B12 gummies: who needs them, who does not, and how much is enough
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Vitamin B12 is in a large share of gummy supplements, often as the ingredient that allows the word “energy” on the front. It is a real and essential nutrient, and a shortage of it causes real problems. It is also one that most adults already get enough of.
So the useful question about B12 gummies is not whether B12 matters. It is whether you are someone who is likely to be short of it.
The short answer
Adults need 2.4 mcg of vitamin B12 a day. People who eat meat, fish, eggs or dairy regularly, and who absorb it normally, usually get that from food. Supplements are worthwhile for vegans and many vegetarians, adults over about 50, people on long-term metformin or acid-reducing medication, and people with conditions or surgery that affect absorption. If you are not short of B12, taking more has not been shown to increase energy.
What B12 does
Vitamin B12 is needed to make red blood cells and DNA and to keep nerve cells working properly. It also takes part in the reactions that release energy from food, which is the basis for the accepted statement that B12 contributes to normal energy metabolism.
A deficiency develops slowly, because the liver stores several years’ supply. When it does develop it can cause a type of anemia, with tiredness and weakness, and nerve problems such as numbness or tingling in the hands and feet, difficulty with balance, and memory changes. Nerve damage can become permanent if it is left untreated.
How much you need
| Group | Recommended daily amount |
|---|---|
| Adults | 2.4 mcg |
| Pregnancy | 2.6 mcg |
| Breastfeeding | 2.8 mcg |
The Daily Value on labels is 2.4 mcg. Amounts are in micrograms (mcg), which are thousandths of a milligram. Our guide to what percent Daily Value means explains how to read the percentage.
Where it comes from
B12 is found naturally only in animal foods: fish, shellfish, meat, poultry, eggs and dairy. Plants do not make it. Some foods are fortified with it, including many breakfast cereals, plant milks and nutritional yeast, and the label will say so.
Who is likely to need a supplement
| Group | Why |
|---|---|
| Vegans | No natural dietary source. A supplement or fortified foods are necessary |
| Vegetarians | Intake depends on how much dairy and egg they eat. Low levels are common |
| Adults over about 50 | Stomach acid tends to fall with age, which reduces absorption of B12 from food |
| People taking metformin long term | Metformin reduces B12 absorption |
| People taking acid-reducing medication long term | Proton pump inhibitors and H2 blockers lower the stomach acid needed to release B12 from food |
| People with pernicious anemia | They lack the protein needed to absorb B12. This needs medical treatment, not a gummy |
| People with celiac or Crohn’s disease, or after stomach or weight-loss surgery | Absorption is reduced |
Vegans and vegetarians
A review of studies measuring blood B12 in vegetarians found that deficiency was common across age groups and more frequent in vegans than in other vegetarians. If you eat no animal products, B12 is the one supplement you should not skip. A daily gummy that provides at least the Daily Value does the job, as do fortified foods eaten consistently.
Older adults
The B12 in food is bound to protein and needs stomach acid to release it. The B12 in supplements and fortified foods is already free, so it is absorbed even when stomach acid is low. That is why US dietary guidance has long advised adults over 50 to get most of their B12 from supplements or fortified foods.
Metformin
In a long-term US study of more than 2,000 adults at high risk of diabetes, those assigned to metformin were more likely to have low B12 levels after five years than those given placebo. The researchers recommended that people on long-term metformin have their B12 checked from time to time. If you take metformin, ask your doctor about testing before deciding on a dose yourself.
Who probably does not need one
A healthy adult under 50 who regularly eats animal foods and takes no medication that interferes with absorption is unlikely to be short of B12. Three ounces of salmon or a serving of beef supplies about a day’s worth, and a cup of milk about half.
If you already take a multivitamin, you are almost certainly covered. Most contain 100 percent or more of the Daily Value.
Will B12 give you energy?
Only if you were deficient. Tiredness is a symptom of B12 deficiency, and correcting the deficiency relieves it. In people with adequate B12, the NIH says supplements have not been shown to improve energy or athletic performance.
The phrase “supports energy metabolism” on a label is accurate. It describes a biochemical role, not a feeling. If a B12 gummy makes you feel noticeably more awake within an hour, check the ingredient list for caffeine.
