does anyone know of a really good vitaminb12 supplement that is vegetarian or vegan (apart from spirulina)?

Question

thanks bradders!

hey thanks andy but from what ive learnt the b12 injection which ive had before unfortunately is derived from animal. so im looking for an alternative. cheers

Answer 1

assuming you're in australia you might like to look at "nature's own" brand, the tablet with 1000 mcg. other brands typically have lower doses -- because your body will only absorb a fraction of a supplement a higher dose may be most effective.

the advice of scocasso is absolutely false, the digestive systems of herbivores and humans are completely different, we cannot synthesise b12 from vegetable matter (see source links)

Answer 2

There are plenty of sub-lingual products and there is even a patch now. As you know the best food sources for B12 are off limits for vegans (meat, fish, milk and eggs).

I read that a healthy body has enough B12 stored for up to five years, only tiny amounts are necessary on a daily basis, it is in micrograms. But totally deprived of a source has devastating effects on the human. Many older folks who gave up the above foods because of digestive problems were diagnosed with Alzheimer's when actually they were just deficient in B12. Mental deterioration is very serious and can result from inadequate B12.

If I gave up the above foods for any reason I think I would use a couple sub-lingual products and also talk to my doctor about the possibility of a B12 injection or other positive ways to make sure I didn't get deficient.

You should do this at the beginning of starting a vegan diet because if the mental deterioration gets started you will not be able to help yourself. Myself and many non-vegans I know have seen this happen to vegans but they don't seem able to grasp the concept once they become deficient because they lose the ability to do cause and effect thinking.

Good luck and don't give up your search for good sources of B12 until you are positive your body has enough. Heck, I would also check with my doctor to see if there is a definitive test to measure B12 in my body.

Answer 3

Look for Red Star Vegetarian Support nutritional yeast. It's fortified with B12 that is not of animal origin (the bacteria that makes B12 is cultured in a lab.) It's tasty, with a little bit of a nutty/cheesy flavor. It's good sprinkled on popcorn and I stiry some intomy scrambled tofu. Joanne Stepaniak has a nutritional yeast cookbook.

Answer 4

B12 is tricky for vegans. You only need a tiny amount in your diet, but finding a vegan source can be difficult.

"Nutritional Yeast" is good. It has a savoury taste and is a good substitute for parmesan cheese as a garnish. Don't just buy any old yeast. Soy milk fortified with B12 is a good source.

However, spirulina might not be so good. Plant foods rarely have active sources of B12 and the inactive forms of B12 they do have can actually hinder active B12 absorption.

Hope that helps.

Answer 5

Yeah, there's that old b12 myth again.

B12 is all over the place. On food, in your mouth, in your gut. It's bacteria poo.

It's on apples, grapes, in the dirt, everywhere. If you take the food from the garden or right off your own tree... no problem. But living in the city, eating only washed and peeled foods... Think... just think... where do all the animals in the world get their b12? Oh, but animals are highly specialized creatures with amazing abilities that humans don't have. Wrong. Humans are amazing and are animals as well. We have the same abilities. Sure, reliable sources are found in fermented foods. Miso, natto, tempeh, non-vinegar pickles, etc. but what animals ferment their food before eating? I suppose they might eat fermented fruit and berries that have fallen to the ground, but that's seasonal. If you eat properly, do not take antibiotics, etc. and your digestion flora is in good shape, your food will ferment in your gut. That's how it works. Unfortunately, cooking food will affect this fermentation process. So will eating processed foods that cause bad bacteria to grow due to white flour, sugar, etc. causing yeasts to flourish...

Don't forget about the things that detract from b12.

There is a page on b12 here:
http://www.bestbread.ca/QUICK_-_REFERENCE_NUTRITION_CHART.pdf

Note where it says that B12 is measured in Billionths of a gram rather than millionths as other nutrients are.

Answer 6

Brewer's and nutritional yeasts do not contain B12 unless they are fortified with it. At least two vegan B12-fortified yeasts are currently on the market: Red Star Vegetarian Support Formula and Twinlab Natural Nutritional Yeast (verified to be fortified with B12 via personal communication with Twinlab June 3, 2003).

Answer 7

Many multivitamins also have B12. You can easily find vegan multivitamins on vegan shopping sites.