Are We Not Getting Enough B12 In The UK?
I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.
While most people in the UK who consume a balanced diet containing meat, fish, and dairy get enough vitamin B12, a significant minority—estimated at around 6% of adults under 60 and up to 20% of those over 60—are estimated to be deficient or have low levels. The prevalence of deficiency increases with age, with up to 1 in 10 people over the age of 75 affected.
Here is a breakdown of the situation regarding B12 in the UK:
Who is Most at Risk?
Older Adults: The highest risk group is people over 60, due to reduced stomach acid leading to food-bound vitamin B12 malabsorption.
Vegans and Vegetarians: Because B12 is found naturally in animal-derived foods, those on plant-based diets are at higher risk if they do not
consume fortified foods (such as plant-based milks, nutritional yeast, or breakfast cereals) or take supplements.
People with Absorption Issues: The most common cause of severe deficiency in the UK is pernicious anaemia, an autoimmune condition that stops the body from absorbing B12, rather than a lack of dietary intake.
Individuals on Long-Term Medication: Certain drugs, including Metformin (for diabetes) and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs for acid reflux), can impair B12 absorption.
Is the UK Recommendation Too Low?
The UK government recommends an intake of 1.5 micrograms (μg) a day for adults. However, some experts argue this is too low, noting that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) suggests 4 μg/day, and that 4 to 20 μg/day might be more appropriate to prevent deficiency.Symptoms of Deficiency
If you are not getting enough B12, you may experience:
- Extreme tiredness or fatigue
- Pins and needles (paraesthesia)
- Muscle weakness
- Cognitive changes, such as problems with memory or understanding
- A sore, red tongue
Recommendations
Dietary Sources: Eggs, meat, fish, shellfish, and dairy products are excellent sources.
Fortified Foods & Supplements:
Vegans are advised to eat foods fortified with B12 daily or take a supplement (such as 10-50 micrograms daily)
- Check with a GP: If you suspect a deficiency, a blood test is required, particularly if you are vegan, older, or have digestive issues, as long-term deficiency can cause irreversible damage.
Does Lack Of B12 Degrade Your Eyesight?
I asked this question of Google AI and received this answer.
Yes, a lack of vitamin B12 can degrade your eyesight, typically by causing a condition known as nutritional optic neuropathy. This occurs because B12 is essential for maintaining a healthy nervous system, and a deficiency can damage the optic nerve, which transmits visual information from the eye to the brain.
Here is how a B12 deficiency can impact your eyes and vision:
Optic Neuropathy: A, often painless, progressive, bilateral, and symmetrical reduction in visual acuity.
It often results in blurred or disturbed vision, central or cecocentral scotomas (blind spots), and reduced color vision.
Vision Loss: Severe, long-term B12 deficiency can lead to permanent vision loss if not treated promptly.
Retinal Damage: B12 deficiency can cause retinal hemorrhages (bleeding in the retina), known as Roth’s spots.
Eye Movements: In rare cases, it can cause involuntary eye movements (nystagmus) or uncontrollable eye twitching.
Dry Eye Disease: Some evidence suggests B12 deficiency can cause severe dry eye issues and pain.
Reversibility
Vision problems caused by B12 deficiency are often reversible with prompt treatment.
However, if the damage is allowed to become chronic, the vision impairment can be permanent.
Risk Groups
Those at higher risk of B12 deficiency leading to vision issues include:
- Strict vegetarians and vegans.
- Older adults (60+).
- Individuals with pernicious anemia.
- People with gastrointestinal conditions (Crohn’s disease, celiac disease) or who have had weight-loss surgery.
I am in two of these groups, as I’m 78 and coeliac.
My First Eye Test
This was performed in about 1993, by a friend’s father, who was a retired Senior Eye Surgeon from Heath Road Hospital in Ipswich.
At the time, I wasn’t coeliac.
He said, that I’d got the driest eyes he’d ever seen. I actually told my last GP, so it may be in my notes.
Misearable Weather And My Eye Sight
In January, I wrote this post called Does Miserable Weather Deplete Your B12?
Is this why my eyes and especially my left eye, have been bad ladely?
