What is Vitamin B12 Requirement?

Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is needed for normal functioning of your brain, nervous and digestive systems. It is involved in making DNA, forming red blood cells, and fatty acid and amino acid metabolism. Vitamin B12 can be only manufactured by bacteria, and is typically found in animal food sources. Deficiency in vitamin B12 may be a factor in anemia, fatigue, and stomach inflammation, and is usually due to poor absorption, rather than dietary deficiency. Other factors linked with vitamin B12 deficiency include vegetarian and vegan diets, pregnancy, high intensity training, alcohol consumption, over 50s, depression and gastrointestinal disorders.

Genetic variations may negatively affect vitamin B12 absorption, resulting in potential deficiency.

RDA for adults is 2.4 micrograms.

How It Affects Your Body

Vitamin B12 deficiency has been linked to various health complications, such as megaloblastic anemia, constipation, digestive complications, and nervous system impairments such as memory loss, confusion, and depression.

Symptoms

Elderly with atrophic gastritis

Reduced gastric acid production reduces the bioavailability of vitamin B12. This reduces its absorption.

Stomach or small intestine disorders

Vitamin B12 absorption is impaired due to decreased gastrointestinal functions including reduced gastric acid production.

Vegetarian

Vitamin B12 is mainly found in animal sources and generally absent in plant sources. Higher amounts of vitamin B12 fortified food is required to supply adequate vitamin B12.

Vegetarian Pregnant Women

Vitamin B12 is supplied to the infant through the placenta and breastmilk. This further depletes the vitamin B12 reserves which are already low in vegetarian women.