Is it okay to not take B12?

Question

I have been doing great on the vegan diet. I don't take B12 because we don't need it. I think B12 was just a lie that murderers came up with to scare people into eating meat.

Answer 1

you don't need to "take" b12, you will find trace amounts in your vegan diet without resorting to suppliments, dead cows or dairy.

You are right - bloody hell, think i need to sit down, never thought i'd say that about foxy ;-) - the b12 thing is just a meat-eaters myth that we originally saw propogated here by one certain FoxHunter

Answer 2

MYTH: "Vegans are at high risk for Vitamin B12 deficiency." FACT: McDougall: "B12 deficiency is rare… Two kinds have been observed. The more common is due to malabsorption of this vitamin as a consequence of diseased conditions of the stomach or of the small intestine. It has nothing to do with the amount of B12 present in the diet, so it is treated with injections of B12. The other kind of B12 deficiency is found very rarely among people who take essentially no B12 in their diet. Less than a dozen cases of this type of B12 deficiency have been reported among the tens of millions of vegetarians in the world. One reason it's so uncommon is that B12 is made by the bacteria naturally present in the human mouth and intestines.… [In addition,] the average American has stored so much B12 in his body's tissues… that twenty to thirty years must pass before you run out of it." McDougall notes that anyone with concerns about B12 can simply take a supplement on occasion. Some people take them just in case,for safety.if you get it checked reguraly then you're fine.

Answer 3

You actually need B12. It is necessary for proper absorption of nutrients, for metabolic regulation cycles, for the immune system. B12 cannot be made by the human body, it must be consumed. It can only be made by certain animals and so you have to either eat some meat or take a vitamin (which doesn't absorb well) or get an injection. The vitamins and injections are derived from animal sources as there is no other way to get B12. If yo truly believe it a lie, then you will have to face the consequences of your ignorance but there you have it.

Answer 4

The first person is correct. Its best to try and get some in your diet. I am vegan as well and I don't have enough in my body. Its bloody awful it makes you tired all the time. The injections you have to have for B12 hurt a lot. For some reason they sting your arm so I would advise you take some. it doesn't do you any harm if your ok. It might make you feel a bit better because your body will be absorbing more vitamins and minerals.

Answer 5

I'm vegan too, never taken any vitamins because vitamins are a total scam in general. Vitamins are a complex, and intrinsic part of a living organism and cannot simply be extracted and put in a bottle, it's impossible. I know some life long vegans who never took any vitamins.

I always remember a story from Howard Lyman, it went something like this: He was visiting a friend/acquaintance of his, this life long vegan lady in her 90s. She lives in house on the beach. He was having trouble keeping up with her when walking. While chatting on the second floor porch, the wind blew the door shut and locked them out. She said, I hate when that happens, and proceeded to hop over the railing and jump down to the ground and go in and open the doors. During their conversations he asked her about vitamins and where she gets this and that etc. and she said, 'Vitamins? Never thought about it.' And there you go.

Instead of vitamins, I'd focus on keeping a good supply of good bacteria in the diet and if you ever take something such as antibiotics that kill off the flora in your body, I'd focus or restoring the flora... I focus on organic foods and eating from our garden as much as possible... this type of thing.

Face it, vegans in other countries don't have all the hype and propaganda we have in the USA and Canada... I know life long vegans from Taiwan... India... and never do they ever mention vitamins... they are not ignorant as most people in the USA and Canada are.

Answer 6

Vitamin B12 : What is it?
Vitamin B12, also called cobalamin, is important to good health. It helps maintain healthy nerve cells and red blood cells, and is also needed to make DNA, the genetic material in all cells (1-4). Vitamin B12 is bound to the protein in food. Hydrochloric acid in the stomach releases B12 from protein during digestion. Once released, B12 combines with a substance called intrinsic factor (IF) before it is absorbed into the bloodstream.

What foods provide vitamin B12?
Vitamin B12 is naturally found in animal foods including fish, milk and milk products, eggs, meat, and poultry. Fortified breakfast cereals are an excellent source of vitamin B12 and a particularly valuable source for vegetarians (5, 6, 7). The table of selected food sources of vitamin B12 suggests dietary sources of vitamin B12.

What is the Recommended Dietary Allowance for vitamin B12 for adults?
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is the average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97 to 98 percent) healthy individuals in each life-stage and gender group (7). The 1998 RDAs for vitamin B12 (in micrograms) for adults (7) are:

Life-Stage Men Women Pregnancy Lactation
Ages 19+ 2.4 mcg 2.4 mcg
All ages 2.6 mcg 2.8 mcg
Results of two national surveys, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III-1988-91) (8) and the Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals (CSFII 1994-96) (7) found that most adult men and women consume recommended amounts of vitamin B12 (6-8).

When is a deficiency of vitamin B12 likely to occur?
Diets of most adult Americans provide recommended intakes of vitamin B12, but deficiency may still occur as a result of an inability to absorb B12 from food. It can also occur in individuals with dietary patterns that exclude animal or fortified foods (9). As a general rule, most individuals who develop a vitamin B12 deficiency have an underlying stomach or intestinal disorder that limits the absorption of vitamin B12 (10). Sometimes the only symptom of these intestinal disorders is anemia resulting from B12 deficiency.

Characteristic signs of B12 deficiency include fatigue, weakness, nausea, constipation, flatulence (gas), loss of appetite, and weight loss (1, 3, 11). Deficiency also can lead to neurological changes such as numbness and tingling in the hands and feet (7, 12). Additional symptoms of B12 deficiency are difficulty in maintaining balance, depression, confusion, poor memory, and soreness of the mouth or tongue (13). Some of these symptoms can also result from a variety of medical conditions other than vitamin B12 deficiency. It is important to have a physician evaluate these symptoms so that appropriate medical care can be given.

try soya milk

Answer 7

Perhaps vitamin B12 deficiency makes you paranoid. No, B12 is necessary for immunity and has nothing to do with meat. I have a splenic cyst, therefore prone to infections and I am a murderer!

Answer 8

Yes B12 is needed, but not a whole lot a day. I prefer to take a higher dosage once a week (supplemented as I am breastfeeding and need to guarantee my son gets it). All the excess gets stored until it is needed then used.

Answer 9

Some people can be ok though you really should try and get some in your diet. It's not a lie my mum has a B12 deficiency leaving her very exhausted and needing injections for it.

Answer 10

You can drink soymilk or other fortified foods if you prefer that,or you can take a vitamin or use the b-12 patch.Judging by the questions you ask you seem to be suffering from a b-12 deficiency.