[brlewis]

Aren't there a lot of people currently following vegetarian diets and not getting sick?

[chukye]

No. They need to supplement B12 and some other nutrients that are not found in plants.

[lalaland1125]

You can still follow a plant based diet and use supplements derived from non-animal sources.

[chacha2]

They're not found in meat either. B12 comes from bacteria out of dirt.

[dashundchen]

In fact industrial animal agriculture frequently has to supplement b12 to animals as they are commonly deficient.

[anonytrary]

This is just not true. You're probably thinking of vegans who aren't allowed to have cheese, milk, and eggs. Vegetarians can easily get B12 in their diets.

[ertecturing]

Vegetarians get B12 from the animal products created from animals which supplemented B12. Everyone is supplementing B12 regardless of their diet, it's just a matter of how many steps removed from the supplement that people seem to think makes a difference (it doesn't).