9 Health Benefits of Vitamin B12, Based on Science
- CryoClinc
- Jun 16, 2023
- 1 min read
Updated: Sep 25, 2023
Vitamin B12 plays a key role in many aspects of health and may support bone health, red blood cell formation, energy levels, and mood. Eating a nutritious diet or taking a supplement can help ensure you’re meeting your needs.
Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is an essential vitamin that your body needs but cannot produce.
It’s found naturally in animal products, but also added to certain foods and available as an oral supplement or injection.
Vitamin B12 has many roles in your body. It supports the normal function of your nerve cells and is needed for red blood cell formation and DNA synthesis (1Trusted Source).
For most adults, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) is 2.4 micrograms (mcg), though it’s higher for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding (1Trusted Source).
Vitamin B12 may benefit your body in impressive ways, such as by boosting your energy, improving your memory, and helping prevent heart disease.
Here are 9 health benefits of vitamin B12, all based on science.
Vitamin B12 plays a vital role in helping your body produce red blood cells.
Low vitamin B12 levels cause a reduction in red blood cell formation and prevent them from developing properly (2Trusted Source).
Healthy red blood cells are small and round, whereas they become larger and typically oval in cases of vitamin B12 deficiency.
Due to this larger and irregular shape, the red blood cells are unable to move from the bone marrow into the bloodstream at an appropriate rate, causing megaloblastic anemia (3Trusted Source).
When you have anemia, your body doesn’t have enough red blood cells to transport oxygen to your vital organs. This can cause symptoms like fatigue and weakness.
SUMMARY
Vitamin B12 is involved in red blood cell formation. When vitamin B12 levels are too low, the production of red blood cells is altered, causing megaloblastic anemia.
2. May prevent major birth defects
Adequate vitamin B12 levels are crucial to a healthy pregnancy.
Studies show that a fetus’s brain and nervous system require sufficient B12 levels from the mother to develop properly.
Vitamin B12 deficiency in the beginning stages of pregnancy may increase the risk of birth defects, such as neural tube defects. Furthermore, maternal vitamin B12 deficiency may contribute to premature birth or miscarriage (4Trusted Source, 5Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source).
One older study found that females with vitamin B12 levels lower than 250 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) were three times more likely to give birth to a child with birth defects, compared to those with adequate levels (7Trusted Source).
For females with a vitamin B12 deficiency and levels below 150 mg/dL the risk was five times higher, compared to those with levels above 400 mg/dL (7Trusted Source).
SUMMARY
Appropriate vitamin B12 levels are key to a healthy pregnancy. They’re important for the prevention of brain and spinal cord birth defects.
3. May support bone health and prevent osteoporosis
Maintaining adequate vitamin B12 levels may support your bone health.
One study in 110 people with celiac disease found that low levels of vitamin B12 were linked to decreased bone mineral density in the femur and hips in males (8Trusted Source).
Bones with decreased mineral density can become delicate and fragile over time, leading to an increased risk of osteoporosis.
Other studies have also shown a link between low vitamin B12 levels and poor bone health and osteoporosis or fracture risk (9Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source).
However, other studies have turned up mixed results on the effects of vitamin B12 on bone health, so more research is needed (11Trusted Source, 12Trusted Source).
SUMMARY
Vitamin B12 may play a vital role in your bone health. Low blood levels of this vitamin have been associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis and decreased bone density.
4. May reduce your risk of macular degeneration
Macular degeneration is an eye disease that mainly affects your central vision (13Trusted Source).
Maintaining adequate levels of vitamin B12 may help prevent the risk of age-related macular degeneration.
Researchers believe that supplementing with vitamin B12 may lower levels of homocysteine, a type of amino acid that is found in your bloodstream (14Trusted Source, 15Trusted Source, 16Trusted Source).
Elevated homocysteine levels have been associated with an increased risk of age-related macular degeneration (17Trusted Source, 18Trusted Source).
A 2009 study involving 5,000 females aged 40 or older concluded that supplementing with vitamin B12, along with folic acid and vitamin B6, may reduce this risk.
The group receiving these supplements for seven years had fewer cases of macular degeneration, compared to the placebo group. The risk of developing any form of the condition was 34% lower, while it was 41% lower for more severe types (19Trusted Source).
Ultimately, further studies are needed to fully understand vitamin B12’s role in promoting vision health and preventing macular degeneration.
SUMMARY
Maintaining adequate levels of vitamin B12 decreases homocysteine levels in your blood. This may help prevent the development of age-related macular degeneration.
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