Vitamin B12: how much do you need per day?
Recommended daily Dietary Allowances in mcg, from the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements Vitamin B12 fact sheet.
| Age | Male | Female | Pregnancy | Lactation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | 0.9 | 0.9 | — | — |
| 4–8 | 1.2 | 1.2 | — | — |
| 9–13 | 1.8 | 1.8 | — | — |
| 14–18 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 2.8 |
| 19–30 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 2.8 |
| 31–50 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 2.8 |
| 51–70 | 2.4 | 2.4 | — | — |
| 71+ | 2.4 | 2.4 | — | — |
Pregnancy/lactation columns are for ages 14–18, 19–30, 31–50. Infant values omitted; see source.
Source: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-HealthProfessional/ (accessed Oct 2026).
Track what you actually eat
Targets are only half the picture. Microstracker logs your meals and shows your real micronutrient intake against these targets. $9.99/mo or $99/yr after the trial.
Start your 14-day free Microstracker trialNot medical advice. Values are general Dietary Reference Intakes for healthy people, sourced from the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Diet-pattern flags are general estimates. Talk to a clinician or registered dietitian about your needs.