A discussion about B12 supplementation, its provenance, and findings from a 2023 study comparing the vitamin status in omnivorous, vegetarians, and vegans.
I supplement my vitamin B-12 intake. It is also valuable to know how vital B-12 is to maintaining overall health...and increasingly so as we age. More mature individuals need to ramp up supplementation, and that includes omnivores.
One of the most effective ways I've found to monitor my B-12 intake is through an annual blood check. This method is not only quick and non-invasive but also highly informative. Over the years, it can help identify trends and patterns in your B-12 levels, providing a comprehensive view of your health.
Thanks for the information – it’s valuable to all, despite dietary preferences.
Very comprehensive piece, thanks for all this vital info! I've been a vegetarian for over a decade. My IBS and constipation problems started diminishing when I started changing my diet. It's been a learning process but I wouldn't change it for anything!
Yes. I had a really bad abdominal lump scare at the time, so eventually after realising I never really enjoyed meat in the first place since I was a kid, I decided to remove it and see how it went. Ayurvedic dietary guidelines also helped me understand so much of nutrition and other bad problems I had such as moderate to severe constipation. Eventually I felt really well, lighter and not getting that awful and recurring IBS all the time, so I stuck to my diet which I love still to this day. It made everything better in me.
Excellent post. Can you get a little more granular on the B12 supplement sources? I'm still unclear which is better. Cyanocobalamin or methylcobalamin? And where are these two things sourced? From what exactly is the B12 derived?
Excellent questions, Maggie. Thanks for bringing them up. In short, cyanocobalamin is the B12 form with the largest use and safety track record. According to Dr. Greger, it is well-suited for healthy adults looking into oral supplementation. Cyanocobalamin has a more stable chemical structure when compared to methylcobalamin (which is sensible to light). The cyanocobalamin supplement is obtained via a laboratory synthesis. I encourage you to check out Dr. Michael Greger's website where you can find other valuable materials on the topic. The link: https://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-best-type-of-vitamin-b12-cyanocobalamin-or-methylcobalamin/. I hope this helps!
Maggie, I shall correct one point here: As I dig further into the B12 subject, I learned that microbial fermentation using optimized bacterial strains is the primary industrial method for commercially producing vitamin B12 supplements. :)
Yes, I did, Dariu. The amount of B12 will be related to the type of bacterial strains used in the fermentation process (less about the food that has been fermented). I'll dig further into the topic and write an article on this (if I come across quality studies out there). Stay tuned! Thanks for asking, by the way! It is a super exciting topic.
I supplement my vitamin B-12 intake. It is also valuable to know how vital B-12 is to maintaining overall health...and increasingly so as we age. More mature individuals need to ramp up supplementation, and that includes omnivores.
One of the most effective ways I've found to monitor my B-12 intake is through an annual blood check. This method is not only quick and non-invasive but also highly informative. Over the years, it can help identify trends and patterns in your B-12 levels, providing a comprehensive view of your health.
Thanks for the information – it’s valuable to all, despite dietary preferences.
Thanks for sharing your approach, Jack. I shall do the same!
Very comprehensive piece, thanks for all this vital info! I've been a vegetarian for over a decade. My IBS and constipation problems started diminishing when I started changing my diet. It's been a learning process but I wouldn't change it for anything!
Hi Mariana! It's great to know your gut problems have been improving. If I may ask, did you decide to go vegetarian due to your bowel disorders?
Yes. I had a really bad abdominal lump scare at the time, so eventually after realising I never really enjoyed meat in the first place since I was a kid, I decided to remove it and see how it went. Ayurvedic dietary guidelines also helped me understand so much of nutrition and other bad problems I had such as moderate to severe constipation. Eventually I felt really well, lighter and not getting that awful and recurring IBS all the time, so I stuck to my diet which I love still to this day. It made everything better in me.
Wow! It's a great story about how diet impacts our well-being. I'm glad you were able to make the change. Thanks for sharing it.
Excellent post. Can you get a little more granular on the B12 supplement sources? I'm still unclear which is better. Cyanocobalamin or methylcobalamin? And where are these two things sourced? From what exactly is the B12 derived?
Excellent questions, Maggie. Thanks for bringing them up. In short, cyanocobalamin is the B12 form with the largest use and safety track record. According to Dr. Greger, it is well-suited for healthy adults looking into oral supplementation. Cyanocobalamin has a more stable chemical structure when compared to methylcobalamin (which is sensible to light). The cyanocobalamin supplement is obtained via a laboratory synthesis. I encourage you to check out Dr. Michael Greger's website where you can find other valuable materials on the topic. The link: https://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-best-type-of-vitamin-b12-cyanocobalamin-or-methylcobalamin/. I hope this helps!
Oh, I don't know how I missed that video. I watch them all the time. Thank you very much. Love your blog.
Maggie, I shall correct one point here: As I dig further into the B12 subject, I learned that microbial fermentation using optimized bacterial strains is the primary industrial method for commercially producing vitamin B12 supplements. :)
Did you come accross which fermented food had B12 in them?
Yes, I did, Dariu. The amount of B12 will be related to the type of bacterial strains used in the fermentation process (less about the food that has been fermented). I'll dig further into the topic and write an article on this (if I come across quality studies out there). Stay tuned! Thanks for asking, by the way! It is a super exciting topic.