Vitamin B12 deficiency: Eat these foods – egg, low-fat milk, ham, clams, fortified cereals

Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause a variety of symptoms, including extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, and headaches. If left untreated, complications such as vision problems, memory loss, needlesticks, and nerve damage may occur. By making sure your daily intake of vitamin B12 is recommended, you can stop the development of these health problems. But which foods are the best sources of B12?

Harvard Health Publishing, part of Harvard Medical School, offers a "list" of B12 foods.

The following are included for good dietary saucers vitamin B12:

• Egg – a large egg contains 0.6 μg of B12
• Low fat milk – one cup contains 1.2 mg of B12
• Ham – three ounces contains 0.6mcg of B12
• Clams – three ounces contains 84mcg of B12
• Enriched cereals – one cup contains 6 μg of B12

The NHS recommends that adults aged 19 to 64 consume about 1.5 mg of vitamin B12 per day.

He explains, "If you eat meat, fish, or dairy products, you should be able to get enough vitamin B12 in your diet.

"But because vitamin B12 is not naturally found in foods like fruits, vegetables and cereals, vegans may not eat enough."

For vegans, good dietary sources of vitamin B12 include:

• Nori – a study recommends eating 4 g of dried purple to meet family needs for vitamin B12
• Shiitake mushrooms – you would need to consume about 50g of dried shiitake mushrooms to satisfy your daily vitamin B12 needs
• Soy milk – 8 ounces equals about 3 mg of vitamin B12

Although you should be able to get all the vitamin B12 you need by having a varied and balanced diet, some people who do not eat enough of it can consider taking vitamin B12 supplements.

The Ministry of Health advises you not to take too much vitamin B12 supplements as this could be harmful.

Taking 2 mg or less per day of vitamin B12 as supplements is unlikely to harm.

The symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency are listed by Bupa as follows:

• Feeling very tired
• Shortness of breath even after a little exercise
• Heart palpitations
• headache
• Reduced appetite
• A painful mouth and tongue

Another symptom of vitamin B12 deficiency can also affect a person's bowel habits.