How to get your B12?
What is Vitamin B12 and why do we need it?
Before we jump into how you can get your B12 when eating a plant-based diet, it only seems right to start by by discussing why you need B12 and what it does for your body.
To give you a little background, vitamin B12 is a water soluble vitamin that is present in some food, added to others and available as a dietary supplement. Vitamin B12 is required for production of red blood cells, neurologic function and DNA synthesis.
Why is this vitamin so important?? If you become deficient in vitamin B12 you may develop neurologic changes such as numbness and tingling in hands and feet and difficulty maintaining balance. You may also experience fatigue, weakness, constipation, loss of appetite, depression, confusion, poor memory and in severe cases soreness of the mouth or tongue.
So, where do we find vitamin B12? It is made exclusively by bacteria in nature. Animals absorb vitamin B12 produced by bacteria that lives in their gut. Animals consume food and manure (sorry folks!) contaminated with this bacteria. Our soil was previously a reliable source of vitamin B12 however due to the over use of antibiotics, pesticides and commercial farming this is no longer the case. Since the soil is no longer fortified the animals are also not getting enough vitamin B12 in the natural way so supplements in the form of cobalt are given to them because they too have become deficient.
Many people, vegans and non-vegans alike, are at risk at becoming vitamin B12 deficient and rely on supplements to obtain their recommended intake. Just take a stroll down the supplement aisle of your local grocery store! Certain plant foods such as seaweed (Nori), mushrooms and nutritional yeast contain small amounts of vitamin B12 but these are not a reliable source for the average person. On the flip side consuming animal products to obtain vitamin B12 puts you at risk for developing chronic diseases such as high cholesterol, diabetes and heart disease. Therefore it makes sense to cut out the middle man (or in this case animal) and just supplement ourselves.
For the general population who find themselves vitamin B12 deficient, it is best to supplement with the lowest possible dosage available. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) is roughly 2.4 mcg a day. Our bodies do not have the ability to absorb excessive amounts of vitamin B12 because there is only enough intrinsic factor (chemical that takes B12 in your gut cells) excreted per meal to absorb 2-4 mcg of B12 at a time. Contrary to popular belief, you will not increase energy levels by supplementing B12 and should only supplement if you are deficient. A simple blood test done by your healthcare provider will assess for B12 deficiency.
xo,
The Gals from Rooted
References -
Campbell,Thomas, MD (2019), “12 Questions Answered Regarding Vitamin B12”, https://nutritionstudies.org/12-questions-answered-regarding-vitamin-b12/
Felman, Adam, Medically reviewed by Carter, Alan, Pharm.D. (2017), “Everything you need to know about vitamin B-12”, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/219822
This is our interpretation of the evidence for general knowledge and should not be taken as medical advice.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Our products and or content is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. As with any food and or dietary supplement, you should advise your healthcare practitioner of the use of this advise and or product. If you are nursing, pregnant, or considering pregnancy, you should consult your healthcare practitioner prior to using this product.