What You Need To Know About Vitamin B12

Why Do We Need Vitamin B12?

Vitamin B12 is a nutrient that helps keep your nerves working properly and is required to keep your blood cells healthy. Your body also needs vitamin B12 to make DNA.

The amount of vitamin B12 you need depends on your age and life stage:

Age	Daily Requirement (mcg/day)
0-6 months old	0.4 mcg/day
7-12 months old	0.5 mcg/day
1-3 years old	0.9 mcg/day
4-8 years old	1.2 mcg/day
9-13 years old	1.8 mcg/day
14-18 years old	2.4 mcg/day
Men and women 19 years old and older	2.4 mcg/day
Pregnant women (all ages)	2.6 mcg/day
Breastfeeding women (all ages)	2.8 mcg/day

What If You Don't Get Enough Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is needed to make red blood cells, which cary oxygen through your body. If you don’t get enough vitamin B12, you might develop anemia and feel tired and weak. If your vitamin B12 deficiency is mild, you may not have symptoms or you may not notice them. Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause damage to your nerves and can affect memory and thinking.

Vegans, Vegetarians and Vitamin B12

Vegetarians and vegans should always be mindful of their B12 intake. Vitamin B12 plays an important role in the body and may be deficient in individuals who avoid meat. Vegetarians have several options for sources of B12 like eggs and dairy products, such as milk and cheese. Vegans have a more limited list of options, including foods fortified with vitamin B12. Choose soy and rice-based beverages and soy-based meat substitutes that are fortified with vitamin B12 if you do not eat animal-based products.

Older People and Vitamin B12

Vitamin and mineral supplements cannot replace good eating habits. However, they can be useful to deal with deficiencies or to prevent or treat certain illnesses. As adults get older, their bodies are less able to absorb this vitamin. It is recommeded that adults over the age of 50 include a vitamin B12 supplement and include foods that have been fortified with vitamin B12. Always speak to your pharmacist or healthcare provider before taking a supplement.

Common Food Sources of Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 can be found naturally in animal foods or added to fortified foods. See the table below for a list of common food sources.

Food Group	Food	Serving size	Vitamin B12 (mcg)

Vegetables and Fruit	This food group contains very little of this nutrient

Grain Products	This food group contains very little of this nutrient

Milk and Alternatives	Cheese, Swiss/Emmental	50 g (1.5 oz)	1.7
	Cottage cheese	50 g (1.5 oz)	1.5
	Milk (homogenized 3.3%, 2%, 1%, skim)	250 mL (1 cup)	1.3
	Almond beverage, fortified	250 mL (1 cup)	1.0
	Soy or rice beverage, fortified	250 mL (1 cup)	1.0
	Milk (chocolate)	250 mL (1 cup)	0.9
	Buttermilk	250 mL (1 cup)	0.8
	Cheese (feta, cheddar, Edam, gouda, brie, Gruyere, Fontina, mozzarella)	50 g (1.5 oz)	0.8
	Yogurt, fruit bottom (regular, low fat)	175 mL (¾ cup)	0.6
	Yogurt, plain (regular, low fat)	175 mL (¾ cup)	0.5
	Processed cheese, cheddar	50 g (1.5 oz)	0.4

Meat and Alternatives	Kidney, lamb, cooked	75 g (2.5 oz)	59.2
	Liver (beef, veal, lamb), cooked	75 g (2.5 oz)	57.7
	Kidney, veal, cooked	75 g (2.5 oz)	27.7
	Oysters, cooked	75 g (2.5 oz)	21.6
	Mussels, cooked	75 g (2.5 oz)	18.0
	Liver (chicken, pork), cooked	75 g (2.5 oz)	14.9
	Clams, cooked	75 g (2.5 oz)	14.6
	Herring, kippered	75 g (2.5 oz)	14.0
	Mackerel, cooked	75 g (2.5 oz)	9.0
	Crab, Alaska King, cooked	75 g (2.5 oz)	8.6
	Herring, cooked	75 g (2.5 oz)	8.5
	Trout, cooked	75 g (2.5 oz)	4.5
	Salmon, red/sockeye, cooked	75 g (2.5 oz)	4.3
	Salmon, Atlantic, wild, cooked	75 g (2.5 oz)	2.3
	Beef, ground, cooked	75 g (2.5 oz)	2.2
	Tuna, light, canned in water	75 g (2.5 oz)	2.2
	Pork, various cuts, cooked	75 g (2.5 oz)	0.9
	Pork, ground, cooked	75 g (2.5 oz)	0.8
	Ham, cooked	75 g (2.5 oz)	0.5

Non-Meat Sources	Meatless luncheon slices	75 g (2.5 oz)	3.0
Non-Meat Sources	Eggs	cooked 2 large	1.6

Source: Canadien Nutrient File 2015

The information in this resource is for general information purposes only and is not intended to replace informed medical advice. Consume foods according to any dietary guidelines you have been provided from a health care professional. Metro Ontario Pharmacies Limited assumes no legal liability for the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of the information.