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I’m A Vegan. How Do I Get B12?
ByIve looked everywhere on the internet! I can’t find this answer!!!! Ive heard it only comes from animal sources… uh oh. But is there any plant source? Or a vitamin supplement? If there is a vitamin supplement then what brand and whats it called (i would rather a chewable kind, i hate pills)
Also it must be geliton, milk, and egg free.
one more thing…
I need some website that has a whole bunch of Vegan nutrition info, but its ok if you dont all i really need is the B12 thingy
Gee Deegarry, I’m glad to see I’m not the only person up on the latest understanding about B-12.
Laurali, if there’s a *free* veg site that’s updated their nutrition FAQ with the latest info I’m not aware of it but here’s my ‘standard’ answer about B-12 which is based on the latest peer reviewed science.
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Most sufferers of pernicious anemia (B12 deficiency) are in fact meat eaters! Vegetarians and vegans are MUCH less likely to develop pernicious anemia than omnivorous types. Why? Partly because we age slower than meatie types and the most common cause of pernicious anemia is lack of absorption due to an aging stomach not creating enough IF (Intrinsic Factor) for people to absorb it from dead animals. There have been several studies of long term vegetarians and vegans on the subject, it was found that many of us require no outside intake of Cbl (cobalamin, the important part of B12) since our intestines more readily accept colonies of Cbl producing bacteria and fungi, most likely from our consumption of tempeh. Additionally the form of Cbl found in tempeh is normally composed of hydroxocobalamin unlike meat where the Cbl is attached to a molecule of cyanide (thus the usual name for B-12 of cyanocobalamin). OhCbl is much more readily processed by the body into Cbl than CnCbl (it also avoids the release of cyanide into the body). In any event NO animal produces Cbl, it always is initially produced by the bacteria and fungi found on and in plants! Animals absorb OhCbl and AdoCbl from the plants they eat, it’s in animals bodies that CnCbl is formed. Additionally, vegetarians continue to consume CnCbl from the milk and egg products in any Lacto-Ovo diet. Vegans who regularly consume tempeh can absorb enough OhCbl and AdoCbl directly from their food to never require supplements (assuming their bodies never develop colonies of beneficial micro-organisms)!
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“Vegans are recommended to ensure their diet includes foods fortified with vitamin B12. A range of B12 fortified foods are available. These include yeast extracts, Vecon vegetable stock, veggieburger mixes, textured vegetable protein, soya milks, vegetable and sunflower margarines, and breakfast cereals. “
Rethinking & Clarifying the Vitamin B12 Issue
By Dr Vivian V. Vetrano (http://roylretreat.com)
There is no such thing as a B12 deficiency, even in 100% raw Vegan food eaters. They do not have to eat dirt, animal products, or take pills to secure coenzymes of B12. Bacteria in the intestinal tract make it for us, and the metabolically usable and necessary forms of coenzyme B12 are contained in unprocessed, fresh natural plant foods, particularly in nuts and seeds. The real problem in so-called B12 deficiency is a failure of digestion and absorption of foods, rather than a deficiency of the vitamin itself.
Vitamin B12 coenzymes are found in nuts and seeds as well as in many common greens, fruits, and many vegetables. If we ate 100 grams of green beans, beets, carrots, and peas we would have half of our so-called daily minimum requirement of Vitamin B12 coenzymes providing our digestion and absorption are normal. From Rodale’s The Complete Book of Vitamins, page 236 we find the following clarification: “As you know, the B complex of vitamins is called a ‘complex’ because, instead of being one vitamin, it has turned out to be a large number of related vitamins, which appear generally in the same foods.”
A little publicized source of active Vitamin B12 coenzymes is from bacteria in the mouth, around the teeth, in the nasopharynx, around the tonsils and in the tonsilar crypts, in the folds at the base of the tongue, and in the upper bronchial tree. This source alone will supply sufficient quantities of Vitamin B12 coenzymes for the very small requirement of total Vegetarians, especially considering that their needs for this vitamin are not as great as for those on conventional diets.
