offers a safe and effective way to combat B vitamin deficiencies. When looking for a supplement, it’s best to choose one that has a blend of all the B vitamins, rather than a single B vitamin supplement. It is because, without testing, we never know which B vitamin is low in our body.
Why Choose a Liquid Supplement?
It’s safe to say a liquid supplement fares better than tablets or pills. Why? Here’s a quick rundown:
- Pills often contain lower doses, which might not fulfil your vitamin requirements.
- Pills are hard to swallow, especially for older people.
- Liquids absorb faster than pills.
Further Reading: Liquid supplements beat tablets, why is that?
If you’re looking for a supplement to boost your energy, try Clinic Nutrition’s VITALITI, which is a high-strength liquid multivitamin supplement with more nutrients than any capsule or effervescent tablet supplement.
Moreover, it contains 28 vitamins and minerals, all 8 B Vitamins, 500mg vitamin C and vitamin D for immune health. Lastly, this vegan supplement is enriched with super greens and amino blend to support your all-round well-being.
References:
- NHS inform. (2023, March 10). Vitamin B12 & folate anaemia – Illnesses & conditions | NHS inform. NHS Inform. https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/nutritional/vitamin-b12-or-folate-deficiency-anaemia/
- Mouchaileh, N. (2023). Vitamin B12 deficiency in older people: a practical approach to recognition and management. Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research, 53(6), 350–358. https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1897
- Laquale, Kathleen M. (2006). B-complex vitamins’ role in energy release. In Movement Arts, Health Promotion and Leisure Studies Faculty Publications. Paper 25. https://vc.bridgew.edu/mahpls_fac/25
- Lane, M. M., Gamage, E., Du, S., Ashtree, D. N., McGuinness, A. J., Gauci, S., Baker, P., Lawrence, M., Rebholz, C. M., Srour, B., Touvier, M., Jacka, F. N., O’Neil, A., Segasby, T., & Marx, W. (2024b). Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses. BMJ, e077310. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2023-077310
