What Is Vitamin B12 Good For?

Quick Health Scoop

• Vitamin B12, also called cobalamin, is an essential nutrient naturally found in animal foods.
• Vitamin B12 is necessary for the normal function of the nervous system and helps turn the food you eat into cellular energy.^†
• B12 levels may be low for vegetarians and vegans who do not regularly consume animal products.^†
• Supplementing with vitamin B12 may help reduce fatigue for those low in B12.^†

Have you found yourself reading supplement labels, wondering why there are so many names for vitamin B? Unlike some of the other essential nutrients, such as vitamin C and vitamin D, vitamin B can be separated into eight different nutrients, each with benefits for your overall health. Collectively, these vitamins are referred to as the B Complex. To make it more confusing, many of these vitamins have numbers and alternate names, such as vitamin B9, also referred to as either folate (natural form) or folic acid (synthetic form). While it’s true that all B vitamins help assist the body in energy metabolism, breaking down food into energy your body can use, they each have specific functions in your body [1]. ^†

What is Vitamin B12? It’s a much-discussed B vitamin and for good reason, as it helps support our health in many ways. If you’re curious about what this vitamin does and why it is important, then read on as we explore vitamin B12 in depth.^†

How Does Vitamin B12 Impact My Health?

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin that contains the mineral cobalt, which is why it is referred to as cobalamin [2]. This essential nutrient helps support nervous system function, helps in DNA synthesis, and helps support red blood cell formation. In addition, vitamin B12, along with the other seven B vitamins, helps convert the food you eat into cellular energy [3]. But that’s not all. Vitamin B12 also works in combination with vitamins B6 (pyridoxine) and B9 to help the brain produce SAM-e, which is important to neurotransmitter function and mood health. Bottom line: vitamin B12 is an impressive vitamin that when working in conjunction with other nutrients, helps to support your mood and cellular energy production[2].^†

With all these supports, it’s no wonder that vitamin B12 is an important nutrient you need every day, but did you know that your body cannot produce it? For the body to have B12, it must be consumed from either natural food sources or supplements. The recommended dietary allowance for vitamin B12, for both men and women, is 2.4 mcg daily. This amount increases for pregnant women to 2.6 mcg and up to 2.8 mcg for lactating women [2]. That’s why it’s important to make sure you are eating a healthy diet that contains sources of vitamin B12.

Learn More: Do Vitamins & Supplements Really Give You Energy?

What are the Signs of Vitamin B12 Deficiency?

Vitamin B12 is found in animal foods: meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products. Are there plant sources of vitamin B12? Yes, but in smaller amounts. You can find B12 in some fortified breakfast cereals as well as in nutritional yeast and some seaweed. However, people who eat minimal to no animal products may not be getting enough vitamin B12 from their diet [2].

Why is having adequate B12 important? Fatigue may be an indicator of low levels of vitamin B12 or a B12 deficiency [3]. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, approximately 6% of older adults have deficient vitamin B12 levels and over 20% have low vitamin B12 levels [4]. Because our bodies store up to 5mg of B12 (much more than we consume in one day) it can take years for the effects of a vitamin B12 deficiency to appear [2].

There are specific groups of people who might need to supplement vitamin B12: vegetarians and vegans, adults over age 50 for when we lose the ability to absorb protein-bound B12 from food, and those adults with diagnosed low levels of B12. For these individuals, a 1000 mcg vitamin B12 supplement may help increase levels, reduce fatigue and maintain cellular energy levels.^†  Nature Made® has B12 supplements in a range of forms and strengths to support your nutritional needs.

Learn More: Supporting a Vegetarian Lifestyle

What are the Benefits of Taking Vitamin B12?

Taking a vitamin B12 supplement may help you have adequate levels of B12 in your body.  By adding a supplement to a healthy diet and active lifestyle, you may help support your overall health.

Here are the benefits of taking a vitamin B12 supplement [3]:

• Helps with red blood cell formation^†
• Helps support your nervous system^†
• May help support a healthy mood^†
• May support brain health (along with vitamins B6 and B9)^†
• May reduce fatigue and improve energy for those low in B12^†

Learn More: Vitamins for Vegans and Vegetarians

The Bottom Line

Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient that we need every day! Since our body does not produce vitamin B12, it is essential to obtain this nutrient through food sources—animal products being the most abundant. For vegetarians, vegans, and those with low vitamin B12 levels, supplementing with this vitamin may help support B12 nutrient needs.^† Check out the Nature Made® portfolio of B vitamins, including vitamin B12.

Learn More About the B Vitamins:

• A Complete Guide To The B Vitamins
• Vitamin B9: Folate Vs. Folic Acid

† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

References

1. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “B Vitamins.” The Nutrition Source, 11 Aug. 2020, https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamins/vitamin-b/.
2. National Institutes of Health. “Office of Dietary Supplements - Vitamin B12.” U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Accessed on 2 May 2022. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-Consumer/.
3. Mount Sinai Health Library. “Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin).” Mount Sinai Health System. Accessed on 2 May 2022. https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/supplement/vitamin-b12-cobalamin.
4. Porter, Kirsty, et al. “Causes, Consequences and Public Health Implications of Low B-Vitamin Status in Ageing.” Nutrients, MDPI, 16 Nov. 2016, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5133110/.