The Recommended Daily Allowance Of Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 belongs to a group of water-soluble vitamins called the B complex. Excess amounts of most of the water-soluble vitamins are excreted in the urine. Vitamin B12 is the only water-soluble vitamin that can be stored in the body, specifically the liver. Although vitamin B12 can be stored in the body, it is important to consume vitamin B12 through the diet every day.

Functions of B12

The body needs B12 to maintain the health of nerves and tissues. Vitamin B12 also plays a role in DNA synthesis and the use of fatty acids and amino acids in the body. Vitamin B12 is also vital for the health of your red blood cells.

Recommended Daily Allowance

The Food and Nutrition Board, which is a subgroup of the Institute of Medicine, developed the recommended daily allowances for vitamin B12. As you get older, your needs for vitamin B12 increase. Babies younger than 6 months require 0.4 mcg vitamin B12 daily, whereas babies between 7 and 12 months need 0.5 mcg daily. Toddlers between 1 and 3 need 0.9 mcg daily and children between 4 and 8 need 1.2 mcg per day. Children between the ages of 9 and 13 need 1.8 mcg of vitamin B12 every day. Once you reach the age of 14, vitamin B12 needs remain consistent at 2.4 mcg per day. Women who are pregnant or lactating have increased vitamin B12 needs, 2.6 mcg and 2.8 mcg, respectively.

Deficiency

If you do not consume the recommended daily allowance of vitamin B12 on a consistent basis, you may develop a deficiency of it. A lack of vitamin B12 can lead to anemia, which is an inadequate amount of healthy red blood cells in the body. Anemia can lead to fatigue and shortness of breath. A chronic lack of vitamin B12 can also lead to nerve damage. When the nerves are damaged, it can cause tingling and numbness in the extremities and muscle weakness.

Toxicity

According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, the Food and Nutrition Board did not establish an upper tolerable intake level for vitamin B12 because it is not known to cause toxicity or adverse effects in high amounts. This means that consuming over than the recommended daily allowance on a regular basis will not cause a toxicity. In addition, as long as you eat enough animal foods and enriched grains, there is no evidence that vitamin B12 supplementation provides any benefit.

Food Sources

Naturally occurring vitamin B12 is found only in animal foods, such as meat, poultry, fish and dairy products. Synthetic vitamin B12 is found in fortified cereals, enriched grains and fortified soy milk. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, there is no evidence that shows any difference in absorption or bioavailability of the different forms of B12.