(HealthDayNews) -- Vitamin B12, also called cobalamin, helps maintain healthy nerve cells and red blood cells. It's also needed to make DNA, the genetic material in all cells, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
Vitamin B12 is bound to the protein in food. Hydrochloric acid produced in the stomach releases B12 from the protein during digestion.
The vitamin is found in animal foods including fish, milk and milk products, eggs, meat and poultry. Fortified breakfast cereals are an excellent source, especially for vegetarians who might otherwise get too little.
