Vitamin B12! Everything you need to know 

Do you get enough vitamin B12? Vitamin B12 does a lot of effects for your body. It helps make your DNA and your red blood cells, for example, since your body doesn’t make vitamin B12, you have to get it from animal-based foods or supplements. And you should do that frequently.

How Much to Get?

The answer depends on things, including your age, medical conditions, and eating habits and what are the medications you should take.

• Infants up to age 6 months: 0.4 mcg
• Babies age 7-12 months: 0.5 mcg
• Children age 1-3 years: 0.9 mcg
• Kids age 4-8 years: 1.2 mcg
• Children aged 9-13 years: 1.8 mcg
• Teens age 14-18: 2.4 mcg (2.6 mcg per day if pregnant and 2.8 mcg per day if breastfeeding)

Food Sources

You can get vitamin B12 in animal foods, which have it unsurprisingly, or from items that have been equipped with it.

Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Most people in the U.S. get adequate of this nutrient. If you’re uncertain, you can ask your doctor if you must get a blood test to check your vitamin B12 level.

• With age, it can become harder to absorb this vitamin. 
• You may also be more likely to develop vitamin B12 deficiency if you have:
• Atrophic gastritis, in which your stomach lining has thinned
• Pernicious anaemia, which makes it hard for your body to absorb vitamin B12
• Conditions that affect your small intestines, such as Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, bacterial growth, or a parasite
• Alcohol misuse or heavy drinking can make it harder for your body to absorb nutrients or prevent you from eating enough calories. One sign that you do not have enough B12 may be glossitis or a swollen, inflamed tongue.
• Immune system disorders, such as Graves’ disease or lupus

Pregnant or a New Mom!

Are you a pregnant woman on a vegan or vegetarian diet and prepare only to breastfeed your baby? You should talk to your doctor before you have your baby so that you have a plan for receiving sufficient vitamin B12 to keep your baby healthy.

Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency

If you have a vitamin B12 deficiency, you could be converted into anaemic. A serene deficiency may not cause any symptoms. But if left untreated, it may lead to symptoms such as:

• Weakness, tiredness, or lightheadedness
• Heart palpitations and shortness of breath
• Pale skin
• A smooth tongue
• Constipation, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, or gas 
• Nerve problems like numbness or tingling, muscle weakness, and problems walking
• Vision loss Mental problems like depression, memory loss, or behavioural changes

If you have destructive anaemia or have trouble absorbing vitamin B12, you’ll need shots of this vitamin first. You may need to keep receiving these shots, take high doses of a supplement by mouth, or get it nasally after that.