vitamin B12

How it is used

Also called cobalamin. Deficiency is a concern for vegans, older adults, people who have had stomach surgery and people who take certain medicines such as metformin. It can cause anemia and nerve damage. Doctors measure B12 levels and may give it by injection or as tablets.

Example sentences

1. Absorption of vitamin B12 often decreases with age.

2. Vegans can get vitamin B12 from fortified plant drinks or supplements.

Common collocations

• vitamin B12 deficiency
• B12 levels
• B12 injections
• source of vitamin B12

Related terms

• vitaminAn organic substance that the body needs in small amounts for growth, immunity and normal metabolism. Most vitamins must come from food because the body cannot make enough of them.
• veganDescribing a diet or lifestyle that avoids all animal products, including meat, fish, eggs, dairy and usually honey. As a noun, a vegan is a person who lives this way.
• folateA B vitamin (B9) needed to make DNA and red blood cells. It occurs naturally in leafy greens and legumes; its synthetic form, folic acid, is used in supplements and fortified foods.
• deficiencyA lack of a nutrient in the body that is serious enough to affect health or cause specific signs, such as anemia caused by too little iron.
• supplementA product such as a tablet, capsule, powder or drink that adds nutrients or other substances to the diet, for example vitamin D drops, iron tablets or protein powder.

More terms: Vitamins and Minerals

• micronutrient
• mineral
• iron
• calcium
• vitamin D
• sodium
• antioxidant
• fat-soluble vitamin
• electrolyte
• fortified
• bioavailability