Daily Requirement of Vitamin B12

The human body is a mechanical system that runs on our food. The food sources that we consume daily contain macronutrients and micronutrients that fuel our bodies.

Primarily, people focus more on their macros, protein, fat, and carbohydrates and neglect the micronutrients. But the micronutrients, vitamins, and minerals are equally for the proper functioning of the human body.

Vitamins are much needed as they are approximately involved in every process going in the human body. Also, they are required for an individual's healthy growth and maintenance.

Vitamin b12 is one of the essential vitamins crucial to consume daily. The following article will provide you with a brief introduction of vitamin b12 and every minor detail of its daily requirement. 

What is Vitamin B12? 

Vitamin b12 is a water-soluble vitamin essential for the human body. It also goes with the name of cobalamin. It is a significant vitamin out of the B-complex of 8 vitamins.

Primarily the water-soluble vitamins do not get stored in the body, which is why you have to consume them daily. But vitamin b12 can get stored in the liver and muscles, but you still have to maintain its daily requirement so that no deficiency occurs.

Now, most people do not focus on their vitamin intake, as they only need it in such a small amount which is not that important. 

Nutritionally, both the macronutrients and micronutrients hold the same importance for an individual, and the only difference is their intake.

Vitamin b12 plays significant roles in DNA synthesis, red blood cell production, nerve cells maintenance, and energy cell metabolisms.

It acts as a cofactor in many metabolic processes and maintains blood circulation and brain activity. The human body does not produce vitamin b12, so you have to consume it through your diet.

You do not have to eat something by going out of your regular diet plan as vitamin b12 is generally present in common natural foods.

The significant sources of vitamin b12 include poultry, meat, seafood, milk, dairy products, dry fruits, and nutritional yeast.

The supplementation form of vitamin b12 is also available, but it is always better to go with natural sources than synthetic ones.

Vitamin b12 is usually attached to the protein portion of your food, which highlights that it is readily found in protein food sources. 

What is Vitamin B12 Daily Requirement?

You cannot consume any specific vitamin in a random quantity as you can very easily overeat or undertake the nutrient.

That is why the medical and health researchers have narrowed down a particular RDA, the daily recommended amount of a vitamin.

The RDA is considered safe and requires a quantity of a nutrient which is what is needed for the human body. 

The RDA of vitamin b12 is 2.4 milligrams for people over age 15 and 2.6 for pregnant and lactating women.

However, the requirement can increase or decrease slightly depending on the age, specific condition, and lifestyle of an individual.

To fulfill the daily requirement of vitamin b12, you only need to consume natural food sources of it. 

For example, if you eat two eggs and a protein portion like chicken in a day, you will quickly consume your daily need. That is why there is no need for you to consume supplements.

The supplements are only an option if you have severe vitamin b12 deficiency or your body has interference with vitamin b12 absorption. 

Why is it Essential to Maintain the Daily Vitamin B12 Requirement?

You must maintain the daily requirement of vitamins as consuming too much or too low can disturb normal functioning and cause side effects.

Following are the two scenarios that will occur if you do not consume vitamin b12 according to its RDA:

• If you consume too much vitamin b12, it can cause toxicity in your body and severe acne, and other skin problems. 
• If you consume too low vitamin b12, then it can cause a deficiency with the symptoms of brain impairment, anemia, fatigue, hair loss, and nausea.  

You should only consume vitamin b12 in its recommended amount so that the nutrient can benefit you rather than cause side effects.

Always maintain the vitamin b12 intake through natural food sources and not any supplement whatsoever.

The Final Takeaway

Vitamin b12 is a crucial vitamin for the proper functioning of the human body. You should consume rich food sources of vitamins to fulfill your daily requirement rather than any synthetic form.

But you have to intake the nutrient according to its RDA; 2.4 milligrams are the daily requirement of vitamin b12 for an individual.

The daily requirement proportion provides the body with the exact amount of vitamin b12 that is needed for proper functioning.

So, you do not have to guess the nutritional intake as you just have to follow the standards set by medical experts and researchers.