Introduction

Vitamin B12 is one of those nutrients you don’t think about—until your body reminds you. From constant tiredness to brain fog, a lack of B12 can sneak up quietly but affect everything from your energy to your mood. In this post, I’ll explain where B12 comes from, how it’s made, why it’s such a big concern today, and even share my own experience.

What is Vitamin B12?

Vitamin B12 (also called cobalamin) is a water-soluble vitamin that helps your body:

• Make red blood cells (to carry oxygen).
• Keep your nervous system healthy.
• Support brain function and memory.
• Boost energy and fight fatigue.

Without it, your body simply can’t run at its best. Daily need of average adult is 2.4 mcg

Where Do We Find Vitamin B12?

Unlike many vitamins, B12 is not made by plants or animals. It is produced by bacteria found in soil, water, and the digestive systems of animals. That’s why:

• Animal foods (meat, fish, eggs, dairy) contain natural B12.
• Plant foods don’t naturally have B12—unless they are fortified (like some soy milk, oat milk, cereals, and nutritional yeast).
• Supplements (pills, sprays, or injections) are the most reliable source for vegans and vegetarians.

How Ancient People Got Their Nutrition vitamin B12

5 Best Vegan B12 Supplements in the U.S. (2025)

People often think that in ancient times, before farming and animal agriculture, humans mostly relied on animal products or meat, but that’s not completely true. Vitamin B12 is actually produced by bacteria naturally found in soil and river water. In the past, people lived with less hygiene—they didn’t wash food thoroughly and often consumed small soil particles with plants or drank water directly from rivers. This is how they got trace amounts of B12 without supplements.

Today, however, we drink RO or filtered water and carefully wash our fruits and vegetables. This protects us from many diseases, which is a good thing, but it also removes the natural bacteria that once provided B12. Since river water in mostly developing countries is now contaminated, filtration is necessary. But for B12, organic supplements and fortified foods have become the most reliable option. When animals eat grass or their food some soil particle also goes with it that why in animals has vitamin B12.

It’s true that supplements may not feel “natural,” but neither are many things we now depend on, like RO water, fertilizers, or modern medicines. Times change, and so must we. For our health, adapting with safe and reliable sources of B12 is not just necessary—it’s the smart choice

How is Vitamin B12 Made?

Today, the B12 in supplements and fortified foods is produced by fermentation using special bacteria in labs. So yes—it’s vegan-friendly because it doesn’t come from animals directly, but from bacteria cultures. This is why modern vegans can safely meet their B12 needs without meat or dairy.

Why is B12 Deficiency So Common Today?

In the past, people got B12 naturally from water and soil (since food wasn’t always washed or sanitized). But today:

• Modern farming practices remove most of the bacteria from plants.
• Chlorinated water kills B12-producing bacteria.
• People eating plant-based diets don’t get it from animal foods.
• Even some meat-eaters can become deficient in vitamin B12 if they have digestive issues or poor absorption. In India, studies suggest that nearly 70% of the population is B12 deficient. This is largely because a big portion of people follow vegetarian diets. While dairy products like milk and curd do contain some B12, the amounts are often too low to meet daily requirements. (Read here for data)
• This shows that the real problem is not the absence of meat or dairy, but the lack of nutritional awareness. Many people don’t realize that symptoms such as constant tiredness, weakness, memory problems, or tingling in the hands and feet could be signs of B12 deficiency. The encouraging part is that fortified foods and supplements are now widely available, making it possible for anyone—vegetarian, vegan, or non-vegetarian—to maintain healthy B12 levels with the right knowledge.

That’s why B12 deficiency is one of the most common nutritional problems worldwide.

My Experience with Going Vegan and Vitamin B12 Deficiency

When I decided to go vegan, that was the turning point when I also became more health-conscious than ever before. Leaving milk and other dairy products was a moral decision for me — driven by concerns about animal cruelty, climate change, and the suffering of animals. But as I eliminated animal products from my diet, I began to focus more seriously on nutrition: protein, calcium, vitamin D, and food variety.

I made sure to take care of my nutrient intake — except for one thing: Vitamin B12. Since B12 is not naturally present in plant-based foods, I didn’t include it in my diet. After around 5 to 6 months (or possibly 9 to 10 months), I started experiencing symptoms of B12 deficiency.

I began to feel constant fatigue, especially a strange nerve pain on the side of my forehead. It was a disturbing sensation that would appear any time of the day. Studying became hard, and I lost my focus. I was no longer able to learn new things like dancing or writing, and even teaching or explaining veganism and climate change became a challenge. I lost my debating skills because my brain felt constantly tired and unenergetic, which was extremely frustrating.

Whenever the body experiences a nutrient deficiency, it naturally starts craving the food sources that contain that nutrient. I started feeling forced to consume milk and curd again. Sometimes, while chewing on one side of my mouth, I would feel nerve pain. It was a very uncomfortable time — I couldn’t study, argue, teach, or even play chess properly. My memory, which was once sharp, started getting worse day by day. I saw firsthand how damaging a deficiency can be, and how it can affect both your body and mind.

Thankfully, after I started taking Vitamin B12 supplements, I began to feel normal again.

It’s important to remember that vitamins are micronutrients — unlike protein, carbohydrates, and fats, they are needed in very small amounts. That’s why deficiency symptoms may only appear after several months. But B12 is a water-soluble vitamin, which means our body doesn’t store it for long and we need to consume it regularly — any extra gets flushed out through urine.

My Advice to New Vegans or Anyone Considering Veganism

If you’ve decided to go vegan — which is a great and compassionate choice — you are taking a stand against animal cruelty and helping fight climate change. The meat and dairy industries are some of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. We’ve already started seeing the consequences of climate change across the world — from America to Japan, and from the UK to India. This is not just a personal choice anymore — it’s a global necessity.

But don’t let something like Vitamin B12 deficiency stop you. Yes, B12 is essential, but we don’t need to get it from meat. Reliable and affordable organic supplements are easily available. A tablet can cost as little as ₹5 to ₹8 (depending on the brand), and the total monthly cost is around ₹180 — a small price for your health, the environment, and the lives of animals.

What If You Are Deficient?

If you start noticing signs of vitamin B12 deficiency — like constant tiredness, headaches from even small tasks, tingling or nerve pain, low energy, pale or yellowish skin, dizziness, a fast heartbeat, or even sudden weight loss — it’s your body’s way of asking for more support.

For people who have been vegan or vegetarian for a long time without taking B12 supplements, the chances of deficiency are higher. The good news is that it’s fixable. To restore your levels, you usually need a higher dose of B12 — around 500 to 1,000 mcg per day — until your symptoms improve and blood tests show normal levels again. Once you’re back on track, you can switch to a smaller daily dose, usually between 2.2 mcg and 5 mcg, just to maintain healthy levels.

Since B12 is a water-soluble vitamin, your body naturally flushes out the extra through urine, so higher doses are generally safe. Still, it’s always best to confirm your deficiency with a blood test and follow your doctor’s advice for the right dosage.

✅ Key Takeaways

• Vitamin B12 is essential for energy, brain, and blood health.
• It is made by bacteria, not plants or animals.
• Modern diets and lifestyles make deficiency common.
• Vegans, vegetarians, and even some meat-eaters need to watch their levels.
• Supplements and fortified foods are the most reliable sources.

Final Thought: Don’t wait until deficiency shows up in the form of extreme fatigue or nerve problems. Think of B12 as a tiny nutrient with a big role—it truly is one of the most important vitamins for your body and mind.