vitamin
Vitamin B12 supplements
Half of the 14,425 vitamin B12 supplements in the NIH label database that print an amount list 36 mcg or less per serving; the middle half list 6 mcg to 200 mcg (DSLD version 9.4.0, January 2026). The 654 products whose only supplement ingredient is vitamin B12 list a median of 1,000 mcg.
- Products listing it
- 14,77414,425 print an amount; 336 list it inside a blend without an amount
- Median per serving
- 36 mcgmiddle half 6 mcg to 200 mcg
- FDA Daily Value
- 2.4 mcgthe median is 1500% of it
How much vitamin B12 do supplements contain?
The median product lists 36 mcg per serving. One in ten lists 2.8 mcg or less, one in ten 1,000 mcg or more. The amount printed most often is 6 mcg (1,349 products).
Products by amount of vitamin B12 per serving
14,425 products, log scale; extreme 0.2% at each end left out of the drawing.
| Amount per serving | Products | For example |
|---|---|---|
| 6 mcg | 1,349 | Spiru-Pro Soy Protein Drink With Spirulina Natural Vanilla (Vitamin World); Healthy Energy (FRS); Healthy Energy Pineapple Mango (FRS) |
| 100 mcg | 1,318 | B-12 100 mcg (Vitamin World); Phyto-Estrogen Formula (GNC Women's); B100 Complex (Sundown Naturals) |
| 50 mcg | 920 | Sport (GNC Mega Men); Maximum Nutrition Vanilla Bean (GNC Mega Men); Maximum Nutrition Vanilla Creme (GNC Women's Ultra Mega) |
| 1,000 mcg | 903 | Timed Release B-12 1000 mcg (Vitamin World); 2 Methyl 13-C (Iron-Tek); Animal Rage Slaughter Melon (Animal) |
| 500 mcg | 775 | B-12 500 mcg (Vitamin World); B-Complex (Effective Natural Products); Heart Miracle (Century Systems) |
| 25 mcg | 651 | Beveri Immunity Boost Natural Tangerine Flavor (beveri); Beveri Immunity Boost Natural Tropical Fruit Flavor (beveri); 1,000 mg Vitamin C Lite (Emergen-C) |
| 12 mcg | 510 | Memorall (GNC Preventive Nutrition); Every Woman's One Daily (New Chapter Organics); Daily Essentials (VAXA International) |
| 10 mcg | 411 | SuperPump Max Raspberry Lemonade (Gaspari Nutrition); SuperPump Max Fruit Punch Blast (Gaspari Nutrition); High Potency B & C Complex (Sundown Naturals) |
| 250 mcg | 405 | Pre-Training Formula Tropical Punch (Gamma Labs); Vitamin B12-250 (ProCaps Laboratories); Folic Acid Xtra (Sundown Naturals) |
| 200 mcg | 366 | Anatherm Heat Metabolics Stimulator (NatureSmart); LifeEssence (Pure Essence Labs); Viridex XT (Gaspari Nutrition) |
Source: Supplement Facts rows of every product's current label, NIH ODS Dietary Supplement Label Database version 9.4.0; amounts in one measure (weight).
How do the amounts compare with the Daily Value and the upper limit?
The FDA Daily Value for vitamin B12 is 2.4 mcg (adults and children 4 and older). The median product gives 1500% of it per serving; the 90th percentile 41667%.
The upper limit is for total intake from food, water and supplements unless stated, and does not apply under medical supervision. A label amount is what the maker printed. This is data, not advice: the NIH ODS fact sheets explain what each nutrient does.
Sources: 21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(iv) (Daily Values); Institute of Medicine, DRI summary tables (2011) (upper limits); on reading them, the FDA's Daily Value page.
Which forms of vitamin B12 do labels name?
Cyanocobalamin is the form named most often: 7,144 of the 14,774 vitamin B12 products (48%), ahead of methylcobalamin (5,005, 34%) and adenosylcobalamin (223, 2%). A product naming two forms counts in both; the table below gives every form.
Products by the form of vitamin B12 on the label
Count, and the median amount per serving in that form.
| Form | Products | Share of vitamin B12 products | Median per serving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cyanocobalamin | 7,144 | 48% | 25 mcg |
| Methylcobalamin | 5,005 | 34% | 100 mcg |
| Adenosylcobalamin | 223 | 2% | 281.5 mcg |
| Hydroxocobalamin | 139 | under 1% | 400 mcg |
Source: the form each label gives for its vitamin B12 row (DSLD "forms"), current labels.
Which products list the most vitamin B12?
On-market products, per serving, with a plausible amount: the rule leaves out likely entry slips, such as an amount far beyond every other label with no %DV or strength on the label to back it (each product page still shows its own amount, marked).
- Methyl B12 - 15 mgAOR Advanced Orthomolecular Research Advanced45,000 mcg
- Mega B-12 Daily VitsNOW12,000 mcg
- B-12 10,000 mcg Mixed BerryNOW Shots10,000 mcg
- B-12 10,000 mcg Delicious Cherry FlavorVitaSorb10,000 mcg
- Extra Strength Methyl B-12 10,000 mcgNOW10,000 mcg
- Methylcobalamin B-12 10,000 mcg B-6 & Folic Acid 1,200 mcgSuperior Source10,000 mcg
- Methylcobalamin B-12 10,000 mcgSuperior Source10,000 mcg
- B-12 10,000 mcgSuperior Source10,000 mcg
Have the amounts changed over the years?
