A consideration of Vitamin B12 and Folate Intakes for Preventing Diseases

Abstract

To evaluate vitamin B12intake for preventing diseases, literature on daily loss of vitamin B12and an associatiobetween dietary vitamin B12 intake and biochemical markers of the vitamin status were investigated and reviewed. Although the current recommended dietary allowance of vitamin B12 for Japanese adults is set at 2.4μg per day, the result of this investigation for the daily intaNe of vitamin B12 by Japanese adults suggests that the daily intake of vitamin B12 (5-6 μg/day) is needed to compensate for its daily loss and to maintain its adequate nutritional status. This value would be suitable to store a sufficient amount of vitamin B12 in body for preventing elderly from its deficiency caused by malabsorption of its food-bound form. Vitamin B12 plays an important role in cellular folate metabolism. Therefore, the recommended daily intake of folate has also been discussed.