Vitamin B12 deficiency can mimic signs of aging, research shows
Summary
Vitamin B12 deficiency can mimic symptoms of normal aging, including fatigue, brain fog, and cognitive decline. The article traces the history of B12 discovery, from the 1926 breakthrough by Minot and Murphy who found that a liver-rich diet could treat pernicious anemia, to modern research showing B12's role in mitochondrial function. Even mild deficiencies that don't show up on standard blood tests may cause symptoms. The article highlights that B12 deficiency is common, especially among older adults, vegetarians, and those taking certain medications, and its symptoms are often mistaken for age-related decline.
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Key quotes
· 3 pulledTwo micrograms is an almost unimaginably small amount. It weighs less than a tiny fragment of a grain of table salt.
In 2026, it is 100 years since George Minot and William Murphy reported that a liver-rich diet could treat pernicious anemia, then a frequently fatal disease.
Their work transformed medicine and eventually led scientists to identify vitamin B12 as the substance in liver that treated the disease.
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