Vitamin B-12 belongs to the class of vitamins called water-soluble vitamins, which dissolve in water upon entering your body. Vitamin B-12, also referred to as cobalamin, is a unique vitamin in that it contains a metal ion called cobalt. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, vitamin B-12 has the most complex chemical structure of all of the vitamins.
Functions of Vitamin B-12
All of the B vitamins, including vitamin B-12, help convert calories from the food you eat into energy that your body can use to carry out its functions. In addition to converting food into energy, vitamin B-12 plays a role in the synthesis of RNA and DNA, which are the genetic components of every one of your cells. Vitamin B-12 also plays an essential role in keeping your nerves healthy, allowing nerve signals to travel properly. Vitamin B-12 works with another B vitamin, folate, to produce healthy red blood cells and improve the function of the mineral iron in your body. Vitamin B-12 also works with folate and vitamin B-6 to maintain the levels of homocysteine, an amino acid, in your blood.
Food Sources
The only sources of natural vitamin B-12 in the diet are foods that come from animals. Good sources of naturally occurring vitamin B-12 include shellfish, fish, milk, cheese, eggs, beef, pork and organ meats, especially liver and kidney. Synthetic forms of vitamin B-12 are often added to fortified soy milk and enriched breakfast cereals.
Daily Needs
The recommendations for vitamin B-12 differ based on age. Children between 1 and 3 should consume 0.9 micrograms of vitamin B-12 daily. Children between 4 and 8 require 1.2 micrograms daily, whereas children between 9 and 13 should consume 1.8 micrograms per day. Adolescents and adults aged 14 and older should consume 2.4 micrograms of vitamin B-12 every day. The University of Maryland Medical Center notes that most people whose diets include animal foods easily meet their vitamin B-12 needs.
Considerations
After the age of 50, your body's ability to absorb vitamin B-12 begins to decline. Because of this, older adults should meet most of their vitamin B-12 needs through fortified foods or supplements, which contain synthetic vitamin B-12 that is more easily absorbed by the body. Strict vegetarians or vegans who do not eat any animal products may also require vitamin B-12 supplementation.
Deficiency
Vitamin B-12 is the only water-soluble vitamin that your body can store, which makes vitamin B-12 deficiency rare. When deficiency does occur, it is usually a result of underlying medical conditions that affect the way your body absorbs vitamin B-12. Because of its role in red blood cell production, a vitamin B-12 deficiency can lead to a lack of red blood cells, or anemia, which causes fatigue, shortness of breath and pale skin. A deficiency in vitamin B-12 can also lead to nerve damage, which presents as abnormal sensations, such as numbness or tingling in the limbs, and difficulty walking.
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