Good Sources of Vitamin B12
How much you need, and why, plus best sources of vitamin B12
Benefits of Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 helps your body produce red blood cells and DNA and reduces levels of homocysteine -- an amino acid that may raise your risk of heart disease.
Recommended Amount: How Much You Need
The government guidelines recommend a daily intake of 2.4 micrograms (mcg) of B12 to prevent deficiency, but for optimal health and disease prevention, RealAge recommends a daily dose of 25 mcg. To get this much -- particularly if you're a strict vegetarian -- you'll probably need to rely on supplements or fortified foods. In fact, B12 may be easier to absorb in supplement form.
If you're over 50 years of age, have acid reflux, or have been told by your doctor that your body has trouble absorbing B12, aim for 400–800 mcg per day to give your body a better chance of absorbing what it needs. Don't worry about overdoing it -- there's no upper limit on B12, which means there's no evidence that high levels (up to 1,000 mcg) are harmful.
Good Sources of Vitamin B12
| Clams, canned (3 ounces) | 84 mcg |
| Liver, calf's, pan fried (3 ounces) | 70 mcg |
| Oysters, raw (6 medium) | 16 mcg |
| Salmon, canned (3 ounces) | 4 mcg |
| Tuna, light, canned in water (3 ounces) | 2.5 mcg |
| Nutritional yeast (2 teaspoons) | 2.5 mcg |
| Ground beef, 85% lean (3 ounces) | 2 mcg |
| Lamb, loin chop (3 ounces) | 2 mcg |
| Yogurt, plain, low fat (8 ounces) | 1.3 mcg |
| Cottage cheese, 2% milk fat (1/2 cup) | 0.8 mcg |
Try these healthy recipes for a boost of vitamin B12:
- Spaghetti with Clams and Corn
- Artichoke and Tuna Salad
- Chili Burgers
- Herbed Lamb Chops with Greek Couscous Salad
Find more healthy recipes with the RealAge Recipe Finder.