Persistent tiredness has many causes. If it lasts more than a few weeks, see a doctor instead of guessing with supplements. A blood test can check B12, iron, thyroid function and more.
How much is in a gummy, and how much is absorbed
B12 gummies range from about 1 mcg to 1,000 mcg or more per serving. The large numbers look alarming or impressive depending on your point of view. They are neither, because absorption falls steeply as the dose rises.
| Dose | Roughly how much is absorbed |
|---|---|
| 1 mcg to 2 mcg | About half |
| 500 mcg | About 2 percent, around 10 mcg |
| 1,000 mcg | A little over 1 percent, around 13 mcg |
The body’s active absorption system handles only a microgram or two at a time. Beyond that, a small percentage gets through passively. So a gummy with 1,000 mcg is not 400 times more effective than one with 2.4 mcg. High doses exist because that small passive percentage is useful for people who absorb poorly, and doctors sometimes recommend them for that reason.
For someone who simply wants to cover the daily requirement, a product providing 100 percent of the Daily Value is enough.
Reading a label: an example
Some gummies include B12 alongside a headline ingredient. Goli Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies, for instance, list 1.2 mcg of vitamin B12 per gummy, which is 50 percent of the Daily Value. Two gummies supply 100 percent. Taken at the higher end of the suggested use, the B12 rises to several times the Daily Value along with the sugar. Our Goli Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies review shows the full panel, and how many ACV gummies a day works through the totals.
Methylcobalamin or cyanocobalamin?
These are the two forms you will see most often. Methylcobalamin is one of the forms active in the body and is often marketed as superior. Cyanocobalamin is more stable and has been used in supplements and fortified foods for decades. The NIH states that there is no evidence that absorption differs between forms. Either is fine. The amount and taking it consistently matter more.
Is too much harmful?
No upper limit has been set for vitamin B12, because no harm has been shown from high intakes in healthy people. Excess is not well absorbed, and what is absorbed beyond need is excreted. That is not a reason to take very large doses without a purpose. With gummies, the practical limit is the sugar and whatever else is in the formula. See can you take too many gummy vitamins.
Gummy, tablet or injection?
For most people who need a supplement, any oral form works. A gummy is as good as a tablet if it contains the amount stated, and our article on whether gummy vitamins are as good as pills discusses that question. Injections are for people with diagnosed deficiency or severe absorption problems, and are prescribed by a doctor.
Vegans should check that the gummy is set with pectin and not gelatin. See pectin vs gelatin.
The research and the numbers are in the vitamin B12 guide, and related products are on the energy and focus gummies page.
The short version
- Adults need 2.4 mcg a day. Most people who eat animal foods get it.
- Vegans need a supplement or fortified foods.
- Adults over 50, and people on metformin or acid-reducing medication, are at higher risk of running low.
- B12 does not raise energy unless you were deficient.
- Very large doses are mostly not absorbed.
- There is no upper limit, and the form matters less than the amount.
Common questions
Who should take B12 gummies?
Vegans, many vegetarians, adults over about 50, people on long-term metformin or acid-reducing medication, and people with conditions that reduce absorption.
Do B12 gummies give you energy?
Only if you were deficient. In people with adequate B12, supplements have not been shown to improve energy.
How much B12 should a gummy have?
At least the Daily Value of 2.4 mcg covers the daily requirement. Higher doses are used when absorption is poor.
Is 1,000 mcg of B12 too much?
It is not known to be harmful, but only a little over 1 percent of it is absorbed.
Is methylcobalamin better than cyanocobalamin?
The NIH says there is no evidence that absorption differs between forms.
Can I get enough B12 on a vegan diet without supplements?
Only by eating fortified foods consistently. Plants do not naturally contain B12.
Sources
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin B12: fact sheet for health professionals.
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin B12: fact sheet for consumers.
- Stabler SP. Clinical practice. Vitamin B12 deficiency. N Engl J Med. 2013.
- Pawlak R, et al. The prevalence of cobalamin deficiency among vegetarians assessed by serum vitamin B12: a review of literature. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2014.
- Aroda VR, et al. Long-term metformin use and vitamin B12 deficiency in the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2016.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products discussed here are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. This page is not medical advice. It is written for adults 18 and over.