Association between Serum Vitamin B12 Level and Bone Mineral Density in Older Women

Abstract

Background: Vitamin B12 is a micronutrient essential for deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis, which can affect osteogenesis. Based on in-vivo investigations, vitamin B12 is associated with osteogenesis, and low levels of this vital vitamin in the human body can be related to an increased risk of osteoporosis.
 Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, 60 women over 65 years who visited an orthopedic clinic were included. They were divided into three groups based on bone density in the hip and lumbar areas using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans, including normal bone density, osteopenia, and osteoporosis. The average serum level of vitamin B12 in the experimental subjects was then determined and compared.
 Results: 6 (10%) showed normal bone density, 25 (41.7%) osteopenia, and 29 (48.3%) were considered to have osteoporosis. Measured vitamin B12 levels showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups of normal bone density (601.3 ± 194.8) and osteopenia (560.4 ± 131.5). However, there was a significant statistical difference between vitamin B12 levels in people with osteoporosis (400.7 ± 162.4) and the two groups of normal and osteopenic individuals. There was also a negative statistical relationship between vitamin B12 levels and bone density (P = 0.004, r = -0.8).
 Conclusion: A low serum level of vitamin B12 is associated with a severe decline in bone density in elderly Iranian women.