I have studied the Vitamin B12 issue thoroughly, and have learned that biochemists, neutraceutical scientists, and many writers mistakenly use the term Vitamin B12 for cyanocobalamin, THAT IS NOT USABLE BY THE BODY BUT which is in all vitamin B12 supplements. When speaking of Vitamin B12 they are referring to the semisynthetic Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin) that initially as contaminated with poisonous cyanide during its chemical extraction from animal tissues. Carbon columns are used during the extraction process and the carbon combines with nitrogen from the medium forming the poisonous cyanocobalamin, that scientists insist on calling Vitamin B12. The original method used to extract Vitamin B 12 from its sources included heating the medium in a weak acid, the addition of cyanide ion, and exposure to light. In this process the coenzymes were converted to cyanocobalamin, yet this was over looked. (Review of Physiological Chemistry, Harper, Harold A., Lange Medical Publications, New York, 1977, page l81. Also refer to Cobalamin: Biochemistry and Pathophysiology, Wiley. N. and F. Sicuteri, New York, 1972.) MOREOVER, in the manufacture of vitamin supplements, cyanide is added to the medium because the carbon and nitrogen are needed to form large molecules as are found in vitamins; and IN ADDITION they need it to extract the B12 from fermentation liquors and liver homogenates. Carbon is needed in great quantities when making vitamins or any other manufactured vitamin or substance that mimics the natural vitamin that normally contains a lot of carbon.
THE TWO VITAMIN B12 COENZYMES KNOWN TO BE METABOLICALLY ACTIVE IN MAMMALIAN TISSUES ARE 5-deoxyadenosylcobalamin and methylcobalamin (methyl-B12). When extracted in light, these two coenzymes undergo photolysis and are destroyed. Natural B12 is found solely in plants and animals, and that is the only form that can be called “coenzyme B12.” If an animal or individual is given cyanocobalamin the body removes the cyanide because it is not usable as a coenzyme and it is toxic. Then the cobalt of the former cyanocobalamin can combine with other substances that are not toxic and actually form Vitamin B12 coenzymes that are usable by the body. These normally existing Vitamin B12 coenzymes are labile and break down easily unless inside living tissue.
Potassium in the body can react with the cyanide found in cyanocobalamin – the “Vitamin B 12” – and form toxic potassium cyanide (KCN). Potassium cyanide is a poisonous compound used as a fumigant. This is one reason why the body jettisons the “Vitamin B 12” (i.e., cyanocobalamin) injections so rapidly. Within 24 hours most (about 90%) of the cyanocobalamin in supplements has been eliminated.
The names of cobalamins formed by the body or in a laboratory are: l. hydroxocobalamin if it combines with a hydroxyl ion (OH), and 2. aquocobalamin, when it combines with water. Cobalamin also combines with anions such as nitrite a form of nitrogen, chloride, and sulfur. These are not usable by the body. The two active coenzymes that can be formed in the body after stripping off the cyanide are 5’deoxyadenosylcobalamin, or adenosylcobalamin for short, and methylcobalamin. The problem is that the cyanide is toxic and makes many people sicker than they were before taking the supplement.
Cyanocobalamin is in every vitamin B12 supplement known because it is stable and less costly to manufacture. But it is not usable in the body. If the body has sufficient energy it may be able to offload the cyanide and benefit from the useful component. Mainly, what people experience after taking cyanocobalamin supplements is stimulation. The toxic effect of the cyanide triggers a rush of energy as the body works hard to excrete the poison, and this fools people into believing that the supplement has “worked” to heal them. Meanwhile, if their blood tests show an increase in B12, it mainly reflects the amount of the CYANOCOBALAMIN in the blood stream. The usable forms are carried into the cells and can’t be discovered by testing the blood as is the current practice. Blood tests are often inaccurate and, as previously stated, in the case of cyanocobalamin supplementation and B12 injections, about 90 % of it has been eliminated from the body in 24 hours.
Looking at it Hygienically, no Vitamin B12 therapy can cause a recovery from any so-called eficiency disease. It may only hide the symptoms and cannot give an individual health. When people report that their apparent B12 deficiency symptoms have been relieved by cyanocobalamin supplementation, they are mistaken. They are not getting usable Vitamin B12 coenzymes, and their bodies are forced to convert the cyanide form into the active forms, methylcobalamin, and adenosylcobalamin. This extra function stimulates but wastes nerve energy, and they are are actually getting worse, not better. They have not addressed the cause of their troubles.
