This past Saturday served as very big milestone in my life as I finally turned 21 years old. Naturally, I found myself indulging  (of course appropriately) in some legal consumption of alcohol to celebrate, which may have left me feeling a little less than peachy the following morning. However, an interesting present I received this year, aside from the traditional Funfetti cake and hand knit scarf from my grandmother, was a bottle of B12 vitamins. A little puzzled at the kind gift givers intentions, I came to find that apparently it is all the rage when it comes to dealing with the symptoms of being hungover. After a quick google search, “Campussqueeze.com” confirmed that it is in fact one of the top 6 methods to fight those feelings of fatigue that come from having a little too much “fun” the night before.

Still intrigued by this new miracle pill, I found an interesting Time article that associated low Vitamin B12 with smaller brain volume and cognitive decline. Studies tracked B12 levels via blood samples while subjects’ thinking skills were tested and MRI scans were taken to reach these conclusions. This issue has become more clear among older populations especially because they absorb less of the vitamin with age. So, in addition to seeking out B12 foods such as salmon, eggs, and milk products, older adults are encouraged to take vitamin supplements. Interesting that a youth may use the pill as a quick, mindless fix to stand vertical after a night of overindulgence while the same pill serves as a critical measure to help an elder stay sharp in the mind with age.