Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "cobalamin" tana nufin rukuni na mahimman mahadi waɗanda ke da alaƙa da bitamin B12. Cobalamin wani hadadden kwayoyin halitta ne wanda ke dauke da atom na tsakiya na cobalt kuma yana shiga cikin matakai daban-daban na halitta, musamman wajen samuwar jajayen kwayoyin halitta da kuma kula da kwayoyin jijiya. Yana taka muhimmiyar rawa a cikin metabolism na carbohydrates, fats, da sunadarai. Ana samun Cobalamin da farko ta hanyar abinci, tare da kayayyakin dabba kamar nama, kifi, qwai, da kiwo sune tushen tushen. Karancin cobalamin na iya haifar da matsalolin lafiya iri-iri, ciki har da anemia da cututtukan jijiyoyin jiki.