Vitamin B12 and Homocysteine Associations with Gait Speed in Older Adults: The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging

Overview

Journal J Nutr Health Aging

Specialties Geriatrics
Nutritional Sciences

Date 2017 Dec 1

PMID 29188896

Citations 18

Authors

M L Vidoni

K Pettee Gabriel

S T Luo

E M Simonsick

R S Day

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the independent associations of serum levels of vitamin B12 and plasma concentrations of homocysteine with gait speed decline.

Design, Setting, Participants: This study utilized longitudinal analysis of participants 50 years or older from The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, N=774.

Measurements: Gait speed (m/s) was assessed using the 6-meter usual pace test. Vitamin B12 and homocysteine concentrations were collected using standard clinical protocols. Linear mixed effects regression was stratified by baseline age category (50-69, 70-79, and ≥80 years old).

Results: Mean follow-up time for the total study sample was 5.4 ± 2.0 years. No association between vitamin B12 and gait speed decline over the follow-up time for any age group was found. Elevated homocysteine concentrations were associated with decline in gait speed after adjustment for covariates (50-69: β= -0.005, p=.057; 70-79: β= -0.013, p<.001, ≥80: β= -0.007, p=.054).

Conclusion: Homocysteine and vitamin B12 are inversely related, yet only homocysteine was associated with gait speed decline in this population of healthy older adults. Given these results, future research should be directed towards investigating the relationship in populations with greater variation in vitamin B12 concentrations and other mechanisms influencing homocysteine concentrations.

Citing Articles

Vitamin B12 status and skeletal muscle function among elderly: A literature review and pilot study on the effect of oral vitamin B12 supplementation in improving muscle function.

Sharma S, Bhadra R, Selvam S, Sambashivaiah S Aging Med (Milton). 2024; 7(4):480-489.

PMID: 39234201 PMC: 11369341. DOI: 10.1002/agm2.12346.

Elevated Blood Homocysteine Increases the Risk of Incident Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome: A Two-Cohort Study.

Cotton K, Ayers E, Jin Y, Beauchet O, Derby C, Lipton R J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2024; 79(7).

PMID: 38671552 PMC: 11157967. DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glae114.

Association between positive control in self-perceptions of aging and motoric cognitive risk syndrome among Chinese community-dwelling older adults: a cross-sectional study.

Yao G, Luo Y, Wu H, Gao M, Sun J BMC Geriatr. 2023; 23(1):211.

PMID: 37009878 PMC: 10069104. DOI: 10.1186/s12877-023-03934-x.

Impact of Vitamin B12 Insufficiency on the Incidence of Sarcopenia in Korean Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Two-Year Longitudinal Study.

Choi S, Chon J, Ah Lee S, Yoo M, Chung S, Shim G Nutrients. 2023; 15(4).

PMID: 36839293 PMC: 9967932. DOI: 10.3390/nu15040936.

Relationship Between Plasma Homocysteine and Bone Density, Lean Mass, Muscle Strength and Physical Function in 1480 Middle-Aged and Older Adults: Data from NHANES.

Kositsawat J, Vogrin S, French C, Gebauer M, Candow D, Duque G Calcif Tissue Int. 2022; 112(1):45-54.

PMID: 36344761 PMC: 9813058. DOI: 10.1007/s00223-022-01037-0.

References

Vidoni M, Pettee Gabriel K, Luo S, Simonsick E, Day R . Relationship between Homocysteine and Muscle Strength Decline: The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2017; 73(4):546-551. PMC: 5861846. DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glx161. View

Berstad P, Konstantinova S, Refsum H, Nurk E, Vollset S, Tell G . Dietary fat and plasma total homocysteine concentrations in 2 adult age groups: the Hordaland Homocysteine Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007; 85(6):1598-605. DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/85.6.1598. View

Clarke R, Evans J, Schneede J, Nexo E, Bates C, Fletcher A . Vitamin B12 and folate deficiency in later life. Age Ageing. 2003; 33(1):34-41. DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afg109. View

Clarke R, Sherliker P, Hin H, Nexo E, Hvas A, Schneede J . Detection of vitamin B12 deficiency in older people by measuring vitamin B12 or the active fraction of vitamin B12, holotranscobalamin. Clin Chem. 2007; 53(5):963-70. DOI: 10.1373/clinchem.2006.080382. View

