Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin. Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water. After the body uses these vitamins, leftover amounts leave the body through the urine.
The body can store vitamin B12 for years in the liver.
Vitamin B12, like the other B vitamins, is important for protein metabolism. It helps in the formation of red blood cells and in the maintenance of the nervous system.
Vitamin B12 is naturally found in animal foods such as fish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk, and milk products. Vitamin B12 is generally not present in plant foods. Fortified breakfast cereals are a readily available source of vitamin B12. The vitamin is more available to the body from these cereals for vegetarians. Some nutritional yeast products also contain vitamin B12.
You can get the recommended amounts of vitamin B12 by eating a variety of the foods including:
Organ meats (beef liver)
Shellfish (clams)
Meat, poultry, eggs, milk and other dairy foods
Some fortified breakfast cereals and nutritional yeasts