If you’ve already stumbled across the word ‘cobalamin’ and know what it means, hats off to you! If not, don’t worry. We recognise that it’s hardly going to come up in everyday conversation. But with that being said, it is, in fact, a rather important vitamin that comes from a lot of the foods we eat.

So, let’s go into more detail and find out exactly what it is and why it’s important for your child’s health.

What is cobalamin?

Cobalamin, also known as vitamin B12, is a water-soluble vitamin naturally found in foods and is then synthesised by bacteria in the small intestine. Cobalamin plays an important role in several bodily functions, including:

Keeping the nervous system healthy and running smoothly

Producing red blood cells.

Helping the body release energy from food sources.

And creating our DNA (the very building blocks of every cell in the body).

Cobalamin is found in most meats, milk, eggs, fish, liver, and oysters, amongst other things. It can be a little tricky for vegetarians to get their cobalamin fill, but they can get their fill from foods fortified with vitamin B12, supplements, nutritional yeast, and certain types of mushrooms.

So what happens if my child isn’t getting enough cobalamin?

Cobalamin deficiency can be difficult to detect because many symptoms aren’t unique to vitamin B12 deficiency. However, should you notice any of the following in your child: fatigue, shortness of breath, mouth ulcers, pale skin with a yellow tinge, disturbed vision, tingling in the hands and feet, impaired mental function, or depression, do speak to your paediatrician. Those people with cobalamin deficiency, or those at particular risk of deficiency, will most often be given supplements to be taken daily. If you’re raising vegetarian or vegan kids, it’s a good idea to speak to your paediatrician about potentially introducing vitamin B12 supplements.

Pernicious anaemia is a severe form of vitamin B12 deficiency that causes the immune system to attack the cells in the stomach. This must be treated via vitamin B12 injections.

So, we have a better idea of what cobalamin is and what a deficiency might look like, but how do we know our kids are getting enough?

How much cobalamin does my child need?

Again, most children will get all of the cobalamin they need from the foods they eat and their mother’s breast milk, so it’s not generally something to worry about. But if you’re looking for exact daily measurements, children aged 1-3 years need 0.5mg, children aged 4-6 years need 0.8 mg, and kids aged between 7 and 10 years need 1mg.

What is cobalamin (vitamin B12), and how much does my child need?

On Unii’s Toddler Nutrition Journey, we look at your child’s vitamin B12 needs.