Vitamin and Smoking
Cigarettes have a high cyanide content that can interfere with Bj2 metabolism. In one study, vitamin B12 loss in urine was significantly higher among smokers than nonsmokers. However, in other studies the difference has been negligible.
Vitamin Bj2 and Vegetarians
Because B12 comes from animal products, people who follow a strict vegetarian, or vegan, diet are at risk for vitamin B12 deficiency. This also holds true for babies who are breastfed by vegan mothers. These infants begin to show signs of deficiency at about four months of age. Therefore, infants at risk of B12 deficiency should be supplemented with the Adequate Intake (AI) for vitamin B12 from birth.
Food Sources of Vitamin B 12
Some good food sources of vitamin B 12 are chicken liver, sardines, tuna, ground beef, cottage cheese, plain nonfat yogurt, shrimp, and haddock.
Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for Vitamin B12, in Micrograms
