The B vitamins are among the essential vitamins that your body needs to function. Vitamin B-12 is among the eight B complex vitamins that you commonly ingest in your diet, KidsHealth explains. Some patients can suffer from vitamin B-12 deficiency and thus require dietary supplementation with vitamin B-12 capsules. Like most supplements, vitamin B-12 has potential benefits and harmful side effects.
Vitamin B-12
Vitamin B-12 is a water-soluble vitamin. Most water-soluble vitamins are not stored in the body, but are rather excreted in the urine. Vitamin B-12 is an exception to this rule. Your body is able to store several years' worth of vitamin B-12, MayoClinic.com reports. This reduces the chances of you developing vitamin B-12 deficiency. If you are suffering from vitamin B-12 deficiency, your doctor may prescribe vitamin B-12 supplements. Vitamin B-12 works by ensuring the proper maintenance and function of your nervous system, blood cells and other tissues within the body.
Side Effects of Vitamin B-12
Most supplements have potential side effects that can be harmful to the body. You should always speak to your doctor prior to taking any kind of dietary supplement. Vitamin B-12 supplements can cause intense itching and a skin rash, MayoClinic.com warns. Large doses of vitamin B-12 may also cause severe diarrhea and stomach pain. There is a slight increase in risk of blood clots in some patients taking vitamin B-12.
Uses of Vitamin B-12
There are numerous uses for vitamin B-12. The most common use of vitamin B-12 supplements is in the treatment of vitamin B-12 deficiency, according to Medline Plus, a service of the National Institutes of Health. Vitamin B-12 is also effective in treating pernicious anemia, which is a disease that causes decreased absorption of vitamin B-12. Adding vitamin B-12 to a treatment regimen containing folic acid and vitamin B-6 can help reduce heart disease in patients suffering from a disease called hyperhomocysteinemia. Vitamin B-12 can also be taken to prevent a specific form of eye disease called age-related macular degeneration.
Vitamin B-12 Dosage
The recommended dosage of vitamin B-12 varies with age. Newborns and infants less than a year old require 0.4 to 0.5 mcg of vitamin B-12 per day, the University of Maryland Medical Center says. The dosage slowly rises as you age until adulthood. As an adult you will need 2.4 mcg per day. Pregnant and breastfeeding women require higher doses, usually around 2.6 to 2.8 mcg each day. Adults older than 50 often have trouble absorbing vitamin B-12 from their diet, and therefore, may need supplements containing vitamin B-12.
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