Take a B12 tablet every day if you are over 50, vegan, or have taken metformin or an acid reducer for years. Otherwise, food usually gives you enough.
Every age: B12 dose chart.
Ready to buy:
Jamieson Vitamin B12 1,000 mcg
CA$0.10 a day, the cheapest 1,000 mcg tablet here. Licensed by Health Canada.
Which B12 is right for you?
The right kind of B12 depends on why you take it.
Over 50, vegan, or on metformin? Food may not give you enough.
Health Canada says 10 to 30% of older people may not absorb the B12 in food well, so after 50 it advises getting most of it from fortified foods or a supplement. Plants have no B12 unless it is added, and metformin and years of acid reducers can lower it too. One 1,000 mcg tablet a day, like our pick above, fills the gap. If you are vegan, check the label says vegan.
Blood test says your B12 is low? A daily 1,000 mcg often fixes it.
In a trial of older adults with low B12, a 1,000 mcg pill each day brought more than 9 in 10 back to normal in 8 weeks (Sanz-Cuesta 2020). Your doctor sets the dose, and may use shots for pernicious anemia or nerve symptoms. This capsule holds 1,000 mcg of methylcobalamin and is licensed by Health Canada.
Pure Encapsulations Methylcobalamin 1,000 mcg
CA$0.40 a day
Only need the 2.4 mcg? A multivitamin can cover it.
If your B12 is normal and you eat some meat, fish, eggs or dairy, a multivitamin with B12 is enough. Check the B12 line on the label. This one uses methylcobalamin. For men, One A Day Men’s Complete uses cyanocobalamin.
NATURELO One Daily Multivitamin for Women
CA$0.57 a day
Doctor wants a higher dose? One tablet can hold 10,000 mcg.
Some doctors treat low B12 with a big daily dose by mouth. This tablet melts under the tongue and is licensed by Health Canada. For a middle step, AOR Methylcobalamin 5 mg lozenges hold 5,000 mcg each (CA$0.46 a day). Take these doses only on your doctor’s advice.
Natural Factors Methylcobalamin 10,000 mcg
CA$0.67 a day
How much vitamin B12 per day in Canada?
| Who | B12 a day |
|---|---|
| Children 1 to 3 years | 0.9 mcg |
| Children 4 to 8 years | 1.2 mcg |
| Children 9 to 13 years | 1.8 mcg |
| Teens 14 and older, and adults | 2.4 mcg |
| Pregnancy | 2.6 mcg |
| Breastfeeding | 2.8 mcg |
Give a child an adult B12 tablet only if a doctor says to.
Why tablets hold 1,000 mcg
You absorb only about 13 mcg of a 1,000 mcg pill (US NIH). That is still several times what you need, so a big tablet works. More in how much B12 to take a day.
Is high-dose B12 safe?
Health Canada has set no upper limit for B12, because there is not enough data. It adds that this does not prove high doses carry no risk. Its standard licence for multivitamins allows up to 1,000 mcg a day, and single B12 products hold their own licences, up to a 15,000 mcg lozenge.
The Natural Factors licence lists stomach upset, flushing, dizziness and acne in some people. Ask your doctor first if you have kidney disease.
What the NPN on a Canadian label means
The NPN (natural product number) means Health Canada licensed the product. Type it into Health Canada’s licensed products database to see the approved dose, form and warnings.
Canadian foods with B12
Only animal foods have B12 naturally. Many plant drinks sold in Canada have it added; check the Nutrition Facts table.
| Food | B12, mcg |
|---|---|
| Canned tuna, 75 g (2½ oz) | 2.2 |
| Salmon, 75 g | 2.3 |
| Beef, 75 g | 1.3–2.5 |
| Cottage cheese, 250 mL (1 cup) | 1.5–1.7 |
| Milk, 250 mL (1 cup) | 1.1–1.4 |
| Fortified almond or oat beverage, 250 mL | 1.1 |
| Fortified soy or rice beverage, 250 mL | 1.0 |
| Egg, 1 whole | 0.6 |
| Nutritional yeast (fortified), 2 g (1 tsp powder) | 1.0 |
Frequently asked questions
How many mg is 1,000 mcg of B12?
One. 1,000 mcg is 1 mg, so a 5 mg lozenge is 5,000 mcg. Labels may also write mcg as µg. If you see a B12 dose written as hundreds of mg, check the label again. It almost certainly means mcg.
How many tablets make 2,000 mcg of B12?
Two 1,000 mcg tablets. 2,000 mcg a day is a treatment dose, so take it on your doctor’s advice.
Do I need a B12 tablet in pregnancy?
Most prenatal vitamins already carry more B12 than the amount in the chart. Ask your doctor or midwife before adding a B12 tablet, especially if you are vegan.
When should I get a B12 blood test?
Before you start a supplement, because it raises the result. See a doctor soon if you have numbness, tingling, balance trouble or memory changes, or have had stomach or bowel surgery. More in signs of low B12.
Related guides
- US B12 dosage guide: how absorption works, and the trials behind the 1,000 mcg dose
- B12 safety guide: side effects, and who should check with a doctor first
- Methylcobalamin vs cyanocobalamin: why the form matters less than the dose
- Vitamin D dosage in Canada: Health Canada’s numbers and what to buy
Sources
- Health Canada. Dietary Reference Intakes tables: reference values for vitamins, Table 3 and its footnotes. Page modified November 19, 2025; read October 15, 2026.
- Health Canada, Natural and Non-prescription Health Products Directorate. Multi-vitamin/mineral supplements monograph, dated June 26, 2026.
- Health Canada. Licensed Natural Health Products Database: licences 80012952, 80066390, 80086076, 80076686, 80025586 (read October 15, 2026).
- Dietitians of Canada (Unlock Food). What you need to know about vitamin B12 (food table).
- US NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin B12 fact sheet for health professionals (updated July 2, 2025): absorption, shots.
- Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes, chapter 9: Vitamin B12. National Academies Press, 1998.
- Sanz-Cuesta T, et al. Oral versus intramuscular administration of vitamin B12 for vitamin B12 deficiency in primary care (OB12). BMJ Open. 2020. PMID 32819927
- de Jager J, et al. Long term treatment with metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes and risk of vitamin B12 deficiency. BMJ. 2010. PMID 20488910
- Prices: Amazon.ca, in Canadian dollars, for one tablet a day, checked November 6, 2026. They change often.