Products whose current label entered DSLD in 2011 list a median of 50 mcg; those entered in 2025, 30 mcg.
| Year | Products | Median per serving |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 341 | 50 mcg |
| 2012 | 922 | 37 mcg |
| 2013 | 1,039 | 25 mcg |
| 2014 | 714 | 50 mcg |
| 2015 | 701 | 40 mcg |
| 2016 | 636 | 37.5 mcg |
| 2017 | 748 | 50 mcg |
| 2018 | 681 | 35 mcg |
| 2019 | 753 | 30 mcg |
| 2020 | 1,281 | 50 mcg |
| 2021 | 1,225 | 29 mcg |
| 2022 | 1,398 | 30 mcg |
| 2023 | 1,205 | 30 mcg |
| 2024 | 1,438 | 50 mcg |
| 2025 | 1,343 | 30 mcg |
Source: DSLD label entry dates and amounts, current labels.
In which products and brands?
Products listing vitamin B12 by DSLD product type
Brands listing it most: Douglas Laboratories (245), Nature's Way (236), Nature's Plus (226), Cellucor (111), Country Life (107), Bronson (95), NOW (91), Nature Made (89), ProCaps Laboratories (87), Nature's Bounty (84).
Every product listing vitamin B12
14,774 products, A to Z by name (page 196 of 296), each with the amount its label prints; an amount far outside what other labels print is marked as a possible slip.
- OPC-3 Multivitamin Activated B-Complex Calcium PlusIsotonix195 mcg
- Opti-50 PlusIVL Institute For Vibrant Living20 mcg
- Opti-Energy PackSuperNutrition · off the market1,000 mcg
- Opti-Energy Pack Iron FreeSuperNutrition · off the market1,000 mcg
- Opti-MenON Optimum Nutrition100 mcg
- Opti-MenOptimum Nutrition100 mcg
- Opti-Men Assorted FruitOptimum Nutrition6 mcg
- Opti-WomenON Optimum Nutrition40 mcg
- OptiCleanse GHI ChaiXYMOGEN50 mcg
- OptiCleanse GHI Chocolate MintXYMOGEN50 mcg
- OptiCleanse GHI Creamy ChocolateXYMOGEN50 mcg
- OptiCleanse GHI Creamy Chocolate Sugar-& Stevia-FreeXYMOGEN50 mcg
- OptiCleanse GHI Lite Vanilla Delight Sugar- & Stevia-FreeXYMOGEN25 mcg
- OptiCleanse GHI OriginalXYMOGEN · off the market50 mcg
- OptiCleanse GHI Rice OriginalXYMOGEN50 mcg
- OptiCleanse GHI Rice Raspberry LemonadeXYMOGEN50 mcg
- OptiCleanse GHI Rice Vanilla DelightXYMOGEN50 mcg
- OptiCleanse GHI Sugar-& Stevia-Free ChaiXYMOGEN50 mcg
- OptiCleanse GHI Vanilla DelightXYMOGEN50 mcg
- OptiCleanse GHI Vanilla Delight Sugar- & Stevia-FreeXYMOGEN · off the market50 mcg
- OptiCleanse Plus ChaiXYMOGEN22 mcg
- OptiCleanse Plus Creamy ChocolateXYMOGEN22 mcg
- OptiCleanse Plus Creamy Chocolate No Added Sugar, No SteviaXYMOGEN22 mcg
- OptiCleanse Plus Rice OriginalXYMOGEN22 mcg
- OptiCleanse Plus Rice Raspberry LemonadeXYMOGEN22 mcg
- OptiCleanse Plus Vanilla DelightXYMOGENanother unit
- OptiCleanse Plus Vanilla Delight No Added Sugar, No SteviaXYMOGEN22 mcg
- OpticOnePatient One 1 MediNutritionals6 mcg
- Optify Eye HealthNutraChamps100 mcg
- OptiGlycemiX ChaiXYMOGEN50 mcg
- OptiGlycemiX Chocolate MintXYMOGEN50 mcg
- OptiGlycemiX Vanilla DelightXYMOGEN50 mcg
- Optimal B ComplexNeurobiologix500 mcg
- Optimal Balance For MenHardy Nutritionals168 mcg
- Optimal Balance For WomenHardy Nutritionals · off the market168 mcg
- Optimal Detox ChocolateSeeking Health50 mcg
- Optimal Detox VanillaSeeking Health50 mcg
- Optimal Energy 2-in-1 Prebiotics + Probiotics 20 BillionRenew Life2.4 mcg
- Optimal Keto ACV GummiesJustified Laboratories2 mcg
- Optimal Keto ACV Gummies ExtremeJustified Laboratories4 mcg
- Optimal Liposomal Active B12 with L-5-MTHFSeeking Health5,000 mcg
- Optimal ManSeeking Health100 mcg
- Optimal Multi-CapsVitaScript50 mcg
- Optimal MultivitaminSeeking Health250 mcg
- Optimal Multivitamin ChewableSeeking Health20 mcg
- Optimal Multivitamin Methyl OneSeeking Health25 mcg
- Optimal Multivitamin Minus OneSeeking Health25 mcg
- Optimal Multivitamin PlusSeeking Health150 mcg
- Optimal Multivitamin Powder CherrySeeking Health50 mcg
- Optimal Multivitamin w/IronSeeking Health250 mcg