In summary, vegans and raw fooders all have sufficient amounts of coenzyme B12 in their diets, and FROM THAT produced in their bodies. The most common basic cause of a natural cobalamin deficiency is a failure to digest, absorb and utilize the various cobalamins from food and from the intestinal tract as in the case of gastritis or gastroenteritis. The cause of malabsorption is commonly a gastrointestinal disorder and this was known by pathologists way back in the l800s. In this case, one’s lifestyle must be assessed and brought into unison with the needs of the living organism.
Furthermore, absorption of the natural B12 coenzymes can take place in the mouth, throat, esophagus, bronchial tubes and even in the upper small intestines, as well as all along the intestinal tract. THIS DOES NOT INVOLVE THE COMPLEX ENZYME MECHANISM FOR ABSORPTION (INTRINSIC FACTOR) IN THE SMALL INTESTINE AS REQUIRED BY CYANOCOBALAMIN. THE COENZYMES ARE ABSORBED BY DIFFUSION FROM MUCOUS MEMBRANES.
The Vitamin Shoppe sales a Liquid B-12 with Folic Acid(Rasberry flavor).. Vegan source.
Your right B-12 is only found in the in animal sources, you wont find it in plant sources but just about any health food store will carry B-12 supplements. I use a liquid one for under my toung. I would go to your local health food store and tell then you are Vegan and need a vegan vitamin pack. It will have enough B-12 in it for you.http://www.veganoutreach.org/health/stay…http://www.veganhealth.org/sh/http://www.vegansuccess.com/http://www.vegansociety.com/html/food/nu…http://www.vegancooking.com/http://www.vegfamily.com/ann-gentry/inde…http://vegkitchen.com/
Here are a bunch of site for being a healthy vegan as well as a bunch of recipe and cooking sites.
Soy milk, the Silk brand anyway, has a good amount of vitamin B12. You could also look in to what kind of cereal you eat, because that usually has vitamin B12 too. I’ve been Vegan for about 6 months and haven’t had any health problems at all and I haven’t taken any supplements either. In fact, I used to get sick a lot, colds and such, before I became vegan and I haven’t gotten sick since the change.
The micro orgaisms in intestine by a process of “Symbiosis” = you give me food;I will give you Vit B12 provide vit.B12.-These organisms are destroyed after an Antibiotic treatment.Lyophilised B12 producing micro organisms are available commercially.After Antibiotics treatment a course of these “Pro-Boitics” are prescribed.Supplemnts of B12 with B1 ,B6 are also available.
brewer’s yeast, Miso soup, also, GNC’s sales B12 supplements.
You can get it from the same place animals do-nutritional yeast. Animals do not produce B12 naturally, and its given to them in their food. Nutritional yeast (not bakers or brewers) is a cheesy tasting powder that you can use to make a mock cheese sauce, or add to baked goods or smoothies. Its high in all of the B vitamins, especially B12. You can also get it from blackstrap molasses.
of course there’s a vitamin supplement. that’s what i take. any grocery store that has vitamins will have b12. make sure to store in a dark place though beacause the light will make it ineffective
Fish are rich in vitamin B12
Some of the richest sources of B12 are liver, sardines, mackerel, red snapper, salmon, lamb, eggs and beef in that order. Red meat is a good source.http://www.dadamo.com/forum/archive7/con…
also……….
Low-fat animal protein and beef, oysters, clams, crab, tuna, bluefish, cottage cheese, low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese, eggshttp://www.brighamandwomens.org/patient/…
also see……..http://www.kznhealth.gov.za/nutrition/fo…
sorry this it cut and pasted from the Vegan society website http://www.vegansociety.com
What every vegan should know about vitamin B12
Very low B12 intakes can cause anaemia and nervous system damage.
The only reliable vegan sources of B12 are foods fortified with B12 (including some plant milks, some soy products and some breakfast cereals) and B12 supplements. Vitamin B12, whether in supplements, fortified foods, or animal products, comes from micro-organisms.
Most vegans consume enough B12 to avoid anaemia and nervous system damage, but many do not get enough to minimise potential risk of heart disease or pregnancy complications.
