Over 50, vegan, or on metformin or an acid reducer for years? One pill a day covers it. If you are under 50, eat meat, fish, eggs or dairy, and feel well, food usually gives you the 2.4 mcg a day adults need (NIH).
Not sure? A blood test answers it. See signs of low B12.
Ready to buy:
NatureWise Vitamin B12 1000 mcg
$0.12 a day. A 1,000 mcg softgel on NSF’s testing list, and the cheapest tested pill.
Which 1,000 mcg B12 fits you?
Our pick suits most people, including adults over 50 and people on metformin. Choose another if one of these fits you.
Vegan? Many B12 softgels, our pick included, use gelatin.
This lemon chewable is labeled vegan, so it fits a plant-only diet. More in B12 for vegans.
Jarrow Methyl B-12 1000 mcg, lemon chewable
$0.13 a day
Prefer methylcobalamin? Pick one on a testing list.
NIH finds no evidence that one form is absorbed better. If you still prefer methylcobalamin, Thorne is the only one here on NSF’s testing list. It costs the most a day. The forms are compared in methylcobalamin vs cyanocobalamin.
Thorne Vitamin B12 (methylcobalamin)
$0.40 a day
On a tight budget? The cheapest pills are not on a testing list.
Nutricost Methyl B12 1000 mcg capsules cost $0.07 a day, the least of any here. Vitamatic Vitamin B12 1000 mcg Fast Dissolve comes 365 tablets to a bottle, a year of pills. For Vitamatic and Nature’s Bounty B12 1000 mcg, check today’s price on Amazon.
How much of 1,000 mcg do you absorb?
About 13 mcg, which is several times what you need (NIH). It is the most common size: about 1 in 3 of the 203 B12 labels we read hold exactly 1,000 mcg. Why pills are this size is in the B12 dosage guide.
Is 1,000 mcg too much?
Not for most adults. No upper limit has been set for B12 (NIH). Ask a doctor first if you have kidney disease, early Leber’s disease or a cobalt allergy. More in our B12 safety guide.
Does slow release work better?
We found no study showing it does. Nature Made Vitamin B12 1000 mcg Time Release lets its B12 out over a few hours. It is not on a public testing list.
Frequently asked questions
Is 1,000 mcg better than 500 mcg?
About the same, in the trial that compared them. In 16 weeks, older adults with mildly low B12 saw their B12 shortage marker fall 33% on 500 mcg a day and 33% on 1,000 mcg, against 16% on 100 mcg (Eussen 2005). A 1,000 mcg pill is the more common size.
Is 1,000 mcg enough if my level is low?
Often, yes. In a trial of 283 older adults with low B12, daily 1,000 mcg pills brought B12 back to normal as often as shots at 8 weeks (Sanz-Cuesta 2020). Your doctor will recheck your level. Pernicious anemia and nerve symptoms are usually treated with shots (NIH).
How long does a bottle last?
One pill is one day on every tablet here, so a bottle lasts as many days as it has pills: 60 days for NatureWise, up to 365 days for Vitamatic.
Related guides
- B12 dosage guide: how much a day, by age
- Is 1,000 mcg of B12 too much?: side effects and who should be careful
- B12 for seniors: why the over-50 advice exists
- Best B12 supplements: our full ranking
Sources
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. "Vitamin B12: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals" (RDA, absorption by dose, forms, no upper limit). ods.od.nih.gov (updated July 2, 2025; read October 15, 2026).
- Eussen SJ, et al. "Oral cyanocobalamin supplementation in older people with vitamin B12 deficiency: a dose-finding trial." Arch Intern Med. 2005. PMID: 15911731
- Sanz-Cuesta T, et al. "Oral versus intramuscular administration of vitamin B12 for vitamin B12 deficiency in primary care (OB12)." BMJ Open. 2020. PMID: 32819927
- Testing lists: USP Verified, NSF/ANSI 173 (NatureWise softgels; Thorne), NSF Certified for Sport (Thorne), searched October 15, 2026.
- Prices are each brand’s list price, checked October 15, 2026. Amazon’s price may differ.