Importance of taking B12 while on a Vegetarian diet...

While searching the Internet for the vital nutrients and minerals that my body needs which I would be losing out on not eating meat and or fish.  I found information on the importance of taking a B12 supplement and posted the information below.
No vegan or vegetarian can afford to take the kinds of risks with their health that a B-12 deficiency can create. Simple to prevent, and impossible to repair once the damage is done, a vitamin B-12 deficiency can cause damage to the brain and nervous system, fatigue, low memory function and depression. Other symptoms of a B-12 deficiency are hallucinations, personality changes like irritability and confusion, bodily sensations like tingling and numbness, blurred vision and coordination difficulties that result in an abnormal gait.

Vitamin B-12 is a unique and essential water-soluble vitamin important for regulating the nervous system, the function of the brain and the formation of red blood cells. It contains the element cobalt and is also known as cobalamin. It is responsible for cellular metabolism, rapid DNA synthesis during cell division and for energy production. It also helps in the metabolizing of fatty acids, which are needed to create the protein myelin that surrounds the nerve fibers. Without this coating, the nerves can become irreparably damaged.

Vitamin B-12 is found naturally in shellfish and fish, all meats especially liver, poultry, dairy and eggs- in other words, in animal foods. B-12 is produced by bacteria that contaminate the animals and plants we eat, and not by the plants and animals themselves. The B-12 that does exist in small amounts in plant-based foods is not enough to supply the vitamin effectively.

Vegans, who consume no foods from animal sources, are the most at risk for developing vitamin B-12 deficiency. Enriched cereals, some yeasts, certain soy products, daily or weekly vitamin B-12 supplementation and b-12 injections are the best means for vegans to get enough Vitamin B-12. Although the structure of this vitamin can only be biosynthesized by bacteria, the human body can create a conversion between different forms of B-12 making supplementation possible.

Vegetarians may consume some of the foods that naturally contain B-12, but in some cases these foods, like eggs, will include another substance that blocks the absorption of B-12. The side effects of a deficiency in this vitamin are not to be taken lightly, so the same course of fortification and supplementation recommended for vegans applies to vegetarians as well.

The recommended daily intake of B-12 is 2-3 micrograms per day, with different standards if you are pregnant or lactating. If you are a vegetarian or a vegan, begin to check the labels of the foods you consume to see how much B-12 is already present in your diet. Visit your doctor regularly to test your levels of vitamin B-12. Additionally, test your folate levels, as Vitamin B-12 helps regenerate folate, and test for methylmalonic acid and signs of anemia, which can be caused by a lack of B-12.