3 minDid you know that vitamin B12 is the only water-soluble vitamin that your body is smart enough to store as a “reserve supply”? You have a supply of 2 to 5 milligrams, mainly in your liver. But if that supply dwindles, you may suddenly experience unpleasant symptoms such as fatigue. Of course, you want to prevent that! So how do you ensure that you get enough vitamin B12 through your diet? In this article, we tell you everything you need to know about nutrition and vitamin B12.
In this article, you will read
- What is vitamin B12 and why is it important?
- Where is vitamin B12 found in food?
- Who is at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency?
- How can you prevent vitamin B12 deficiency?
- General advice on the recommended daily allowance
Vitamin B12 in brief
Our bodies need vitamin B12 for the production of red blood cells, which help to transport oxygen in your blood. It also helps with the aforementioned fatigue, but is also good for your memory, mood and nervous system.
Vitamin B12 is only found in animal products, such as milk, dairy products, meat, meat products, fish and eggs. People who do not eat animal products may develop a vitamin B12 deficiency. Vegetarians and vegans are advised to take a vitamin B12 supplement and, if necessary, to use products with added vitamin B12.
However, in addition to vegetarians and vegans, there are also other target groups that may develop a deficiency.
Vitamin B12 in food
You can obtain vitamin B12 from food. It occurs naturally only in animal products. This is why vegans and vegetarians are always advised to take extra vitamin B12 supplements.
Where is vitamin B12 found?
Vitamin B12 is only found in animal products such as meat, fish, dairy products, eggs and cheese. It is also found in milk and dairy substitutes, such as meat substitutes and alternative drinks such as soya and oat milk.
You cannot get vitamin B12 from vegetables, fruit and nuts. It is found in dried seaweed and algae, but our bodies are unable to absorb it properly.
Curious about the top 5 foods rich in vitamin B12?
- Liver (100 grams) - 90 micrograms of vitamin B12
- Mussels (100 grams) - 19.6 micrograms of vitamin B12
- Sardines (100 grams) - 12 micrograms of vitamin B12
- Mackerel (100 grams) - 8.5 micrograms of vitamin B12
- Herring (100 grams) - 8.5 micrograms of vitamin B12
General advice
The recommended daily intake of vitamin B12 is 2.8 micrograms. To give you an idea of how much vitamin B12 you can get from food, here are some examples. A bowl of semi-skimmed yoghurt (150 ml) provides around 1.1 micrograms of vitamin B12, a piece of beef (75 grams) provides around 1.6 micrograms of vitamin B12 and a piece of salmon (100 grams) provides 4 micrograms of vitamin B12.
Conclusion
Do you eat virtually no meat, fish, eggs, milk or other dairy products? Then a dietary supplement is definitely recommended. This applies in particular to vegans and vegetarians. Read in this blog why B12 supplements are often high-dose. Taking a B12 supplement can prevent a deficiency! Unfortunately, a deficiency is not always immediately noticeable.
But a B12 supplement can also be important for older people. As we get older, vitamin B12 is less easily absorbed by the body and a deficiency can develop. Many medicines, such as antacids, also limit the absorption of vitamin B12. There are also all kinds of vegetarian and vegan options for getting some vitamin B12 through food (often not enough), such as meat substitutes or alternative drinks to which vitamin B12 has been added.
Are you vegetarian or vegan, do you fall into a risk group, or would you simply like to be sure that you are getting enough vitamin B12? If so, you can ask your GP for a blood test to check your vitamin B12 levels.
