What can you say about vitamin B12 in your ads and on your site?

The library supports 5 wordings for vitamin B12; the strongest is “Plays a part in normal energy metabolism” (strong, 0.14-1,000 µg a day). Avoid wording that names or implies a disease, a drug or a treatment, such as “Treats anemia, including pernicious anemia”.

Also called: Cobalamin, Cyanocobalamin, Methylcobalamin, Hydroxocobalamin, Adenosylcobalamin

Reviewed 14 October 2026

Not legal advice. This guide shows the wording that published evidence supports at a daily dose, from the sources linked below; it is not a ruling on any claim. Your own product, its form and dose, and your own evidence still need to match the wording you use.

Supported wordings

What you can say.

Strong evidenceWording 1

Claims Facts

“Plays a part in normal energy metabolism.”

Daily dose	0.14-1,000 µg a day
Support	Health Canada lists energy metabolism and the EU authorizes normal energy-yielding metabolism.
Dose details	Health Canada: 0.14-1,000 µg a day for adults 19 and older. EU: at least 0.375 µg, 15% of the 2.5 µg EU reference value (Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex XIII). ODS: no upper limit was set.
Form	Any vitamin B12 form
Sources	Health Canada monograph: Multi-Vitamin/Mineral Supplements Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, list of permitted health claims

Strong evidenceWording 2

Claims Facts

“Helps form red blood cells.”

Daily dose	0.14-1,000 µg a day
Support	Listed by Health Canada and authorized in the EU after EFSA review.
Dose details	Health Canada: 0.14-1,000 µg a day for adults 19 and older. EU: at least 0.375 µg, 15% of the 2.5 µg EU reference value (Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex XIII). ODS: no upper limit was set.
Form	Any vitamin B12 form
Sources	Health Canada monograph: Multi-Vitamin/Mineral Supplements Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, list of permitted health claims

Strong evidenceWording 3

Claims Facts

“Supports normal immune function.”

Daily dose	0.14-1,000 µg a day
Support	Listed by Health Canada and authorized in the EU after EFSA review.
Dose details	Health Canada: 0.14-1,000 µg a day for adults 19 and older. EU: at least 0.375 µg, 15% of the 2.5 µg EU reference value (Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex XIII). ODS: no upper limit was set.
Form	Any vitamin B12 form
Sources	Health Canada monograph: Multi-Vitamin/Mineral Supplements Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, list of permitted health claims

Strong evidenceWording 4

Claims Facts

“Supports normal function of the nervous system.”

Daily dose	0.14-1,000 µg a day
Support	Listed by Health Canada and authorized in the EU after EFSA review.
Dose details	Health Canada: 0.14-1,000 µg a day for adults 19 and older. EU: at least 0.375 µg, 15% of the 2.5 µg EU reference value (Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex XIII). ODS: no upper limit was set.
Form	Any vitamin B12 form
Sources	Health Canada monograph: Multi-Vitamin/Mineral Supplements Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, list of permitted health claims

Moderate evidenceWording 5

Claims Facts

“Helps reduce tiredness and fatigue.”

Daily dose	0.38-1,000 µg a day
Support	Authorized in the EU after EFSA review; Health Canada does not list it.
Dose details	EU: at least 0.375 µg, 15% of the 2.5 µg EU reference value. 1,000 µg is Health Canada’s adult maximum.
Form	Any vitamin B12 form
Source	Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, list of permitted health claims

How strong the evidence is

Strong evidence: At least two listed sources support it independently at a comparable dose and form, and none disagrees.
Moderate evidence: One listed source supports it as an evidence-based use at that dose, and no listed source disagrees.
Limited evidence: The only support is traditional use, the sources disagree, or the source itself calls the evidence weak.

Wordings to avoid

What to leave out.

Claims Facts

Ingredient: Vitamin B12

Wording to avoid	Reason
“Treats anemia, including pernicious anemia”Names a disease.	Disease
“Boosts energy for people with chronic fatigue”Implies an effect on a medical condition; the supported wording is normal energy metabolism and less tiredness.	Disease

Disease: names or implies a disease. Drug: names a drug or presents the product as one. Treatment: promises to treat, cure or prevent a condition.

Sources

Where this comes from.

All ingredient guides

Check the claims on your own site. Free.

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