Should I take vitamin B12 supplements?

Nutritionist Kate Geagan explains whether or not you should take a vitamin B12 supplement. Watch Kate Geagan's video for tips on going green, healthy eating and family nutrition.

Transcript

00:00

So for a lot of people, just getting started with either a fortified breakfast cereal and a B12 supplement that they take

00:06

can be a great way to go. [GENTLE MUSIC]

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If you've been diagnosed with a deficiency or if you're over age 50, absolutely a vitamin B12 supplement is a wonderful idea.

00:21

It's recommended that you take 25 micrograms to 100 micrograms per day. If you are just interested in having adequate B12

00:30

and if you have a clear deficiency, if you've been diagnosed, actually 1,000 micrograms per day is what's recommended under the care

00:37

of your physician. So fortified foods, supplements-- there's lots of different ways of getting this B12.

00:44

I like sublingual B12. If you have a severe deficiency, a B12 shot can be a great way to go as well.

00:51

But those do require a prescription, and they can cost a little bit more. So for a lot of people, just getting started with either a fortified breakfast

00:57

cereal and a B12 supplement that they take can be a great way to go. One of the differences in B12 between found in food naturally

01:07

and fortified is that in animal protein, you need lots of stomach acid to physically unlock that

01:14

B12 from the animal protein. Whereas if you're taking fortified breakfast cereal or fortified say soy milk or even a supplement,

01:23

you don't need that stomach acid to unlock that B12. The B12 arrives already in a form that can then be absorbed further down