Vitamin B12

Definition

Vitamin B12 is one of the eight B vitamins. It is essential to a variety of processes in the body and must be obtained through diet.

Health considerations

Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause anemia, fatigue, weakness, weight loss, depression, numbness, confusion, and poor memory, among other symptoms. Certain drugs, including proton pump inhibitors and metformin, may interfere with Vitamin B12 absorption.

Keep in mind

Aside from certain fermented foods, there are few vegan foods that inherently supply Vitamin B12. Vegans should seek B12-fortified items or take B12 in supplement form.

May be found in

Fortified breakfast cereal, fortified non-dairy milk, fortified energy bars, fermented foods, red meat (particularly liver), shellfish (particularly clams), fish, poultry, eggs, milk, milk products

References

National Institutes of Health

Alternative Spellings and Names

Vit B12, cobalamin, methylcobalamin