To get the full benefit of a Vegan Diet, vegans should do one of the following:
eat fortified foods two or three times a day to get at least three micrograms (µg or mcg) of B12 a day or
take one B12 supplement daily providing at least 10 micrograms or
take a weekly B12 supplement providing at least 2000 micrograms.
If relying on fortified foods check the labels carefully to make sure you are getting enough B12. For example, if a fortified plant milk contains 1 microgram of B12 per serving then consuming three servings a day will provide adequate vitamin B12. Others may find the use of B12 supplements more convenient and economical.
The less frequently you obtain B12 the more B12 you need to take, as B12 is best absorbed in small amounts. The recommendations above take full account of this. There is no harm in exceeding the recommended amounts or combining more than one option.
Good information supports vegan health, pass it around.
If you don’t read another word about B12 you already know all you need to know. If you want to know more, read on.
This information was prepared by Stephen Walsh, a UK Vegan Society trustee, and other members of the International Vegetarian Union science group (IVU-SCI), in October 2001. This information may be freely reproduced but only in its entirety (list of endorsers may be omitted).
Endorsers
“Note for participants in the King’s College study”
Vitamin B12 and Vegan Diets
Lessons from history
B12 is an exceptional vitamin. It is required in smaller amounts than any other known vitamin. Ten micrograms of§ B12 spread over a day appears to supply as much as the body can use. In the absence of any apparent dietary supply, deficiency symptoms usually take five years or more to develop in adults, though some people experience problems within a year. A very small number of individuals with no obvious reliable source appear to avoid clinical deficiency symptoms for twenty years or more. B12 is the only vitamin that is not recognised as being reliably supplied from a varied wholefood, plant-based diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables, together with exposure to sun. Many herbivorous mammals, including cattle and sheep, absorb B12 produced by bacteria in their own digestive system. B12 is found to some extent in soil and plants. These observations have led some vegans to suggest that B12 was an issue requiring no special attention, or even an elaborate hoax. Others have proposed specific foods, including spirulina, nori, tempeh, and barley grass, as suitable non-animal sources of B12. Such claims have not stood the test of time.
In over 60 years of vegan experimentation only B12 fortified foods and B12 supplements have proven themselves as reliable sources of B12, capable of supporting optimal health. It is very important that all vegans ensure they have an adequate intake of B12, from fortified foods or supplements. This will benefit our health and help to attract others to veganism through our example.
Getting an adequate amount of B12
National recommendations for B12 intakes vary significantly from country to country. The US recommended intake is 2.4 µgs a day for ordinary adults rising to 2.8 µgs for nursing mothers. The German recommendation is 3 µgs a day.§ Recommended intakes are usually based on 50% absorption, as this is typical for small amounts from foods. To meet the US and German recommendations you need to obtain sufficient B12 to absorb 1.5 µgs per day on average. This amount should be sufficient to avoid even the initial signs of inadequate B12 intake, such as slightly elevated homocysteine and MMA levels, in most people. Even slightly elevated homocysteine is associated with increased risk of many health problems including heart disease in adults, preeclampsia during pregnancy and neural tube defects in babies.
Achieving an adequate B12 intake is easy and there are several methods to suit individual preferences. Absorption of B12 varies from about 50%, if about 1 µg or less is consumed, to about 0.5% for doses of 1000 µgs (1 mg) or above. So the less frequently you consume B12, the higher the total amount needs to be to give the desired absorbed amount.
Frequent use of foods fortified with B12 so that about one microgram of B12 is consumed three times a day with a few hours in between will provide an adequate amount. Availability of fortified foods varies from country to country and amounts of B12 vary from brand to brand, so ensuring an adequate B12 supply from fortified foods requires some label reading and thought to work out an adequate pattern to suit individual tastes and local products.
Taking a B12 supplement containing ten µgs or more daily provides a similar absorbed amount to consuming one µg on three occasions through the day. This may be the most economical method as a single high potency tablet can be consumed bit by bit. 2000 µgs of B12 consumed once a week would also provide an adequate intake.§ Any B12 supplement tablet should be chewed or allowed to dissolve in the mouth to enhance absorption. Tablets should be kept in an opaque container. As with any supplement it is prudent not to take more than is required for maximum benefit, so intakes above 5000 µg per week should be avoided despite lack of evidence for toxicity from higher amounts.
