B vitamins are needed for a variety of functions. It can be taken via a supplement or injected.

Heather Mangieri, a registered dietitian nutritionist, says that vitamins B12 and B6 are important to the human body. The health of nerves is dependent on the amount of vitamins B12 and B. It is part of a complex of vitamins. Most B vitamins have a role in helping your body's cells produce energy, even though each of these vitamins has a different role in the body.

The American diet can meet or exceed the daily recommended amount of vitamins. It is a common problem in the US because it can be affected by other factors. People on a vegan diet and pregnant women are more likely to be deficient.

People don't realize that the B12 in their diet can be used up in five years. Mood swings and depression can be caused by a deficiency if treatment is not given.

RECOMMENDED VIDEOS FOR YOU...

The benefits of B12 as well as common sources to add to your diet will be covered in this article.

The body has many roles for vitamins B12 and B.

  • Making red blood cells
  • Keeps the nervous system healthy
  • Releases energy from food
  • DNA synthesis
  • Helps the body use folate
  • Supports a healthy pregnancy
  • Important for prevention of brain and spinal cord birth defects
  • Regulates mood (B12 is needed to produce the feel-good chemical serotonin) 

How much vitamin B12 should you consume?

According to the National Institutes of Health, the recommended daily intake of vitamins B12 and B6 is 2.4 mcg a day for Americans. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding will need a little more. If you are a vegan or vegetarian, you will need to take a supplement to get the B12 you need.

Some people don't get enough B12 from food. The body takes vitamins from food in two steps.

This is the first thing. The stomach has hydrochloric acid in it.

There are two The stomach makes a glycoprotein called intrinsic gastric factor, which is then combined with the vitamins B12 and B13.

person holding supplements in their hand

(Image credit: Getty Images)

When it comes to B12 supplements, they aren't attached to the first step and can be used without the first step. The B12 in supplement form needs to be combined with the intrinsic factor in the stomach to be absorbed.

People with the disease can't absorb B12 from both food and supplements.

The best sources of vitamin B12

  • Beef
  • Liver
  • Kidneys
  • Milk
  • Cheese
  • Yogurt
  • Eggs
  • Fortified breakfast cereals
  • Tuna
  • Salmon
  • Shellfish
  • Some fortified mushrooms
  • Marmite
  • Plant-based milks

plate of chopped liver

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency

You could experience a wide range of symptoms if you have a B12 deficiency. You could feel a numb sensation in your hands, feet, and mouth. According to Harvard Health Publications, yellow skin, anemia, paranoia, and hallucinations are signs of a deficiency in vitamins B12 and C.

Many of the symptoms can be signs of a different condition, so talk to your doctor instead of taking supplements.

Heather Mangieri, RDN

Hyperthyroidism can occur if the person is pregnant or if they have too much body heat. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding and have a B12 deficiency, your baby may not be getting the vitamins it needs.

A low level of stomach acid can lead to the growth ofbacteria in the small intestine. The vitamins are taken from the body by thesebacteria.

People with certain diseases may not be able to absorb the vitamins from food or supplements.

It is possible to mask the symptoms of B12 deficiency if you take more than 1mg of Folic acid. Older people with difficulty absorbing the vitamins can be more concerned about this.

A B12 deficiency can be confirmed with a simple blood test and a diet assessment can help people get the vitamins and minerals they need. People who have a deficiency can be treated with injections, but not pills. According to the Office ofDietarySupplements at the National Institute of Health, vitamins can be administered in a gel.

  • Related: Low B12 seen in aging, autism and schizophrenia 

How do B12 levels change as you age?

As we get older, the body's ability to absorb vitamins decreases. Aging adults are more likely to have issues with their stomach acids and digestion.

Frailness and a decline in strength can be caused by a reduction in the ability to maintain the homeostatic balance because of a lack of the vitamins.

There is a form of vitamins B12 that is easy to absorb without stomach acid and can be found in oral supplements. A deficiency in intrinsic factor can be developed by people who have undergone surgery.

She says that they won't be absorbing it properly if they take all the B12 in pill form.

A third of people over the age of 50 suffer from atrophic gastritis, a condition in which the stomach lining is thin, making it hard to absorb vitamins. According to the CDC, 3.2% of people over the age of 50 are deficient in B12

Anyone over 50 should get most of their daily B12 from supplements or fortified foods, according to the National Institute of Health.

Are vitamin B12 supplements safe?

When taking B12 supplements, they are generally safe.

The owner of Nutrition Checkup in Pittsburgh says that the body only absorbs as much as it needs, and that the vitamins are watersoluble.

The NIH doesn't set a limit on how much vitamins can be taken in a day. The National Library of Medicine says that applying a cream to the skin is safe.

It doesn't mean that B12 is free of risk.

People with a rare hereditary condition called Leber's disease may be at greater risk of being blind because of the increased chance of an arteriosclerosis narrowing around a stent.

A study in the peer-reviewed Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that a high vitamin B dose could lead to problems with the body's immune system.

  • Related: Too much B12 linked to acne

woman holding a b12 supplement in the palm of her hand

(Image credit: Getty Images)

It's possible that certain medications can interfere with vitamins.

  • H2 blockers and proton pump inhibitors — these common treatments for heartburn and GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), or acid reflux, may contribute to a vitamin B12 deficiency.  
  • Cholesterol drug cholestyramine, antibiotics chloramphenicol, neomycin and colchicine (gout meds) — can affect stomach acid and have been linked to poor B12 absorption.
  • Diabetes drug metformin - may also interfere with B12 absorption because of the medication’s effect on calcium, also needed to absorb the vitamin.
  • Potassium supplements — may reduce the body’s B12 absorption rate, as can heavy drinking for more than two weeks, according to the National Library of Medicine. 

The article is not meant to give medical advice.

There are additional resources.