Open Food Labels. Search 429 ingredients⌘K

Study · Nutrients · 2022Conflicts declared

Vitamin B12 intake and status in Slovenia

Lavriša Ž, Hristov H, Hribar M, et al · Free full text

What it found

In a national survey in Slovenia, average vitamin B12 intake was above the recommended 4 µg a day in all age groups, but many people still fell short, especially the elderly.

Blood tests in a smaller group found deficiency in 1.2% of adults and 7.0% of the elderly.

What they found

Studies in people

Average intake

The average daily vitamin B12 intake was 6.2 µg in adults, 5.4 µg in adolescents, and 5.0 µg in the elderly. All were above the recommended 4 µg a day.

Shortfall in intake

Despite average intakes being high enough, 37.3% of adolescents, 31.7% of adults, and 58.3% of the elderly did not meet the recommended 4 µg a day. Women had lower intakes than men in all age groups.

Food sources

Meat and meat products provided the most vitamin B12 in all age groups, followed by milk and milk products. In adolescents, fortified cereals were also an important source.

Blood levels

The average blood vitamin B12 level was 322.1 pmol/L in adults and 287.3 pmol/L in the elderly. Low blood vitamin B12 was found in 21% of adults and 46% of the elderly.

Deficiency

Using both low blood vitamin B12 and high homocysteine as criteria, deficiency was found in 1.2% of adults and 7.0% of the elderly. Elderly men had the highest rate, at 7.9%.

Who is at risk

Being older and being male were linked to a higher chance of vitamin B12 deficiency. In the elderly, not smoking, being retired, and having lower financial status were linked to not meeting the recommended intake.

What the authors conclude

“In conclusion, although vitamin B12 status was generally not critical, additional attention should be focused particularly to the elderly.”
Lavriša Ž, Hristov H, Hribar M, et al, 2022

Also in their conclusions

  • They say that although vitamin B12 status was generally not critical, extra attention should be paid to the elderly.
  • They suggest that monitoring vitamin B12 in the elderly is very relevant and that supplementation could be considered.
  • They advise that vegans should be encouraged to take vitamin B12 supplements and have their status checked regularly.

How it was done

The authors wanted to estimate how much vitamin B12 people in Slovenia eat and how common deficiency is, since nationally representative data were lacking. They also wanted to find the main food sources and who is most at risk of low intake.

They used food consumption data from 1248 people aged 10 to 74 in the SI.Menu survey, collected between March 2017 and April 2018, using two 24-hour dietary recalls and food questionnaires. Blood levels of vitamin B12 and homocysteine were measured in a subgroup of 280 adults and elderly people.

What it can’t tell you

  • This kind of study can show links between diet, blood levels and factors like age or sex, but it cannot prove that one causes another.
  • The blood test results only cover adults and the elderly, not adolescents.
  • The survey did not record whether people took vitamin B12 supplements, so the intake figures come only from food.

The paper

Title
Dietary Intake and Status of Vitamin B12 in Slovenian Population
Type
Study
Evidence
Studies in people
Summarised from
Full text
Cite
Lavriša Ž, Hristov H, Hribar M, et al (2022). Dietary Intake and Status of Vitamin B12 in Slovenian Population. Nutrients. doi:10.3390/nu14020334Free full textPubMed 35057515DOI

Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error