All three options above should meet the needs of the vast majority of people with normal B12 metabolism. Individuals with impaired B12 absorption may find that the third method, 2000µg once a week, works best as it does not rely on normal intrinsic factor in the gut. There are other, very rare, metabolic defects that require completely different approaches to meeting B12 requirements. If you have any reason to suspect a serious health problem seek medical advice promptly.
Symptoms of B12 deficiency
Clinical deficiency can cause anaemia or nervous system damage. Most vegans consume enough B12 to avoid clinical deficiency. Two subgroups of vegans are at particular risk of B12 deficiency: long-term vegans who avoid common fortified foods (such as raw food vegans or macrobiotic vegans) and breastfed infants of vegan mothers whose own intake of B12 is low.
In adults typical deficiency symptoms include loss of energy, tingling, numbness, reduced sensitivity to pain or pressure, blurred vision, abnormal gait, sore tongue, poor memory, confusion, hallucinations and personality changes. Often these symptoms develop gradually over several months to a year before being recognised as being due to B12 deficiency and they are usually reversible on administration of B12. There is however no entirely consistent and reliable set of symptoms and there are cases of permanent damage in adults from B12 deficiency. If you suspect a problem then get a skilled diagnosis from a medical practitioner as each of these symptoms can also be caused by problems other than B12 deficiency.
Infants typically show more rapid onset of symptoms than adults. B12 deficiency may lead to loss of energy and appetite and failure to thrive. If not promptly corrected this can progress to coma or death. Again there is no entirely consistent pattern of symptoms. Infants are more vulnerable to permanent damage than adults. Some make a full recovery, but others show retarded development.
The risk to these groups alone is reason enough to call on all vegans to give a consistent message as to the importance of B12 and to set a positive example. Every case of B12 deficiency in a vegan infant or an ill informed adult is a tragedy and brings veganism into disrepute.
The homocysteine connection
This is not however the end of the story. Most vegans show adequate B12 levels to make clinical deficiency unlikely but nonetheless show restricted activity of B12 related enzymes, leading to elevated homocysteine levels. Strong evidence has been gathered over the past decade that even slightly elevated homocysteine levels increase risk of heart disease and stroke and pregnancy complications. Homocysteine levels are also affected by other nutrients, most notably folate. General recommendations for increased intakes of folate are aimed at reducing levels of homocysteine and avoiding these risks. Vegan intakes of folate are generally good, particularly if plenty of green vegetables are eaten. However, repeated observations of elevated homocysteine in vegans, and to a lesser extent in other Vegetarians, show conclusively that B12 intake needs to be adequate as well to avoid unnecessary risk.
Testing B12 status
A blood B12 level measurement is a very unreliable test for vegans, particularly for vegans using any form of algae.§ Algae and some other plant foods contain B12-analogues (false B12) that can imitate true B12 in blood tests while actually interfering with B12 metabolism. Blood counts are also unreliable as high folate intakes suppress the anaemia symptoms of B12 deficiency that can be detected by blood counts. Blood homocysteine testing is more reliable, with levels less than 10 mmol/litre being desirable.§ The most specific test for B12 status is methylmalonic acid (MMA) testing. If this is in the§ normal range in blood (<370 nmol/L) or urine (less than 4 mg /mg creatinine) then your body has enough B12. Many doctors still rely on blood B12 levels and blood counts. These are not adequate, especially in vegans.
Is there a vegan alternative to B12-fortified foods and supplements?
If for any reason you choose not to use fortified foods or supplements you should recognise that you are carrying out a dangerous experiment - one that many have tried before with consistently low levels of success. If you are an adult who is neither breast-feeding an infant, pregnant nor seeking to become pregnant, and wish to test a potential B12 source that has not already been shown to be inadequate, then this can be a reasonable course of action with appropriate precautions. For your own protection, you should arrange to have your B12 status checked annually. If homocysteine or MMA is even modestly elevated then you are endangering your health if you persist.
If you are breast feeding an infant, pregnant or seeking to become pregnant or are an adult contemplating carrying out such an experiment on a child, then don't take the risk. It is simply unjustifiable.