Eating To Raise My Vitamin B12
Is My B12 Level Low?
Consider.
- The Weather Isn’t B12-Friendly As I found Out In Does Miserable Weather Deplete Your B12?
- My brain seems to hoover up any B12 it can find for its own purposes.
- I am getting signs in my body like red feet, pine-and-needles, which Google AI tells me could be low be a sign of B12.
I am not surprised my B12 is low.
B12 Rich Foods
Typing “B12 Rich Foods” into Google AI gave me this.
Vitamin B12-rich foods are primarily animal-based, with clams and beef liver offering the highest concentrations. Other excellent sources include fish (salmon, trout, tuna, sardines), red meat, eggs, dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese), and poultry. Vegetarians and vegans can find B12 in fortified foods like nutritional yeast, plant milks, and breakfast cereals.
I’ll now go through each food in order.
- Clams – Never tried them, but I’m not a great lover of shellfish! – My biggest client did poison himself on oysters in the City.
- Beef Liver – Love it!
- Fish (Salmon, Trout, Tuna, Sardines) – No Problem!
- Red Meat, Eggs – No Problem!
- Dairy Products (Milk, Yogurt, Cheese) – No Problem! – I’ve only eaten yoghurt in the last few years.
- Poultry – No Problem!
I think I can increase my B12 intake with foods I like.
I often eat two small pots of yoghurt a day, with the second with a punnet of strawberries.
Smoked Salmon Also Seemsw Good For My Diverticular Disease.
I’ve just got to watch what I eat!
But I have Seen Worse Diets
Is Smoked Salmon Good For Uncomplicated Pancolonic Diverticular Disease?
For lunch today, I made myself a sandwich with a 100 gram pack of Mark’s and Spencer’s smoked salmon.
Out of curiosity, I asked Google AI. “Is there any B12 in smoked salmon” and received this reply.
Yes, smoked salmon is an excellent source of vitamin B12. A 100-gram (3.5-ounce) serving provides over 100% of the daily recommended value, with some studies showing as much as 136% (roughly 3.3µg) of the daily intake. It is considered a rich source of B12 along with other nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and vitamin D.
Key details regarding B12 in smoked salmon include:
High Concentration: A 3-ounce serving provides approximately 2.8 micrograms of vitamin B12.
Daily Needs: Consuming 100g of smoked salmon can fulfill 136% of the daily requirement for vitamin B12.
It looks like a pack of smoked salmon can provide my daily needs of B12.
I followed up, by asking Google AI, the question in the title of this post.
This was the answer that I received.
Smoked salmon can be a suitable protein choice for managing uncomplicated diverticular disease, particularly during periods when a low-fiber or moderate-fiber diet is recommended to manage symptoms. It is generally considered a lean, high-quality protein source.
However, the suitability of smoked salmon depends on the status of your condition:
During a Symptom-Free Period (General Diverticulosis):A healthy, balanced, high-fiber diet is recommended, and fish like salmon is a good choice.
During a Symptom Flare (Uncomplicated Diverticulitis):
A low-fiber, low-residue diet is typically recommended to allow the colon to rest.
Smoked salmon is generally acceptable as a soft, easy-to-digest protein source in this phase.
Important Considerations:
Smoked salmon is a processed meat (smoked/cured), and some guidelines advise limiting processed meats as they may contribute to inflammation,
or at least suggesting they should not be consumed frequently compared to fresh, white fish
Key Recommendations:
Include in a balanced diet:
It can be part of a healthy diet, for example, with low-FODMAP foods.
Watch for Sodium:
Smoked salmon can be high in salt, so moderate consumption is advised.
Focus on Lifestyle:Overall, a high-fiber diet (when not in a flare), plenty of water, and avoiding smoking are the best ways to manage diverticular disease.
It looks from this, that smoked salmon in moderation should be OK.
Disappearance Of Biological Sex In Research ‘Is Like Stalin-Era Purge’
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article in The Times.
This is the sub-heading.
Sir Anthony Finkelstein, a university vice-chancellor, laments that the category has become ‘politically uncomfortable’
These three paragraphs add detail to the post.
