In 1993, the European Scientific Committee for Food set population reference intakes (PRI) for vitamin B12 in micrograms (mcg) per day (26): 

 

Age	Males: mcg/day	Females: mcg/day
6–12 months	0.5	0.5
1–3 years	0.7	0.7
4–6 years	0.9	0.9
7–10 years	1.0	1.0
11–14 years	1.3	1.3
15–17 years	1.4	1.4
18 years and older	1.4	1.4
Pregnant	-	1.6
Breast-feeding	-	1.9

In 1998, the U.S. Food and Nutrition Board set recommended dietary allowance (RDA) values for vitamin B12 that should meet the dietary requirement (27): 

 

Life Stage	Age	Males: (mcg/day)	Females: (mcg/day)
Infants	0–6 months	0.4 (AI)	0.4 (AI)
Infants	7–12 months	0.5 (AI)	0.5 (AI)
Children	1–3 years	0.9	0.9
Children	4–8 years	1.2	1.2
Children	9–13 years	1.8	1.8
Adolescents	14–18 years	2.4	2.4
Adults	19-50 years	2.4	2.4
Adults	51 years and older	2.4*	2.4*
Pregnancy	all ages	-	2.6
Breast-feeding	all ages	-	2.8

 

* Because of the increased risk of food-bound vitamin B12 malabsorption in older adults (see Deficiency), adults over 50 years of age are recommended to get most of the RDA from fortified food or vitamin B12-containing supplements (27).

Vitamin B12 is an exceptional B-vitamin as it can be stored in significant amounts, especially in the liver and the kidney. 

 

For a detailed overview of recommended daily intakes (PRIs/RDAs) of vitamins and minerals for adults derived from different countries and organizations see PDF.