![]() Doctors usually treat pernicious anemia with vitamin B12 shots, although very high doses of vitamin B12 given by mouth might also be effective. As a result, they have trouble absorbing vitamin B12 from foods and dietary supplements. People with pernicious anemia do not make the intrinsic factor needed to absorb vitamin B12.People with an autoimmune disease called atrophic gastritis might not absorb enough vitamin B12 because they make too little hydrochloric acid and intrinsic factor in their stomach.People over 50 should get most of their vitamin B12 from fortified foods or dietary supplements because, in most cases, their bodies can absorb vitamin B12 from these sources. Many older adults don’t have enough hydrochloric acid in their stomach to absorb the vitamin B12 that’s naturally present in food.Your doctor can test your vitamin B12 level to see if you have a deficiency.Ĭertain groups of people may not get enough vitamin B12 or have trouble absorbing it: Vitamin B12 deficiency affects between 3% and 43% of older adults. People with pernicious anemia, an autoimmune disease, can’t make intrinsic factor. However, B12 in supplements does need to combine with intrinsic factor to be absorbed. Vitamin B12 in dietary supplements isn’t attached to protein and doesn’t require the first step. Second, the freed vitamin B12 then combines with a protein made by the stomach, called intrinsic factor, and the body absorbs them together. First, hydrochloric acid in the stomach separates vitamin B12 from the protein that it’s attached to. The body absorbs vitamin B12 from food in a two-step process. But some people have trouble absorbing vitamin B12 from food. Most people in the United States get enough vitamin B12 from the foods they eat. ![]() Vitamin B12 is also available by prescription as a nasal gel that’s sprayed into the nose. This is usually used to treat vitamin B12 deficiency. Check the Supplement Facts label to see how much vitamin B12 a supplement contains.Ī prescription form of vitamin B12 can be given as a shot. ![]() Some provide doses of vitamin B12 that are much higher than recommended amounts, such as 500 mcg or 1,000 mcg, but your body absorbs only a small percentage of it. The amount of vitamin B12 in supplements varies widely. Research has not shown that any form of supplemental vitamin B12 is better than the others. Vitamin B12 is also available in a form that’s dissolved under your tongue (called sublingual vitamin B12). Other common forms are adenosylcobalamin, methylcobalamin, and hydroxycobalamin. It is usually in a form called cyanocobalamin. Vitamin B12 is available in multivitamin/multimineral supplements, in B-complex supplements, and in supplements containing only vitamin B12. What kinds of vitamin B12 dietary supplements are available? Manufacturers are not required to list vitamin B12 on the label if a food naturally contains this vitamin. To find out if a food has added vitamin B12, check the Nutrition Facts label. Some breakfast cereals, nutritional yeasts, and other food products are fortified with vitamin B12.Clams and beef liver are some of the best source of vitamin B12.Fish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk, and other dairy products contain vitamin B12.You can get recommended amounts of vitamin B12 by eating a variety of foods including the following: Plant foods have no vitamin B12 unless they are fortified. Vitamin B12 is found naturally in a wide variety of animal foods, and manufacturers add it to some fortified foods. Average daily recommended amounts for different ages are listed below in micrograms (mcg): Life Stage The amount of vitamin B12 you need each day depends on your age. Vitamin B12 also helps prevent megaloblastic anemia, a blood condition that makes people tired and weak. Vitamin B12 is a nutrient that helps keep your body’s blood and nerve cells healthy and helps make DNA, the genetic material in all of your cells. For more in-depth information, see our health professional fact sheet on Vitamin B12. This is a general overview of Vitamin B12. Where can I find out more about vitamin B12?.Does vitamin B12 interact with medications or other dietary supplements?.What are some effects of vitamin B12 on health?.What happens if I don’t get enough vitamin B12?.What kinds of vitamin B12 dietary supplements are available?.What is vitamin B12 and what does it do?.
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