Can You Have Too A lot B12?

Medically reviewed by Allison Herries, RDN

Vitamin B12 is an important vitamin used within the physique to make sure the optimum well being of blood and nerve cells. It additionally helps to create DNA genetic materials and prevents a situation often called megaloblastic anemia. Vitamin B12 is usually thought of protected, even at excessive doses.

Most individuals get nearly all of their required B12 by means of eating regimen, although, so dietary supplements are sometimes pointless. Nevertheless, chances are you’ll want greater than the day by day really helpful quantity of B12 if directed by a healthcare supplier to take action.

This text discusses every part it’s essential to learn about vitamin B12 and what you are able to do when you’ve got low ranges of vitamin B12.

Vitamin B12 Advantages

There are a number of advantages related to B12, whether or not by means of eating regimen or supplementation. They embody:

• Pink blood cell formation: Pink blood cells are important for carrying oxygen all through the physique, so getting sufficient vitamin B12 can guarantee this course of runs easily.

• Wholesome throughout being pregnant: Getting sufficient B12 throughout being pregnant will help decrease the danger of serious congenital disabilities.

• Bone well being: Your bones use vitamin B12 to assist preserve bone mineral density, and a deficiency over time can result in weaker bones and an elevated danger of fractures.

• Retains eyes wholesome: B12 deficiencies could result in eye illness, together with macular degeneration, so getting sufficient is essential.

• Psychological well being: Research have proven that vitamin B12 performs a job in temper regulation and issues, equivalent to depression. Getting sufficient vitamin B12 will help enhance temper and cut back signs of despair due to the way it helps to synthesize and metabolize serotonin.

• Mind well being: B12 nutritional vitamins additionally assist to keep up mind well being by stopping the lack of neurons.

• Vitality and metabolism: Your power ranges and metabolism are important to your total well being, and getting sufficient vitamin B12 helps to keep up the right metabolic functioning in order that your power ranges are at optimum ranges.

• Coronary heart well being: A number of amino acids within the physique play a job in coronary heart well being, together with homocysteine. Homocysteine has been proven to extend the danger of heart disease if ranges are too excessive. Vitamin B12 can maintain ranges of the amino acids the place they should be, mitigating that danger.

• Pores and skin, hair, and nail well being: B12 promotes wholesome cells throughout the physique, together with pores and skin, hair, and nails.

How A lot B12 Ought to You Be Getting Every Day?

To reap the advantages of B12 throughout the physique, you’ll must get sufficient of the important nutrient. The quantity of B12 an individual wants depends upon their age or being pregnant standing and could be damaged down as follows:

• Youngsters 1–3: 0.9 microgram (mcg)/day

• Youngsters 4–8: 1.2 mcg/day

• Youngsters 9–13: 1.8 mcg/day

• Teenagers 14–18: 2.4 mcg/day

• Adults: 2.4 mcg/day

• Pregnant individuals: 2.6 mcg/day

• People who find themselves breastfeeding: 2.8 mcg/day

Associated: Fat-Soluble vs. Water-Soluble Vitamins

How A lot B12 Is Too A lot?

When taking a look at vitamin B12 ranges, it’s onerous to say how a lot is an excessive amount of. The vitamin is water-soluble, that means it’s typically protected at excessive ranges as a result of the physique flushes out what it doesn’t use with water.

Whereas there’s a common advice, some individuals might have greater than others based mostly on a number of components, together with:

• Food plan

• Sure medicines

• Problem absorbing B12 into the physique

• Age (older adults might have extra)

• Individuals with sure well being issues, equivalent to gastrointestinal issues, autoimmune diseases or anemia

• Individuals who have had abdomen or intestinal surgical procedure

Individuals within the above-mentioned teams might have greater than the day by day really helpful allowance, however these within the common inhabitants don’t, and taking extra vitamin B12 than you want is pointless.

Many research have investigated excessive doses of B12 to see the way it impacts the physique, and none has decided a certain amount that might result in an overdose.

Taking B12 in Extra

Whereas no recognized antagonistic well being results are related to taking an excessive amount of B12, you are losing cash for those who complement with the vitamin while you don’t have to. Your physique will use what it wants after which expel the remaining.

Can Too A lot B12 Trigger Aspect Results?

Since taking B12 in excessive doses has not been seen to negatively have an effect on individuals in any manner, there are not any recognized signs related to too-high ranges of the vitamin.

As talked about above, the water-soluble vitamin is expelled from the physique earlier than it has the possibility to trigger any points.

Associated: What Is Vitamin Toxicity?

Can Individuals Have Excessive Vitamin B12 Blood Ranges?

Extra ranges of vitamin B12 within the blood are extremely unusual because it leaves the physique by means of urine when it’s not wanted. That mentioned, individuals can see a rise of their B12 ranges within the blood if they’ve sure situations, equivalent to:

These situations usually current with elevated B12, however the ranges don’t appear to be so excessive that they trigger toxicity to happen.

What If You Have Low B12 Ranges?

Vitamin B12 deficiencies could be detrimental to at least one’s total well being. A few of the results of low ranges of vitamin B12 embody:

Over time, vitamin B12 deficiencies can improve the danger of varied well being issues, together with:

Due to the sick results that may develop from not getting sufficient vitamin B12, it’s important to have your ranges examined by a healthcare supplier, eat extra meals with the nutrient, or take dietary supplements for those who discover you’re low within the vitamin.

Meals With Vitamin B12

To extend the quantity of B12 in your eating regimen, you possibly can add in meals equivalent to:

Be taught Extra: The Best Sources of Vitamin B12 for Any Diet

Being pregnant and Vitamin B12

People who find themselves pregnant usually want extra vitamin B12 than those that should not as a result of it helps with fetal improvement. Deficiencies in vitamin B12 additionally improve the danger of delivery defects, so getting sufficient is important. Pregnant individuals ought to intention to get not less than 2.6 mcg/day to make sure that they and the fetus are getting sufficient of this important nutrient throughout being pregnant.

Learn Subsequent: The 8 Best B12 Supplements of 2023, According to a Dietitian

Abstract

Vitamin B12 is an important nutrient important for a lot of bodily processes. With out sufficient, individuals could expertise a deficiency that may be so extreme it may result in antagonistic well being problems, equivalent to anemia, despair, and an elevated danger for sure cancers. Due to that, realizing how a lot you have to be getting per day is important to make sure your wants are met.

There isn’t any medical proof of uncomfortable side effects from taking an excessive amount of. The vitamin is water soluble, so something the physique would not use is expelled by means of the urine. This implies it can’t construct up throughout the physique to harmful ranges. Taking greater than the really helpful quantity could not result in extreme well being penalties, however it’s pointless until a healthcare supplier tells you in any other case.

Learn the unique article on Verywell Health.