Who needs vitamin B12 supplements?
By Kelly Bonyata, IBCLC Infants of well-nourished mothers with adequate vitamin B12 intake do not need vitamin B12 supplements. It is recommended that mothers who do not eat animal proteins or who are otherwise at risk for vitamin B12 deficiency get adequate amounts of vitamin B12 during pregnancy and lactation via supplements or fortified foods. Since vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is widely present in foods from animal sources, dietary deficiency is rare except in those eating a strict vegan diet (no fish, meat, poultry, eggs or dairy products). Most infants, children and adults in the United States get the recommended amounts of vitamin B12. If a breastfeeding mother has an adequate B12 status, her baby will receive sufficient amounts of vitamin B12 via her milk. A simple blood test can diagnose current vitamin B12 deficiency. In the US, the DRI for vitamin B12 for adults is 2.4 µg per day, 2.6 µg during pregnancy, 2.8 µg during lactation; the DRI is proportionally less for children. The D