Kuo H, Liao K, Leveille S, Bean J, Yen C, Chen J . Relationship of homocysteine levels to quadriceps strength, gait speed, and late-life disability in older adults. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2007; 62(4):434-9. PMC: 2362390. DOI: 10.1093/gerona/62.4.434. View

Villegas R, Salim A, Collins M, Flynn A, Perry I . Dietary patterns in middle-aged Irish men and women defined by cluster analysis. Public Health Nutr. 2004; 7(8):1017-24. DOI: 10.1079/PHN2004638. View

Clarke R, Halsey J, Lewington S, Lonn E, Armitage J, Manson J . Effects of lowering homocysteine levels with B vitamins on cardiovascular disease, cancer, and cause-specific mortality: Meta-analysis of 8 randomized trials involving 37 485 individuals. Arch Intern Med. 2010; 170(18):1622-31. DOI: 10.1001/archinternmed.2010.348. View

Block G, Woods M, Potosky A, Clifford C . Validation of a self-administered diet history questionnaire using multiple diet records. J Clin Epidemiol. 1990; 43(12):1327-35. DOI: 10.1016/0895-4356(90)90099-b. View

Saperstein D, Barohn R . Peripheral Neuropathy Due to Cobalamin Deficiency. Curr Treat Options Neurol. 2002; 4(3):197-201. DOI: 10.1007/s11940-002-0036-y. View

10.

Longstreth Jr W, Manolio T, Arnold A, Burke G, Bryan N, Jungreis C . Clinical correlates of white matter findings on cranial magnetic resonance imaging of 3301 elderly people. The Cardiovascular Health Study. Stroke. 1996; 27(8):1274-82. DOI: 10.1161/01.str.27.8.1274. View

11.

Hassan A, Hunt B, OSullivan M, Bell R, DSouza R, Jeffery S . Homocysteine is a risk factor for cerebral small vessel disease, acting via endothelial dysfunction. Brain. 2003; 127(Pt 1):212-9. DOI: 10.1093/brain/awh023. View

12.

Matteini A, Walston J, Fallin M, Bandeen-Roche K, Kao W, Semba R . Markers of B-vitamin deficiency and frailty in older women. J Nutr Health Aging. 2008; 12(5):303-8. PMC: 2739594. DOI: 10.1007/BF02982659. View

13.

Soumare A, Elbaz A, Ducros V, Tavernier B, Alperovitch A, Tzourio C . Cross-sectional association between homocysteine and motor function in the elderly. Neurology. 2006; 67(6):985-90. DOI: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000237325.16502.08. View

14.

Abellan van Kan G, Rolland Y, Andrieu S, Bauer J, Beauchet O, Bonnefoy M . Gait speed at usual pace as a predictor of adverse outcomes in community-dwelling older people an International Academy on Nutrition and Aging (IANA) Task Force. J Nutr Health Aging. 2009; 13(10):881-9. DOI: 10.1007/s12603-009-0246-z. View

15.

Oberlin B, Tangney C, Gustashaw K, Rasmussen H . Vitamin B12 deficiency in relation to functional disabilities. Nutrients. 2013; 5(11):4462-75. PMC: 3847742. DOI: 10.3390/nu5114462. View

16.

Li D, Mann N, Sinclair A . A significant inverse relationship between concentrations of plasma homocysteine and phospholipid docosahexaenoic acid in healthy male subjects. Lipids. 2006; 41(1):85-9. DOI: 10.1007/s11745-006-5074-x. View

17.

Kuo H, Sorond F, Chen J, Hashmi A, Milberg W, Lipsitz L . The role of homocysteine in multisystem age-related problems: a systematic review. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2005; 60(9):1190-201. DOI: 10.1093/gerona/60.9.1190. View

18.

Rolita L, Holtzer R, Wang C, Lipton R, Derby C, Verghese J . Homocysteine and mobility in older adults. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2010; 58(3):545-50. PMC: 2915401. DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2010.02718.x. View

19.

Baik H, Russell R . Vitamin B12 deficiency in the elderly. Annu Rev Nutr. 1999; 19:357-77. DOI: 10.1146/annurev.nutr.19.1.357. View

20.

Shay C, Ning H, Allen N, Carnethon M, Chiuve S, Greenlund K . Status of cardiovascular health in US adults: prevalence estimates from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) 2003-2008. Circulation. 2011; 125(1):45-56. PMC: 4077723. DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.111.035733. View