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What Is the Recommended Daily Value of B12?

Vitamin B12 is also known as cobalamin, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Vitamin B12 helps with maintaining nervous system health and helps with the production of RNA and DNA.

  1. Recommended Daily Value

    • The University of Maryland Medical Center explains that the recommended daily value of vitamin B12 intake varies from person to person: Newborns between 0 and 6 months of age need 0.4 micrograms; infants between 6 months and 12 months need .5 micrograms; children between 1 and 3 need 0.9 micrograms; children between 4 and 8 need 1.2 micrograms; children between 9 and 13 need 1.8 micrograms; adolescents between 14 and 18 need 2.4 micrograms; adults over the age of 18 need 2.4 micrograms; pregnant females need 2.6 micrograms; and breastfeeding females need 2.4 micrograms.

    Dietary Sources

    • Salmon is an excellent source of vitamin B12.

      Dietary sources of vitamin B12 include dairy products, fish, liver, kidney, eggs, pork, red bell peppers, beef and other animal meats, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.

    Supplement Forms

    • Vitamin B12 supplements are available as softgels.

      Vitamin B12 is found in multivitamins in chewable and liquid drops, but is also available as an individual supplement, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. These supplements are available as softgels and lozenges.

    Uses

    • Vitamin B12 is used to treat various diseases and conditions including pernicious anemia, heart disease, fatigue, breast cancer, asthma and male infertility, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.

    Fact

    • Sometimes older people do not get enough vitamin B12.

      Between 10 percent and 15 percent of people over the age of 60 do not get enough vitamin B12, according to the Linus Paudling Institute at Oregon State University.

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