The Medical Advisor

Up to 2.5% of children and 8.3% of adolescents suffer from depression, a condition that’s associated with significant complications later in life, including an increased risk of suicide, substance abuse, physical diseases and problems with work, academic and psychosocial functioning. (1) It’s believed that both genetic and environmental factors play a role in why some children develop depression, and increasing attention has been placed on the role of dietary factors and nutrients such as vitamin D, which is ideally obtained via sun exposure. Further, one-carbon metabolism, which includes vitamin B12, folate and homocysteine and which plays a role in many biological processes and maintaining cellular homeostasis, has been investigated for its role in psychiatric disorders, including depression in adults. (2) After exploring the link further, researchers from Ordu University in Turkey revealed that low vitamin B12 and vitamin D levels, along with increased homocysteine, may play a role ...

Did you know a simple vitamin could keep your brain sharp as you age? Vitamin B12, found in foods like meat, eggs and dairy, isn’t just about giving you energy. A 2025 research shows it’s a secret weapon for your brain, especially as you get older. ( Annals of Neurology 2025 ) Low B12 levels interfere with your memory, slow your thinking and even shrink your brain over time. Fortunately, once you understand how vitamin B12 affects your brain health, there are simple steps to protect yourself. Older adults with vitamin B12 levels currently considered normal may still face cognitive decline and brain damage. ( Annals of Neurology 2025 ) Participants with lower—yet technically acceptable—B12 levels showed measurable brain white matter damage and slower cognitive processing, prompting researchers to call for a reevaluation of what constitutes “healthy” B12 levels in aging populations. “[Lower levels could] impact cognition to a greater extent than what we previously thought, and may affect...

When you experience symptoms like fatigue, numbness, faint nausea, foggy vision or an increased tendency toward forgetfulness, you might entertain many different scenarios. Some of them might be scary, but a possibility you may not consider is that of a vitamin B12 (aka cobalamin) deficiency. Nearly half of the American population has less-than-stellar blood levels of vitamin B12, but the symptomology is so varied that it's hard to pin down just how many people suffer from it, according to Harvard Health, which describes the "sneaky" symptomology behind a 62-year-old man's seemingly unrelated symptoms, developed over two months. According to his case report, published in The New England Journal of Medicine (1), he had: "Numbness and a 'pins and needles' sensation in his hands, had trouble walking, experienced severe joint pain, began turning yellow, and became progressively short of breath … It could have been worse — a severe vitamin B12 deficiency can l...