Claimed sources of B12 that have been shown through direct studies of vegans to be inadequate include human gut bacteria, spirulina, dried nori, barley grass and most other seaweeds. Several studies of raw food vegans have shown that raw food offers no special protection.
Reports that B12 has been measured in a food are not enough to qualify that food as a reliable B12 source. It is difficult to distinguish true B12 from analogues that can disrupt B12 metabolism. Even if true B12 is present in a food, it may be rendered ineffective if analogues are present in comparable amounts to the true B12. There is only one reliable test for a B12 source - does it consistently prevent and correct deficiency? Anyone proposing a particular food as a B12 source should be challenged to present such evidence.
A natural, healthy and compassionate diet
To be truly healthful, a diet must be best not just for individuals in isolation but must allow all six billion people to thrive and achieve a sustainable coexistence with the many other species that form the "living earth". From this standpoint the natural adaptation for most (possibly all) humans in the modern world is a vegan diet. There is nothing§§ natural about the abomination of modern factory farming and its attempt to reduce living, feeling beings to machines. In choosing to use fortified foods or B12 supplements, vegans are taking their B12 from the same source as every other animal on the planet - micro-organisms - without causing suffering to any sentient being or causing environmental damage.
Vegans using adequate amounts of fortified foods or B12 supplements are much less likely to suffer from B12 deficiency than the typical meat eater. The Institute of Medicine, in setting the US recommended intakes for B12 makes this very clear. "Because 10 to 30 percent of older people may be unable to absorb naturally occurring vitamin B12, it is advisable for those older than 50 years to meet their RDA mainly by consuming foods fortified with vitamin B12 or a vitamin B12-containing supplement." Vegans should take this advice about 50 years younger, to the benefit of both themselves and the animals. B12 need never be a problem for well-informed vegans.
Good information supports vegan health, pass it around.
Further information:
Dietary Reference Intakes for Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin B12, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, and Choline, National Academy Press, 1998§ ISBN 0-309-06554-2 (http://books.nap.edu/books/0309065542/ht...
Vitamin B12: Are you getting it?, by Jack Norris, http://www.veganoutreach.org/health/b12r...
go to the doctor and get b12 shots
try tofu….
http://www.vrg.org
B12 is in animal products but only because it is added or the animals’ body made the B12. It used to be available via the soil, but now people (including animal exploiters) add it to their feed or take vitamins.
You can get a sublingual B12 supplement from your local health food store (or even regular grocer) or online.
If you have a family MD then they can give you a monthly injection. Call and see. It’s quick and simple!
Try nutritional yeast — you can get it in bulk in whole foods for not so expensive. It’s a good source of the b family of vitamins. Just sprinkle in over soup or on pasta or whatever…it’s pretty tasteless so you won’t even notice it’s there
the answer is Nutritional Yeast, this is different from Brewer’s Yeast. the web site is: http://www.vrg.org/nutritional/b12
go to the store and by a bottle of b-12
or a multi-b vitamin
As a Vegan you are going to need things you just cannot get from all veggies
a multi-vitamin is a good thing….
Try Nutritional Yeast. It’s got plenty of B12 and it’s good on popcorn or when used as a substitute for cheese sauce.
Red Star makes it or it’s in most health food stores in the bulk section.
Also available at http://www.foodfightgrocery.com!!!
Enjoy!!!
Nope it’s not only in animals, it’s in Silk soy milks, cereals like Cheerios and lots of other ones [just read the label]..you do not NEED pills and stuff to be a healthy vegetarian, keep that in mind =]
Hi,
According to VeganHealth.org, “very low B12 intakes can cause anemia and nervous system damage.” Clearly it’s important you do your best to get enough.
The site explains that “the only reliable Vegan sources of B12 are foods fortified with B12 (including some plant milks, some soy products and some breakfast cereals) and B12 supplements.”
KidsHealth.org agrees. “Vegans can get vitamin B-12, needed to produce red blood cells and maintain normal nerve function, from enriched breakfast cereals, fortified soy products, nutritional yeast, or supplements.”
As with all matters of health and diet, be sure to consult with your doctor.
Mike
Eat meat. No vegetables contain it.