Vitamin B12 - Nutrition Biomarkers, Cycle 1 - Canadian Health Measures Survey - Food and Nutrition Surveillance - Health Canada
Vitamin B12 (also known as cobalamin) plays an important role in some enzyme reactions in the body and is essential for normal red blood cell formation and neurological function. Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause anemia and may lead to potentially irreversible neurological damage.
Some groups of people, such as those with low stomach acidity or intestinal disorders, may not be able to absorb naturally-occurring vitamin B12. Some studies estimate that 10-30% of older adults have a condition called atrophic gastritis that reduces stomach acid secretion and, thus, absorption of vitamin B12.
Dietary Sources
Vitamin B12 is found in foods of animal origin (e.g., fish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk and milk products) and some fortified foods (e.g., fortified vegetarian substitutes).
Absorption of vitamin B12 from food is complex and relies on the condition of the stomach, the presence of a highly specific binding protein called intrinsic factor and pancreatic enzymes.
Assessment of Vitamin B12 status
Vitamin B12 status of Canadians was assessed by measuring serum vitamin B12 levels. Concentrations of serum vitamin B12 reflect both dietary intake and body stores of the vitamin.
Sex |
Age Group
|
n
|
Mean
(95% conf. interval) |
Selected percentiles
(95% confidence intervals) |
||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
5th
|
10th
|
25th
|
50th
|
75th
|
90th
|
95th
|
||||
Males | 9-13 | 390 | 402 (374,429) |
204 (185,223) |
226 (204,248) |
289 (266,313) |
373 (330,416) |
502 (466,537) |
608 (568,648) |
658 (636,679) |
14-18 | 279 | 359 (327,390) |
173 (142,204) |
204 (178,230) |
244 (218,269) |
325 (295,354) |
467 (399,534) |
569 (509,630) |
616 (576,656) |
|
19-30 | 292 | 326 (306,347) |
171 (150,192) |
192 (181,202) |
233 (206,261) |
299 (283,316) |
392 (352,432) |
517 (470,564) |
557 (476,639) |
|
31-50 | 650 | 326 (310,342) |
153 (130,176) |
179 (165,193) |
234 (220,248) |
298 (284,312) |
402 (366,438) |
529 (479,579) |
591 (549,633) |
|
51-70 | 537 | 310 (297,323) |
143 (128,158) |
165 (152,177) |
200 (180,220) |
280 (258,301) |
389 (368,411) |
508 (473,544) |
598 (548,649) |
|
71-79 | 170 | 331 (301,362) |
155 (139,170) |
179 (158,201) |
223 (200,247) |
303 (258,348) |
419 (338,499) |
550 (486,614) |
571 (535,607) |
|
19-79 | 1649 | 322 (313,331) |
154 (143,165) |
178 (172,184) |
224 (210,237) |
295 (285,305) |
393 (377,409) |
520 (490,550) |
588 (566,611) |
|
Females | 9-13 | 361 | 414 (398,430) |
199 (174,224) |
230 (209,250) |
306 (266,346) |
411 (390,431) |
519 (483,555) |
615 (584,646) |
669 (632,705) |
14-18 | 285 | 326 (295,357) |
127 (96,158) |
152 (128,177) |
224 (194,255) |
287 (253,321) |
410 (336,484) |
573 (473,673) |
624 (569,679) |
|
19-30 | 333 | 304 (282,326) |
143 (126,160) |
154 (138,171) |
195 (181,210) |
269 (245,293) |
401 (351,450) |
512 (442,581) |
578 (513,643) |
|
31-50 | 756 | 342 (315,368) |
141 (124,158) |
167 (138,195) |
222 (202,243) |
307 (277,337) |
457 (407,506) |
571 (535,608) |
626 (569,682) |
|
51-70 | 557 | 357 (344,370) |
157 (140,173) |
187 (172,201) |
223 (215,231) |
322 (298,345) |
464 (422,506) |
585 (566,604) |
652 (628,675) |
|
71-79 | 169 | 392 (350,434) |
136 (104,168) |
168 (126,209) |
238 (187,290) |
361 (293,429) |
545 (493,597) |
632 (602,662) |
669 (628,710) |
|
19-79 | 1815 | 341 (326,356) |
143 (133,153) |
169 (155,184) |
217 (209,225) |
304 (281,328) |
448 (420,477) |
574 (558,590) |
630 (609,650) |
Notes:
Total household population aged 9 to 79, except those meeting the exclusion criteria. For more information regarding the exclusion criteria, please refer to the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) Data User Guide: Cycle 1.
Bootstrap weights included with the dataset were used to estimate the 95% confidence intervals for all means and percentiles assuming a student's t-distribution with 11 degrees of freedom.
A competitive chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay (Immulite 2000 by DPC) was used to measure serum vitamin B12 levels.
Measurements that fell below the limit of detection (LOD) were assigned a value equal to half the LOD. The limit of detection is 111 pmol/L.
Data source: Canadian Health Measures Survey, Cycle 1.
Related Resources
Chapter on Vitamin B12 in Dietary Reference Intakes for Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin B12, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, and Choline (1998)
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