What is B12 Good for and What Foods Have it?

There are many vitamins in the “B” family, 8 to be exact. Each B vitamin plays a unique role in the body. For example, thiamin (vitamin B1) is a cofactor for enzymes participating in glucose metabolism. Riboflavin (vitamin B2) on the other hand serves as a coenzyme that works to metabolize drugs. Whentalking about supplements, one B vitamin in particular is more popular than most for the average individual. Can you guess which it is?

That’s the one: B-12!

Vitamin B-12is typically thought of as the “energy” vitamin. Vitamin B-12 certainly plays an important role in energy metabolism but won’t necessarily give you a jolt of energy unless you are experiencing megaloblastic anemia. Anemia is no joke; supporting your diet with additional vitamin B-12 can help correct this blood disease, but for the average person abnormally high amounts of B-12 are not beneficial. However, there are many people who may need an extra dose of B-12. Vitamin B-12 can benefit those who suffer from atrophic gastritis, celiac disease, Chron’s disease, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth or simply adhere to a vegetarian or vegan diet. Even if you don’t need to supplement with vitamin B-12, you should always aim to eat a well-rounded diet that provides your body with a wide range of nutrients. All nutrients are essential in the body to keeping our cells healthy and organs viable. Adults should aim to consume 2.4 mcg of vitamin B-12 per day. Here are the top 10 foods high in vitamin B-12 you can easily incorporate into your diet.

1) Clams
2) Trout
3) Salmon
4) Beef
5) Milk
6) Yogurt
7) Cheese
8) Egg
9) Chicken breast
10) Fortified cereal

If you’re curious if B-12 or any other vitamins are right for you, we’ve got you covered. Take our free assessment to get supplement recommendations personalized for you and delivered to your door each month in convenient daily vitamin packs.