A university vice-chancellor has warned of the “quiet disappearance” of sex as a recorded variable in academic research, likening pressure to abandon politically sensitive classifications to Stalin-era persecution of statisticians.
According to Times Higher Education, Sir Anthony Finkelstein, head of City St George’s, University of London, made the remarks at an event to discuss the Sullivan review, which recommended that biological sex be used as the default category in research data collection.
Finkelstein said it was essential that researchers retain established classifications for sex in their statistical analysis. He said: “In recent years, there’s been growing unease about recording sex as a basic variable, and pressure — sometimes explicit and sometimes ambient — to replace it with or collapse it into gender identity.”
I fund and participate in medical research and certainly wouldn’t do so, if I felt the research was not being conducted in a scientifically-correct manner.
Trump Revokes Landmark Ruling That Greenhouse Gases Endanger Public Health
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
US President Donald Trump has reversed a key Obama-era scientific ruling that underpins all federal actions on curbing planet-warming gases.
These three paragraphs add more details to the story.
The so-called 2009 “endangerment finding” concluded that a range of greenhouse gases were a threat to public health. It’s become the legal bedrock of federal efforts to rein in emissions, especially in vehicles.
The White House called the reversal the “largest deregulation in American history”, saying it would make cars cheaper, bringing down costs for automakers by $2,400 per vehicle.
Environmental groups say the move is by far the most significant rollback on climate change yet attempted and are set to challenge it in the courts.
By invoking scientifically incorrect leglislation like this Trump is going to make things a lot worse.
Lets hope his proposed legislation goes the way of his stop to the building of the five wind farms, that I wrote about in All Five Halted US Offshore Wind Farms Resume Construction.
Opening Date For Final Delayed Station Confirmed
The title of this post is the same as that in this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
The opening date for the final station on a reopened railway line has finally been announced.
These four paragraphs give more details.
The Northumberland Line between Ashington and Newcastle began carrying passengers in December 2024, decades after the old service ended, but Bedlington and Northumberland Park stations remained unfinished.
It was announced in January Northumberland Park would open on 22 February, and now Northumberland County Council has announced Bedlington will officially open to passengers on 29 March.
Conservative leader Glen Sanderson thanked the local community for bearing with the “inevitable disruption”.
The overdue opening of Bedlington was blamed on ageing stonework and a water pipe under the car park, and in August an extra £37.9m was provided to ensure the project was completed.
Will It Be The Day Of The Dogs?
I wonder how many Bedlington terriers will turn up!
I asked Google AI,”Will Bedlington Terriers be going to the opening of Bedlington station?” and received this reply.
Based on current information, it is not confirmed whether the dog breed Bedlington Terriers will be attending the opening of the new Bedlington station, which is expected to open in early 2026 as part of the Northumberland Line. While the town is famous for the breed, no official event details have confirmed their presence at the opening.
If they did, the story would spread everywhere.
Will The Builders Move On To The Leamside Line?
The Leamside Line could be the next one to be rebuilt, as it’s just on the other side of the Tyne.
Or they could extend the Northumberland Line to Newbiggin-by-the-Sea.
But who knows with this Government?
Will the Liverpool Street Rebuild Include Elizabeth Line Improvements?
I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this post and received this reply.
Yes, the proposed redevelopment of London Liverpool Street Station includes improvements to integration with the Elizabeth line, aiming for a fully accessible, multi-modal, and spacious hub. The plans focus on better connecting the main concourse with the Elizabeth line, Underground, and local transport, alongside doubling the concourse size, adding new, more efficient lifts, and increasing the number of ticket barriers.
Will The Liverpool Street Rebuild Have More Platforms?
I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this post and received this reply.
The approved £1bn+ redevelopment of London Liverpool Street Station, greenlit in February 2026, focuses on increasing capacity and accessibility rather than adding new platforms. The plans, to be completed by mid-2036, involve enlarging the concourse by 76%, increasing lifts/escalators, and providing step-free access to all existing platforms.
Platform Changes: While there is no mention of increasing the total number of train platforms, the project will significantly improve access and reduce congestion.
