The Best B12 Vitamin Supplement in 2023 (Reviews & Buyer’s Guide)

We prepared a comprehensive buyer’s guide to make it easier for you to select the very best supplement of vitamin B12 for your specific needs.

Hence, if you like what you hear, just keep on reading!

What Is B12?

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin that plays a crucial role in the formation of red blood cells, cellular metabolism, nervous system function, and DNA production. Moreover, vitamin B12 cannot be produced in the body, and therefore must be obtained through various foods and supplements.

For instance, farm (animal) produce such as milk, cheese, eggs, meat (i.e., beef and poultry), and fish and seafood (i.e., mussels and crustaceans), as well as  B12 vitamins found in supplements.

In addition, in order for our body to use vitamin B12, it has to be absorbed first. This is done in the stomach with the help of hydrochloric acid; the essential vitamin is first separated from food protein and is then absorbed by the intestines.

Hence, to obtain the recommended daily doses of vitamin B12, you should rely on animal-based diets or supplements. However, keep in mind that stomach problems may hinder the vitamin’s absorption rate even when you use the best B12 vitamin supplementation.

For example, people with chronic atrophic gastritis, gastrectomy (surgical removal of parts of the stomach), diseases of the terminal ileum (Crohn’s disease, lymphoma, resection, etc.), chronic alcoholism, AIDS, as well as long-term use of proton pump inhibitors or H2-receptor blockers.

If vitamin B12 deficiency remains untreated, it can lead to megaloblastic anemia, characterized by fatigue, muscle weakness, intestinal and stomach problems, nerve damage, and shifts in mood and proper cognitive function.

When to Consider Taking B12?

In the case you aren’t deficient in cobalamin, taking supplements won’t reap any additional benefits for your body. Namely, our body can store large amounts of vitamin B12. Hence, hypovitaminosis (or insufficient amounts of B12) is less common.

However, people who are primarily on a plant-based diet could greatly benefit from a vitamin B12 supplement. Moreover, older people, as well as those with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (as previously mentioned), may have trouble absorbing the vitamin.

Therefore, before selecting a B12 vitamin for your specific diet, a blood test is recommended to determine the exact levels of vitamin B12 and B9 (folic acid) to rule out megaloblastic anemia.

Types of B12

Vitamin B12 supplements exist in both oral and injectable forms. Likewise, you can find over-the-counter products that can be sprayed into the nose, and sublingual pills are, naturally, dissolved under the tongue.

Nevertheless, it’s worth mentioning that there is still no evidence of greater absorption of sublingual types of B12 vitamin compared to its ingested counterparts; severe deficiencies of vitamin B12 are commonly treated with a shot though.

Besides, vitamin B12 could be found in nearly all multivitamins. To check the exact amount of vitamin B12 in the multivitamin formula, just read the product label.

Some foods can also be supplemented with vitamin B12, so be sure to check the label if you’re looking for foods enriched with B12.

Recommended Dosage of Vitamin B12

The recommended daily intake of vitamin B12 depends mostly on your age and gender.

For children, the recommended dosage is 0.4mcg for babies up to 6 months old, 0.5mcg for infants (7–12 months), 0.9mcg for toddlers (1–3 years), 1.2mcg for children (4–8 years), 1.8mcg for older children (9–13 years), and 2.4mcg for teens (14–18 years).

For adults, the required daily intake is about 2.4mcg. And for pregnant and breastfeeding women and teens — 2.6mcg and 2.8mcg, respectively.

For the best absorption, the form of vitamin B12 doesn’t matter as much. For instance, vitamin B12 found in dietary supplements is usually in the form of cyanocobalamin, which then converts into the active forms of methylcobalamin and 5-deoxy adenosylcobalamin. In addition, some supplements already contain methylcobalamin.

Also, it’s worth noting that despite some supplements containing vast amounts of vitamin B12, the absorption rate is limited by intrinsic factors, such as the body’s capacity to form a complex with vitamin B12. For instance, in healthy people, only 10mcg out of 500mcg is absorbed.

How to Safely Take the Most Effective B12 Supplement

Vitamin B12 supplements are relatively safe when consumed at recommended doses. And while adults are encouraged to take 2.4mcg of vitamin B12 per day (or more), your body can only consume the amount that the intrinsic factor allows; thus, any surplus will go into your urine.

Elevated serum levels of vitamin B12 may be the result of inappropriate vitamin replacement therapy, renal failure, some types of leukemia, metastatic cancer, acute and chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, diabetes, obesity, etc. As such, extremely high doses of even the best B12 supplement methylcobalamin may result in dizziness, headaches, anxiety, nausea, and vomiting.

There’s also the possibility of having an allergic reaction to B12 supplements, which includes symptoms such as stomach pain, gas, and cramping; fatigue, vomiting, and diarrhea can also occur. In the event of a severe allergic reaction that leads to hives, breathing problems, or swelling of the face and tongue, a trip to the emergency room is strongly advised as these are potentially life-threatening.

Last but not least, some medications can affect the levels of vitamin B12, including anticonvulsants, metformin, oral contraceptives, some antibiotics, aminosalicylic acid, colchicine, proton pump inhibitors, vitamin C (ascorbic acid), etc.

Seeing how these medications can influence the absorption and bioavailability of even the best type of B12, your doctor should consider changing your prescriptions or lowering the dosage.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Taking B12 Supplements

Some of the obvious disadvantages of vitamin B12 deficiency include fatigue, constipation, lack of appetite, loss of weight, and megaloblastic anemia. Nerve disorders can also arise, including memory and cognitive problems and pinching of the hands and feet. Likewise, depression, confusion, dementia, impaired memory, and mouth or tongue issues are also possible.

As previously mentioned, the benefits of taking vitamin B12 supplements include better memory, the formation of blood cells, proper nervous system function, etc.

Nevertheless, multiple B12 supplement reviews showed that vitamin B12, along with vitamin B9 (folic acid) and vitamin B6, does not alleviate the risk of cardiovascular disease or dementia.

Moreover, vitamin B12 supplements are frequently advertised to boost energy levels and athletic performance. Yet no study has found this to be the case, except for people with a vitamin B12 deficiency.

Final Thoughts

As vitamin B12 is crucial for our well-being and cannot be produced by our body, knowing what the best B12 vitamin options are is absolutely essential. Likewise, a vitamin B12 deficiency is not uncommon these days, seeing how veganism and vegetarianism are becoming more mainstream. In addition, some gastrointestinal conditions can also affect the vitamin’s absorption (as previously mentioned).