Vitamin B-12, or cobalamin, is necessary for normal growth and development. It helps your body release energy from food and keeps your central nervous system healthy. B-12 helps form DNA and works with folate to form red blood cells, which carry oxygen from your lungs to all parts of your body. Taking B-12 supplements or eating foods rich in B-12 will help reach your RDA.
Recommended Dietary Allowance
The recommended dietary allowance, or RDA, you require depends on your age and lifestyle. The RDA of B-12 for infants under 12 months is 0.4 to 0.5 micrograms, or mcg. The RDA for ages 1 to 3 is 0.9mcg and 1.2mcg for ages 4 to 8. The RDA for children ages 9 to 13 is 1.8mcg and 2.4mcg for adults age 14 and over. The RDA for pregnant women is 2.6mcg and 2.8mcg for breastfeeding women.
B-12 Deficiency
A deficiency in B-12 can be caused by a low dietary intake or the body's inability to absorb this vitamin. Symptoms of B-12 deficiency include megaloblastic anemia, difficulty in maintaining balance, tingling in the hands and feet and inflammation of the tongue and mouth. If left untreated, it can lead to nerve damage and dementia. Vegetarians, young children, pregnant and breastfeeding mothers are at a greater risk of developing B-12 deficiency.
Meat, Poultry and Liver
B-12 is found mainly in animal foods, such as meat and poultry. Chicken contains 13.7mcg of B-12, and turkey contains 48.2mcg in 1 cup. The U.S. Department of Agriculture lists beef liver as one of the best sources of B-12. One slice of this product provides 800 percent of the RDA. If you are pregnant, avoid eating liver because it contains high levels of vitamin A that can harm your baby.
Other Foods
Dairy foods contain reasonable amounts of B-12. Seafood -- such as clams, oysters, salmon, sardine, crab, trout and herring -- are sources of B-12. Wild rainbow trout contains 90 percent of the daily value, and clams contain 570 percent in a 3 oz. serving. If you are vegetarian, increase your RDA of B-12 by consuming foods that are enriched with this vitamin. Examples of these products include breakfast cereals, soy products, eggnog and noodles.
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