Facts About B12
Do you consume enough B12? To maintain your health, you should make sure that you do.
The benefits of vitamin B12 to your body are numerous. For instance, it aids in the formation of your DNA and red blood cells.
You must obtain vitamin B12 from meals derived from animals or supplements because your body cannot produce it. And you ought to do that frequently. Even while B12 is kept in the liver for up to 5 years, if your diet doesn’t help keep levels stable, you may eventually become deficient.
How Much Should You Get?
The answer depends on things including your age, your eating habits and medical conditions, and what medications you take.
The average recommended daily amounts, measured in micrograms (mcg), vary by age:
- Infants up to age 6 months: 0.4 mcg
- Babies ages 7-12 months: 0.5 mcg
- Children ages 1-3 years: 0.9 mcg
- Kids ages 4-8 years: 1.2 mcg
- Children ages 9-13 years: 1.8 mcg
- Teens ages 14-18: 2.4 mcg (2.6 mcg per day if pregnant and 2.8 mcg per day if breastfeeding)
- Adults: 2.4 mcg (2.6 mcg per day if pregnant and 2.8 mcg per day if breastfeeding)
Food Sources of Vitamin B12
You can get vitamin B12 in animal foods, which have it naturally, or from items that have been fortified with it.
Animal sources include dairy products, eggs, fish, meat, and poultry. If you’re looking for a food fortified with B12, check the product’s Nutrition Facts label.
Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Most people in the U.S. get enough of this nutrient. If you’re not sure, you can ask your doctor if you should get a blood test to check your vitamin B12 level.
With age, it can become harder to absorb this vitamin. It can also happen if you have had weight loss surgery or another operation that removed part of your stomach, or if you drink heavily.
You may also be more likely to get a vitamin B12 deficiency if you have:
- Atrophic gastritis, in which your stomach lining has thinned
- Pernicious anemia, which makes it hard for your body to absorb vitamin B12
- Conditions that affect your small intestine, such as Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, bacterial growth, or a parasite
- Misused alcohol or drank heavily, which can make it harder for your body to absorb nutrients or prevent you from eating enough calories. One sign that you lack enough B12 may be glossitis, or a swollen, inflamed tongue.
- Immune system disorders, such as Graves’ disease or lupus
- Been taking certain medications that interfere with the absorption of B12. This includes some heartburn medicines including proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) such as esomeprazole (Nexium), lansoprazole (Prevacid), omeprazole (Prilosec OTC), pantoprazole (Protonix), and rabeprazole (Aciphex), H2 blockers such as famotidine (Pepcid AC), and certain diabetes medicines such as metformin (Glucophage).
You can also get vitamin B12 deficiency if you follow a vegan diet (meaning you don’t eat any animal products, including meat, milk, cheese, and eggs) or you are a vegetarian who doesn’t eat enough eggs or dairy products to meet your vitamin B12 needs. In both of those cases, you can add fortified foods to your diet or take supplements to meet this need. Learn more about the different types of vitamin B supplements.
INTRODUCING FOREVER B12
This time-release supplement is loaded with folic acid and vitamin B12. Women who are trying to get pregnant or who are in the first three months of their pregnancy can benefit from these factors. Considering that B12 is typically sourced from animal sources, it is also crucial to consume it in vegetarian or vegan diets.
*Folate and vitamin B12 are necessary for healthy homocysteine metabolism. Folate helps maintain healthy mental health.
Both folate and vitamin B12 help the immune system to operate normally.
Description:
B12 and folic acid: the perfect partnership in one supplement.
• Helps maintain healthy homocysteine levels
• High in vitamin B12 and folic acid
• Time release formula
• Vegetarian and vegan friendly
• Gluten-free
INGREDIENTS LIST
Dextrose, acidity regulator (dicalcium phosphate), vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin), stabiliser (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, microcrystalline cellulose), anti-caking agent (stearic acid, silicon dioxide), emulsier (magnesium stearate), folic acid (pteroylmonoglutamic acid).