Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsVitamin B12ImportanceRecommended IntakeAnimal-Based SourcesPlant-Based SourcesFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Vitamin B12
Importance
Recommended Intake
Animal-Based Sources
Plant-Based Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient, meaning the body needs it to stay healthy. The human body uses vitamin B12 to make red blood cells (which carry oxygen throughout the body) and DNA (genetic material), produce energy, and keep brain and nerve cells health.
Your body does not produce vitamin B12. If you don’t have enough vitamin B12 in your diet, you could develop a nutrient deficiency. Signs and symptoms of a B12 deficiency include headaches, confusion, weakness, fatigue, and anemia.A supplement may help.
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate supplements the way it regulates prescription drugs. That means some supplement products may not contain what the label says. Whenchoosing a supplement, look for independently tested products and consult a healthcare provider, registered dietitian nutritionist (RD or RDN), or pharmacist.
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What Is Vitamin B12?
Vitamin B12is one of the water-soluble vitamins. It is also known ascobalamin. Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water and tend to be easier for the body to absorb and use.
Why Is It Important?
Vitamin B12 is crucial for multiple functions in the body, including:
Can You Have Too Much B12?
Signs and Symptoms of a B12 Deficiency
Vitamin B12 deficiencyis uncommon. It’s estimated to affect up to 6% of people in the United States. It’s more common for people to experience a slight depletion of B12. About 15% of people between the ages of 20 and 59 and more than 20% of people over the age of 60 have depleted levels of B12 in the U.S.
Symptoms and side effects of a B12 deficiency include:
B12 Shots: Goal of Injectable Vitamin B
Daily Recommended Intake
The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin B12 is 2.4 micrograms per day. When pregnant, the RDA increases to 2.6 micrograms daily, and while breastfeeding, it’s 2.8 micrograms per day. This can be consumed through foods or dietary supplements.
No toxic effects of vitamin B12 have been identified at this time.This is likely because any excess of water-soluble vitamins can be removed from the body through urine.
Still, talk with your healthcare provider before starting any new dietary supplement. It may be beneficial to try to meet your nutrition needs through whole foods because of the variety of nutrients available in them.
Allergy to Vitamin B12
Animal-Based Sources of Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is primarily found in animal foods and animal products. Good sources of vitamin B12 include:
How a Vitamin B12 Blood Test Can Help Confirm Your Levels
Red Meat
Red meats like beef and pork are excellent sources of vitamin B12.
Four ounces of 80% lean ground beef provides about 2.42 micrograms of vitamin B12, which is just over 100% of the RDA for B12. Beef is also a good source of other nutrients likefolate,niacin, iron,zinc,potassium, and protein.
However, red meats can be high insaturated fat. The American Heart Association recommends that people who are trying to lower their cholesterol make saturated fat less than 6% of their daily caloric intake.Try to purchase leaner cuts of red meat, which are lower in saturated fat.
Is Red Meat Bad or Good for You?
Fish
Fatty fish are best known for being excellent sources of heart-healthyomega-3 fatty acids. But they’re also good sources of other vitamins, like B12. Examples of fatty fish include sardines, tuna, salmon, and trout.
Half of a filet of salmon (198 grams) provides 6.3 micrograms of vitamin B12, which is 260% of your daily needs.
Eggs
The majority of the vitamins and minerals found in eggs are located within the egg yolk. A whole egg provides about 0.5 micrograms of vitamin B12, which is about 20% of the RDA.
One egg also provides 6 grams (g) of protein, 92 milligrams (mg) of potassium, 24 milligrams ofcalcium, 155 milligrams ofcholine, 90 micrograms of vitamin A, and 50 International Units (IU) ofvitamin D.
Dairy Products
Dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt, are good sources of several vitamins and minerals.
One 158 gram container of nonfat Greek yogurt provides 1.09 micrograms of B12 (about 50% daily need), 212 milligrams ofphosphorus, 220 milligrams of potassium, 173 milligrams of calcium, and 16 grams of protein.
Shellfish
Shellfish, like clam, lobster, and mussels, are excellent sources of protein, vitamins, and minerals.
For example, 3 ounces of lobster provides 1.22 micrograms of vitamin B12, 16 grams of protein, 62 micrograms ofselenium, 9 micrograms of folate, and 68 micrograms of choline.
Organ Meat
Animal organ meats, like liver and kidney, are loaded with nutrients, even if they’re less popular than they used to be. Because B12 can be stored in the liver, these meats usually are the most vitamin B12-rich food.
