Preventive Medicine Specialist Dr. David Katz discusses the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin B12. Watch Dr. Katz's video for information on preventive medicine and overall wellness.
The dietary reference intakes from the institute of medicine which includes the RDAs when we know the RDA ought to be, specify different intake level based on sex and age and so a detailed answer really would require a whole table here, but the average level recommended for adults is two and a half micro grams a day and that's actually a small number but ere is the interesting thing about B12.
We store it in the liver and actually can build up a reserve that can last 30 years, so what we're doing with our daily intake is just maintaining that storage level B12. Two and a half micrograms a day is enough for a healthy adult.
Our experts agree it’s best to get vitamins and other nutrients from your diet, not dietary supplements. But sometimes it makes sense to take a vitamin, especially if you're deficient in vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids and certain minerals.
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