Vitamin B12 helps the body manufacture red blood cells and nerves; it also helps with DNA maintenance and other functions. . . . Like most vitamins, B12 can’t be made by the body and so is classified as an “essential” vitamin. Some people don’t consume enough vitamin B12 to meet their needs, while others can’t absorb enough, no matter how much they consume. . . plants don’t make vitamin B12. The only foods that deliver it are meat, eggs, poultry, dairy products and B vitamin-enriched pastas and cereals. Strict vegetarians and vegans are at high risk for developing a B12 deficiency if they don’t eat grains that have been fortified with the vitamin or take a vitamin supplement. . . . If you are a strict vegetarian or vegan, it’s important to eat breads, cereals or other grains that have been fortified with vitamin B12, or take a daily supplement. A standard multivitamin delivers 6 micrograms, well above the determined daily need of 2.4 micrograms.