How Do You Know You're Getting Enough B12?

Vitamin B12 Overview

Have you ever wondered if you get the perfect amount of B12 into your daily diet? We're here to find out and to make sure you do because you need B12 to be happy and healthy. It's very common that individuals ignore this vitamin, simply because people aren't educated in how drastically important it is in a healthy and balanced diet.

When you have enough vitamin B12 in your daily diet, it does quite a bit for your body. Not only does B12 power your DNA, it also creates more healthy red blood cells as well, which is what keeps your immunity up and overall health positive. ^[1]

But there's one thing that many people don't realize. Our bodies don't make vitamin B12. The only way to get it is from animal-based foods or you could choose to take a vitamin B12 supplement which is what many people choose to do, especially if you happen to be vegan.

Another fact that people aren't aware of when it comes to vitamin B12 is that it is something that you should be giving you body regularly, at least daily, because your body will not hold onto the vitamin for very long. So if you want the long term benefits of vitamin b12 in your system, you need to regularly make sure you’re having enough every single day.

The next question you might be wondering is, how much should you even have per day?

This typically depends on a few things, it depends on your vitamin b12 diet, your age, and what medical conditions you have. If you do have active medical conditions, we suggest speaking to your doctor just to be safe before you introduce something into your system that could react badly to a medication you’re already on.

For adults, it's very common to have around 2.4 mcg a day, if you happen to be pregnant it should be a little bit more per dose as well. When you have a healthy amount of B12 each day you'll find that you're full of energy, you're more positive, and you'll feel much more focused.

Like we mentioned before, there are generally two different ways to introduce B12 supplements into your diet each day. You can either make sure you have a healthy amount of animal products or you can choose a vitamin supplement for B12.

We would recommend that you choose a vitamin supplement for B12 when it comes to daily use because having an abundance of animal products each day can be quite unhealthy for the typical diet. While it's fine to have small servings, you should have another source of B12 that your body can rely on.

In this article, we'll be covering everything you need to know about vitamin B12, everything from natural ways to introduce this vitamin into your diet to more practical ways by covering the top 5 supplements for B12 on the market today.

Hopefully, after reading this article you'll know exactly what way you'd like to incorporate more B12 into your daily lifestyle for a healthy quality of life!

What Foods Give You Vitamin B12?

As we mentioned before there are specific animal-based foods that will give you vitamin B12. They contain it naturally and some animal products it has been chemically introduced to them in an unnatural way.

These sources contain:

• Eggs
• Dairy Products
• Fish
• Meat
• Poultry

If you're not sure if something has B12 in it, you can always check the label before buying it. It should say on the lowest area of the nutrition label, whether or not the product has any vitamins and what the exact percentage is for each serving.

While you can receive a decent amount of vitamins from animal products, supplements are always more reliable and offer a more natural alternative when you're ingesting something into your body. Supplements don't contain any chemicals and are generally completely organic and safe for even vegans to have daily. This is a much healthier alternative compared to animal products.

What is Vitamin B12 Deficiency?

Many people in the modern world receive a decent amount of vitamin B12 in their natural diets each day. But if you're ever not quite sure if you have enough, if you feel tired and weak a lot of the time, you should be blood tested by your doctor. When you have a proper blood test your doctor will be able to tell whether or not your vitamin B12 deficient.

It is important to know that as you get older it is hard to hold onto this vitamin and there are many other causes that can occur throughout life that make this product very difficult to hold on to in your body.

Even simple things such as drinking often or even if you've had weight loss surgery, these are all reasons why you could be having trouble when it comes to holding onto B12. Below we've included some key reasons why someone would possibly have a vitamin B12 deficiency:

• When your stomach line has thinned out and can't be restored, also known as Atrophic Gastritis.
• When you have had any kind of stomach surgery recently, this includes weight loss surgery.
• When you regularly consume alcohol
• Anything that could possibly affect the small intestine, this includes bacteria, diseases, or even parasites.
• Anemia can also be one of the most common causes of a B12 deficiency.
• Any kind of immunity issues.

It's also very common for individuals who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet to have a vitamin B12 deficiency, as their daily diet doesn't have any animal products. In this case it's very simple just to begin a quality supplement that will help balance your system. ^[2]

As we continue through the article below, we'll be listing all of the signs you might experience if you're not getting enough vitamin B12 in your diet, we'll also be covering the top 5 high-quality supplements that are trusted and ideal for you to begin taking with approval from your doctor.

The Signs to know if you're not Getting Enough B12

If you have felt like you can hardly stay awake, even when sleeping for more than 8 hours, it’s very common that this is most likely due to a vitamin B12 deficiency diet. Fatigue has been known to be one of the very first signs of this problem and you need to speak to your doctor as soon as possible to be tested to see your blood levels.

