Vitamin B-12 is an essential nutrient available in dietary sources or over-the-counter supplements. This vitamin is critical for making DNA and for the development of healthy red blood cells and nerve cells. If you do not get enough of this vitamin, you may have a vitamin B-12 deficiency.
Symptoms
The signs and symptoms of a vitamin B-12 deficiency are shaky movements, unsteady balance, weak muscles and low blood pressure. Additionally, a deficiency in this vitamin can cause psychological problems such as dementia and even psychosis. A severe deficiency leads to anemia, meaning that the development of red blood cells is disrupted and tissues throughout the body may not be getting an adequate amount of oxygen.
Causes
A vitamin B-12 deficiency is caused either by not getting enough of this vitamin through diet and/or supplements or by not absorbing vitamin B-12 properly through the gastrointestinal tract. Vegans who eat no animal-based foods may avoid a deficiency by eating vitamin B-12-fortified foods or supplements. Some people do not make the intrinsic factor protein, which binds vitamin B-12 in the stomach, enabling vitamin B-12 absorption. A common cause of a deficiency is not enough stomach acid, especially in the elderly. Stomach acid is needed to process foods in order to release vitamin B-12 for absorption.
Recommendations
The daily recommended values of vitamin B-12 differ based on age and whether or not a woman is pregnant or breastfeeding, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. Males and females over 14 years should get 2.4 mcg/day. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should get 2.6 mcg/day and 2.8 mcg/day, respectively. If you get these amounts of vitamin B-12 in your diet or as a supplement and are otherwise healthy, you will likely be consuming enough of this vitamin to avoid a deficiency.
Dietary Sources
Animal-based foods are the only natural sources of vitamin B-12; plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables and beans contain none of this vitamin. The foods richest in vitamin B-12 are beef liver and clams. Other sources of this vitamin are beef, chicken, pork, fish, eggs and dairy. Some foods, such as some breakfast cereals, are fortified with vitamin B-12.
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