Talk to your health care provider for guidance on vitamin B12 supplementation, breastfeeding and vegan … If you pursue supplementation, you need to work closely with your doctor. How much Vitamin B12 does the human body need? How come the amount of B12 supplement we need is so much higher than the RDA? OR Take a weekly B12 supplement providing at least 2000 micrograms. This bumps up to 2.6 µg during pregnancy, and 2.8 during lactation and breastfeeding. Vitamin B12 is involved with a long list of important chemical and metabolic processes in the body – red blood cell production, DNA synthesis, nervous system function, and energy metabolism just to name a few. µg = mcg = microgram = 1/1,000 of a milligram (mg) For food labels in the United States, in March of 2020, the Daily Value for B12 … And the consequences of not doing so can be serious. Two subgroups of vegans are at particular risk of B12 deficiency: long-term vegans who avoid common fortified foods (such as raw food vegans or macrobiotic vegans) and breastfed infants of vegan mothers whose own intake of B12 is low. Vegan breastfeeding mothers should make sure they are getting at least 2.8 mcg of vitamin B12 daily. Taking a B12 supplement containing ten micrograms or more daily provides a similar absorbed amount to consuming one microgram on three occasions through the day. Infants are more vulnerable to permanent damage than adults. Blood counts are also unreliable as high folate intakes suppress the anaemia symptoms of B12 deficiency that can be detected by blood counts. Every vegan needs to obtain vitamin B12 from fortified foods or a supplement. This information may be freely reproduced but only in its entirety. These can be found in chewable, sublingual, tablet and liquid forms and are best taken on an empty stomach for maximum absorption power. Even slightly elevated homocysteine is associated with increased risk of many health problems including heart disease in adults, preeclampsia during pregnancy and neural tube defects in babies. From this standpoint the natural adaptation for most (possibly all) humans in the modern world is a vegan diet. A very small number of individuals with no obvious reliable source appear to avoid clinical deficiency symptoms for twenty years or more. Availability of fortified foods varies from country to country and amounts of B12 vary from brand to brand, so ensuring an adequate B12 supply from fortified foods requires some label reading and thought to work out an adequate pattern to suit individual tastes and local products. All three options above should meet the needs of the vast majority of people with normal B12 metabolism. B12 deficiency may lead to loss of energy and appetite. Vitamin B12 plays many crucial roles in your body, and some think that taking megadoses of this nutrient is best for their health. Every case of B12 deficiency in a vegan infant or an ill informed adult is a tragedy and brings veganism into disrepute. Ten micrograms of B12 spread over a day appears to supply as much as the body can use. Sources of B-12 Animal-based foods are the most reliable sources of vitamin B … Often these symptoms develop gradually over several months to a year before being recognised as being due to B12 deficiency and they are usually reversible on administration of B12. How Much B12 Does the Body Need? Anyone proposing a particular food as a B12 source should be challenged to present such evidence. No: 01468880 (England and Wales) | VAT Registration No. How Much B12 Does the Body Need? It’s not that it’s difficult to get enough; in fact, it’s quite easy. Algae and some other plant foods contain B12-analogues (false B12) that can imitate true B12 in blood tests while actually interfering with B12 metabolism. How Much B12 Do Kids Need?. Deficiency is also a concern with aging, medication use, and gastrointestinal issues. You may also wish to consider giving your child a supplement of long chain omega-3 fats from microalgae, although there is a need for research into how these supplements affect the health of vegans. It is also recommended that you continue to breastfeed until your baby is at least two years old. B12 consists of a small group of compounds called the cobalamins and is important for healthy blood and growth, child development, and also helps to keep the eyes, brain and nervous system functioning normally.