If you regularly feel extremely weak when it comes to everyday chores, it's safe to say that your deficient when it comes to vitamin B12. When your blood cells aren't getting enough oxygen, this will end up making your muscles feel weak and tired. This is horrible if you work on your feet, so to avoid this you should introduce B12 into your daily routine and see if that boosts your energy.

If you constantly feel like you're going to pass out or if you feel tingling sensations all over your body this is most likely due to a B12 deficiency. Many people have reported like they are experiencing pins and needles all over their body. This is usually caused because of a lack of proper oxygen levels.

If you're also experiencing forgetfulness or regular confusion, you constantly forget what you were planning to do next or what you wanted to eat, or even where you put your keys, this could be because you're lacking B12!

Many individuals who lack proper B12 in their diets will often look very pale, their skin turns slightly yellow due to blood cells no longer doing their job. This can have many negative effects on someone's life as well, it can make them lose confidence and not want to leave the house because of their skin tone and how strange it looks. It makes many people look sick and lifeless.

One of the most common reasons to believe that you're lacking in B12 is when you start to lose taste. More specifically when you start to lose your taste buds. Usually, when this happens there will be a burning on the tongue that doesn't go away. It's very uncomfortable and as serious as this problem is, it can be prevented by having enough B12 in your diet.

Mood swings are a huge issue that can be caused because of B12 not being present enough in the individual's diet. ^[3]

A lack of this vitamin can really cause a lot of problems, even causing depression & anxiety. Many professionals aren't exactly sure as to why this is a side effect since there seems to have nothing to do with a chemical reaction, but it still happens anyway.

The one symptom that is not very likely because it only occurs in very extreme cases, it has to do with your eyes. If you go long enough without having proper B12 in your diet, you could potentially lose your vision. Even when you introduce B12 in your diet when this occurs, you can still be left with permanent damage.

Vitamin B12 in Food

The Top 5 B12 Supplements

1. Jarrow Formulas Methyl B12

This is one of the most common vitamin b12 supplements, it’s very cheap you can purchase it at any store or online. There's nothing else to this supplement other than it's reliable and it does what it is supposed to do. You can't go wrong with this supplement, it's one of the most trusted and common B12 supplements. Will you choose this one?

2. Nature Made Vitamin B12

The Nature Made Vitamin B12 is ideal for metabolic pathways and it contains no chemicals or dyes. It has no flavors that could be harmful to those with sensitive systems and it contains no preservatives, yeast, or starch.

3. Vitafusion Extra Strength B12

The Vitafusion Extra Strength B12 supplement is ideal for those who have trouble swallowing pills. These are chewable and have a natural cherry flavor. These are great for kids and teens as well with doctor's approval.

4. Natrol Vitamin B12

Natrol Vitamin B12 is a good supplements and it is essential for any healthy diet. This supplement has additional energy support as well, for those who feel a bit too tired throughout their everyday life.

5. Vitamin B12 Liquid Drops

This is a very popular option as well, it's a great way to include intense B12 since the liquid form absorbs into the body faster, it's an idea for those who really need a boost in their day to day life. This brand is one of the most trusted there is out there when it comes to liquid B12 supplements. This is ideal for those who rather not swallow pills.

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Final Verdict

Overall, B12 plays a very important role in everyone's life. Without it, you'll feel weak and tired constantly. If you don't make a change in your lifestyle to make room for this positive change, you'll be missing out on so much potential that extra energy could offer you.

Throughout this list, we've listed everything you need to possibly know to understand the role that B12 plays in our lives, how to tell if you're missing the perfect amount of B12, and what the top supplements are on the market today.

As soon as you add this great supplement into your life you'll notice a change right away. You'll be able to work longer, stay awake longer, and also focus better on the task at hand right in front of you. Don't let your life get in the way of your health, you deserve to take care of yourself the way it needs to be.

With these tools of information given to you, it is up to you to make the proper choice for your own health and wellness. Will you be adding more B12 into your diet? What supplement do you think you'll be checking out more?

3 Sources

We review published medical research in respected scientific journals to arrive at our conclusions about a product or health topic. This ensures the highest standard of scientific accuracy.

[1] Vitamin B12 Fact Sheet for Consumers: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-Consumer/
[2] Vitamin B12 Fact Sheet for Health Professionals: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-HealthProfessional/
[3] Sangle P, Sandhu O, Aftab Z, Anthony AT, Khan S. Vitamin B12 Supplementation: Preventing Onset and Improving Prognosis of Depression. Cureus. 2020;12(10):e11169. Published 2020 Oct 26. doi:10.7759/cureus.11169

Catherine Benton, CTNC

Catherine Benton is a paralegal who worked in environmental law for a decade. She worked with expert witnesses (scientists) who resear Read Full Bio