"Low Vitamin B-12 Levels May Cause Cognitive Problems and Depression"

The New York Times (11/29, D7, Brody, Subscription Publication) reports in Personal Health that "as we age, our ability to absorb B12 from food declines, and often so does our consumption of foods rich in this vitamin. A B12 deficiency can creep up without warning and cause a host of confusing symptoms that are likely to be misdiagnosed or ascribed to aging." While "a severe B12 deficiency results in anemia," less severe symptoms of B12 deficiency "may include muscle weakness, fatigue, shakiness, unsteady gait, incontinence, low blood pressure, depression and other mood disorders, and cognitive problems like poor memory.