Capacity Enhancements: The project includes a 76% increase in concourse capacity.
Infrastructure Upgrades: Escalators will increase from four to ten, and eight new lifts will be installed.
Accessibility: The project aims to provide full step-free access across all rail and underground platforms.
New Construction: A large, multi-story office building is planned above the station, and the concourse area will be redesigned for better flow.
The project aims to handle over 200 million passengers annually by the time it is finished.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the layout of tracks in the station.
Note.
- The square block in the middle of the map are Platforms 1-18 of the main station.
- Eighteen is in the East and 1 is in the West.
- The Central Line of the London Underground runs diagonally in blue under the main station.
- Running in orange from the West to the North-East in front of the station is the Elizabeth Line.
- Running South of Lizzie in blue are the sub-surface lines of the London Underground.
I wonder, if at some point in the distant future, a terminal platform or two could be added to the very deep Elizabeth Line, that connected to tunnels underneath Liverpool Street station.
This second OpenRailwayMap shows the sub-surface lines and the Elizabeth Line, as they pass across in front of Liverpool Street station.
Note.
- Moorgate Station is in the North-West corner of the map
- Moorgate Statation has two virtually unused west facing bay platforms.
- The sub-surface lines are shown in blue.
- The Elizabeth Line is shown in orange.
- Finsbury Circus is in the middle of the map, with the sub-surface lines underneath.
- The Central Line is shown in blue and crosses between Finsbury Square and Liverpool Street station on its way to Bank.
- In front of Liverpool Street station, there is a disused bay platform on the sub-surface lines.
- The Bank branch of the Northern Line and the Great Northern run North from Moorgate station.
- Access to the Great Northern could be improved.
I feel there is scope for more trains to be run on the sub-surface lines through Moorgate and Liverpool Street.
- Accessibility to the sub-surface lines at Moorgate and Liverpool Street station could be improved.
- There has been talk of extending some services to Barking.
There is certainly scope to improve the sub-surface lines.
Planning Approval Granted For Network Rail’s Transformation Of Liverpool Street — Britain’s Busiest Station
The title of this post is the same as that of this article in Rail Technology Magazine.
This is the sub-heading.
Network Rail has secured a major milestone in the redevelopment of Liverpool Street station, following the City of London Planning Committee’s resolution on 10 February to grant full planning permission for the long‑awaited transformation of the UK’s busiest rail hub.
These two paragraphs adds some more detail.
The Eastern Region’s Anglia Route will oversee the upgrade, which aims to futureproof the station for decades as passenger numbers continue to grow sharply. Liverpool Street, last redeveloped in 1991, now handles 118 million passenger movements each year, and demand is projected to rise by 35%, reaching 158 million by 2041.
Looking further ahead, planners expect the station will need to accommodate over 200 million annual journeys, making capacity enhancement essential for maintaining operational performance and customer experience across London, East Anglia and the wider east of England.
To say this is a large project would be a massive understatement and I wish, that this could have been the last project planned and built by the Artemis project management system, that I wrote in a Suffolk attic fifty years ago.
This list summarises the work that will be done.
- 76% increase in overall concourse capacity
- 23% expansion of the lower concourse to smooth passenger flow
- Step‑free access from street to all platforms, including every Underground line for the first time
- Eight new large lifts, replacing the existing four‑person unit
- Escalators increased from four to ten
- New accessible entrances and intuitive wayfinding from Broadgate, Exchange Square, and key interchange points
- Toilets on all levels, including Changing Places facilities and family amenities
Respecting Heritage While Creating New Spaces
The project safeguards the station’s Victorian character, with the iconic trainshed fully preserved. The redevelopment will also create new vantage points overlooking the heritage structures, bringing passengers visually closer to the original architecture.
Above the concourse, a new office building featuring a publicly accessible roof garden will provide one of London’s most sustainably connected workplaces, directly supporting the City Corporation’s long‑term growth and employment aspirations.
Around twenty major contractors and professional firms will be handling the transformation.
Hopefully, I will be able to watch this project as it grows to occupy its place in the City of London.
The Anonymous Widower 