Three ounces of beef liver provides 60 micrograms of vitamin B12, which is about 2,500% the daily recommended intake. In addition, 3 ounces of liver also provides 25 grams of protein, 5 milligrams of iron, 422 milligrams of phosphorus, 299 milligrams of potassium, 215 micrograms of folate, 26,900 International Units of vitamin A, and 42 International Units of vitamin D.
Plant-Based B12 Sources
Vitamin B12 isn’t naturally found in plant-based foods. However, some foods are fortified with vitamin B12 to help meet people’s nutritional needs, especially those following vegetarian orvegan diets.
Here are some non-animal foods fortified with vitamin B12:
Nutritional Yeast
Nutritional yeastis a popular food topper and cooking ingredient for vegan meal plans. It’s a species of yeast grown to be used as food and provides a savory flavor to food. However, yeast cannot make vitamin B12, so it must be fortified if it is to be used as a dietary source.
Nutritional yeast is manufactured to provide protein, vitamins, and minerals. A 16-gram serving of fortified nutritional yeast provides 24 micrograms of vitamin B12, 12 milligrams of vitamin B6, 56 milligrams of niacin, 9 milligrams of thiamin, and 8 grams of protein.
Non-Dairy Milk
Non-dairy milk, like almond, soy, oat, or cashew milk, don’t naturally have vitamin B12. Often they are fortified to provide multiple vitamins and minerals.
For example, 8 ounces of fortified almond milk provides 3 micrograms of vitamin B12.
Fortified Grains
Grains are often fortified during processing to provide extra vitamins and minerals, such as folic acid and vitamin B12.
In one and a half cups of fortified ready-to-eat cereal, there is about 1.5 micrograms of vitamin B12.
Summary
Vitamin B12 is an important nutrient for health and wellbeing. It helps with energy, red blood cells, nerve cells, and DNA production. Without adequate vitamin B12 in the diet, you could develop a deficiency and experience symptoms like fatigue, weakness, headaches, and poor concentration.
Vitamin B12 is naturally found in animal foods like red meat, liver, eggs, fish, and dairy products. It’s also found in fortified plant-based foods like nutritional yeast and fortified non-dairy milk and grains.
What to Know About Vitamin B17
A Word From Verywell
Vitamin B12 is a key nutrient for your body to function. It’s available in a wide variety of foods. If you’re concerned you aren’t getting enough vitamin B12 or believe you have a deficiency, talk with your healthcare provider.
Fat-soluble vitamins, vitamins A, E, D, and K, can only be absorbed when consumed with fat, and they are stored within body fat until needed.
Learn MoreDifferences Between Fat- and Water-Soluble Vitamins
Naturally occurring vitamin B12 is only found in animal products, like meat, eggs, or dairy. However, to meet the needs of people following plant-based diets and vegan diets, vitamin B12 is added to some non-animal products like fortified nutritional yeast, fortified non-dairy milk, and fortified grains.
If you have the symptoms of a B12 deficiency, you may need a supplement. Talk with your doctor if you have symptoms like trouble concentrating, fatigue, weakness, headaches, or depression symptoms. It is important to have these symptoms properly diagnosed and not assume they are due to a deficiency, as they could have many different causes.
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Shipton MJ, Thachil J.Vitamin B12 deficiency – a 21st century perspective.Clin Med (Lond). 2015;15(2):145-150. doi:10.7861/clinmedicine.15-2-145Allen LH.Vitamin B-12.Adv Nutr. 2012;3(1):54-55. doi:10.3945/an.111.001370Department of Agriculture.Fooddata central.American Heart Association.The skinny on fats.
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Shipton MJ, Thachil J.Vitamin B12 deficiency – a 21st century perspective.Clin Med (Lond). 2015;15(2):145-150. doi:10.7861/clinmedicine.15-2-145Allen LH.Vitamin B-12.Adv Nutr. 2012;3(1):54-55. doi:10.3945/an.111.001370Department of Agriculture.Fooddata central.American Heart Association.The skinny on fats.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Shipton MJ, Thachil J.Vitamin B12 deficiency – a 21st century perspective.Clin Med (Lond). 2015;15(2):145-150. doi:10.7861/clinmedicine.15-2-145Allen LH.Vitamin B-12.Adv Nutr. 2012;3(1):54-55. doi:10.3945/an.111.001370Department of Agriculture.Fooddata central.American Heart Association.The skinny on fats.
Shipton MJ, Thachil J.Vitamin B12 deficiency – a 21st century perspective.Clin Med (Lond). 2015;15(2):145-150. doi:10.7861/clinmedicine.15-2-145
Allen LH.Vitamin B-12.Adv Nutr. 2012;3(1):54-55. doi:10.3945/an.111.001370
Department of Agriculture.Fooddata central.
American Heart Association.The skinny on fats.
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