Recommended daily intake of B vitamins

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Recommended Daily Intake of B Vitamins: Thiamine (B1), Pyridoxine (B6), and Cobalamin (B12)

Thiamine (Vitamin B1) Daily Intake Recommendations

For adults over 18, the recommended daily intake (RDI) of thiamine is 1.2 mg/day for men and 1.1 mg/day for women. Pregnant women should increase their intake to 1.4 mg/day. Children require less, starting at 0.2 mg/day in infancy and increasing with age. Thiamine is not stored in the body for long, so regular intake from foods like whole grains, pork, poultry, soybeans, nuts, and fortified cereals is important to maintain healthy levels .

Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6) Daily Intake Recommendations

For vitamin B6, recommendations for adults are 1.4 mg/day for women and 1.6 mg/day for men, according to recent European guidelines. During pregnancy, the recommended intake rises to 1.8 mg/day, and for lactating women, it is 1.6 mg/day. For children, the recommended intake ranges from 0.6 mg/day to 1.6 mg/day, depending on age. Infants need about 0.1–0.3 mg/day. These values are based on maintaining adequate blood levels of the active form of vitamin B6 (PLP) 56. Most people in the US consume between 1.1 mg/day (women) and 1.85 mg/day (men), but a significant portion of the population may not meet the recommended intake, especially women and older adults .

The tolerable upper intake level (UL) for vitamin B6 in adults is set at 12 mg/day to avoid the risk of nerve damage. For children, the UL ranges from 2.2 mg/day to 10.7 mg/day, depending on age .

Cobalamin (Vitamin B12) Daily Intake Recommendations

The recommended daily intake for vitamin B12 has traditionally been set at 2–2.4 micrograms (µg) per day for adults. However, recent studies suggest that a daily intake of 4–7 µg may be more effective for maintaining optimal blood levels and preventing deficiency, even in healthy adults with normal absorption 234. For older adults, higher intakes may be needed due to decreased absorption with age. Daily losses of vitamin B12 in healthy adults are estimated to be between 1.4 and 5.1 µg, and intakes needed to compensate for these losses may range from 3.8 to 20.7 µg, though more research is needed to confirm if current recommendations should be increased .

B Vitamins and Health Outcomes

Adequate intake of B6, B9 (folate), and B12 is associated with better cognitive performance in older adults, including improved memory, attention, and processing speed. Meeting or exceeding the recommended daily intake for these vitamins is linked to a lower risk of low cognitive performance .

Conclusion

The recommended daily intake for B vitamins varies by age, sex, and life stage. For thiamine (B1), adults need about 1.1–1.2 mg/day; for pyridoxine (B6), 1.4–1.6 mg/day; and for cobalamin (B12), at least 2–2.4 µg/day, though 4–7 µg/day may be optimal for many adults. Pregnant and lactating women require higher amounts. Regular intake from a varied diet is important, as deficiencies can impact health, especially cognitive function in older adults.

Sources and full results

Most relevant research papers on this topic

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)

Regular dietary intake of thiamin is necessary to maintain proper blood levels, with recommended daily intake levels varying for adults, children, and pregnant women.

2019·

1citation

·J. Martel et al.

Recommended dietary intakes (RDI) of vitamin B-12 in humans.

2 micrograms (1.5 nmol) of cobalamin daily is sufficient for maintaining adequate vitamin B-12 nutriture and a substantial reserve body pool in normal individuals.

Highly Cited

1987·

86citations

·V. Herbert

A daily intake of approximately 6 microg vitamin B-12 appears to saturate all the vitamin B-12-related variables in Danish postmenopausal women.

A daily vitamin B-12 intake of 6 microg is sufficient to correct all vitamin B-12-related variables in postmenopausal Danish women.

Observational StudyHighly Cited

2006·

100citations

·M. Bor et al.

Daily intake of 4 to 7 microg dietary vitamin B-12 is associated with steady concentrations of vitamin B-12-related biomarkers in a healthy young population.

A daily intake of 4-7 microg vitamin B-12 is associated with adequate vitamin B-12 status, suggesting the current RDA of 2.4 microg vitamin B-12/d may be inadequate for optimal biomarker status in healthy individuals aged 18-50 years.

Observational StudyVery Rigorous JournalHighly Cited

2010·

80citations

·M. Bor et al.

Revised D-A-CH Reference Values for the Intake of Vitamin B6

The revised D-A-CH reference values for vitamin B6 intake suggest that adults should consume 1.2 mg/day for adequate vitamin B6 status, while infants, children, and adolescents require 0.5 to 1.5 mg/day, and pregnant and lactating women need 1.3 mg/day.

2020·

15citations

·A. Jungert et al.

Dietary Reference Values for vitamin B6

The EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition, and Allergies (NDA) has set Dietary Reference Values for vitamin B6 based on plasma pyridoxal 5′-phosphate concentration, with a recommended intake of 1.3 to 1.6 mg/day for women, 1.5 to

2016·

6citations

Dietary vitamin B-6 intake and food sources in the US population: NHANES II, 1976-1980.

Most Americans consume less than the recommended dietary allowance of vitamin B-6, with beef steaks, alcoholic beverages, potatoes, ready-to-eat cereals, and milk being important sources.

1990·

65citations

·A. Kant et al.

Scientific opinion on the tolerable upper intake level for vitamin B6

The EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods, and Food Allergens has established a tolerable upper intake level of 12 mg/day for vitamin B6 for adults, based on a reference point of 50 mg/day and animal studies.

Literature Review

2023·

15citations

·D. Turck et al.

Vitamin B6, B9, and B12 Intakes and Cognitive Performance in Elders: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2011–2014

Adequate dietary vitamin B9 and B12 intakes are significantly associated with better cognitive performance in elderly adults, reducing the risk of low cognitive performance.

Observational StudyRigorous Journal

2022·

21citations

·Hui Xu et al.

Systematic Review on Daily Vitamin B12 Losses and Bioavailability for Deriving Recommendations on Vitamin B12 Intake with the Factorial Approach

Daily vitamin B12 losses in adults and elderly range from 1.4 to 5.1 g, and recommended intake ranges from 3.8 to 20.7 g to compensate for these losses.

Systematic ReviewHighly Cited

2013·

72citations

·E. Doets et al.

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