Both men and women need adequate amounts of vitamin B12 for increased fertility. A daily vitamin B12 dose of 7 mcg, or a weekly dosage of 1,000 mcg seems to be beneficial for women who are trying to conceive.
How much vitamin B12 do we need per day?
The recommended daily dosage for vitamin B12 is 2.4 mcg. Pregnant women require 2.6 mcg of vitamin B12, while lactating women require 2.8 mcg.
However, vitamin B12 deficiency is pretty common! Especially, among vegans, vegetarians, and people who follow a plant-based diet. Plants don’t contain any vitamin B12. Therefore, it seems a good idea to take a vitamin B12 supplement. A weekly vitamin B12 dosage of 1,000 mcg is more than enough in most cases. Also, it’s pretty safe.
You can find a wide variety of vitamin B12 supplements on iHerb.
As vitamin B12 deficiency is common, couples who try to conceive should check their vitamin B12 levels.
How much vitamin B12 for women who are trying to conceive?
Vitamin B12 is necessary for female fertility. Women with low levels of vitamin B12 may deal with ovulation changes. Furthermore, low levels of vitamin B12 may interfere with the development of the ovum.[1]
Additionally, vitamin B12 deficiency may lead to defective implantation. On the contrary, women with high levels of vitamin B12 seem to have higher chances of having a baby, in both natural pregnancies and in pregnancies after ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology) treatment.[2]
It’s important for women to check their vitamin B12 levels before conceiving and also in early pregnancy.
As high vitamin B12 levels are vital for female fertility, scientists suggest that women should take a higher daily dosage than the recommended intake. Women who want to conceive could benefit from taking up to 7 mcg of vitamin B12 a day.[3]
Vitamin B12 is only one of the many vitamins and nutrients that women should have at high concentrations before conceiving.
Do we get enough vitamin B12?
Vegans, people who follow a plant-based diet, and older people have higher risk of vitamin B12 deficiency. Plant-based foods aren’t good dietary sources of vitamin B12. According to studies, vegans receive only 0.4 mcg of vitamin B12 from food. On the contrary, meat eaters receive around 7.2 mcg of vitamin B12 from diet a day.[5]
Fish, chicken, dairy, eggs, and especially, milk, are the best dietary sources.
