Vitamin B12 - Why do we need it?

<p><em>"If it swims, flies or runs, it has vitamin B12" - Dr Victor Herbert</em></p>
<p>One of the major nutritional problems that people on a non-meat diet face is the inability to obtain suitable sources of bioavailable vitamin B12. This is particularly worse in those that also do not eat fish and even more pronounces in the strict vegan or lacto-ova group.</p>
<p>Plants do not produce vitamin B12 unless they are contaminated with a vitamin B12 producing microorganism and although the large intestine manufactures a large quantity of vitamin B12, it does not reach the small intestine where is is absorbed.</p>
<p>Therefore, animal protein in the only source of vitamin B12 because as Dr Herbert's quote states "If it swims, flies or runs, it has vitamin B12".</p>
<p><strong>Why do we need vitamin B12?</strong></p>
<p>Vitamin B12, working with folic acid, maintain the myelin sheath around the nerve structures. This insulating sheath stop the electrical impulses from "shorting out" across breaks in the insulation. Multiple sclerosis would have to be the most publicly known form of a disease with decreased myelin, others include; acquired toxic metabolic disorder, HIV Encephalitis, Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy and Canavan Disease.</p>
<p>Vitamin B12 is also responsible for the maintenance of bone marrow which is essential for the production of healthy red blood cells.</p>

<p>Most importantly, vitamin B12 maintains and supports the health of every cell in the body and is a major contributor to the production of DNA and RNA, both essential to cell replication and life itself.</p>
<p>Vitamin B12 is not very effective by itself. For best results, vitamin B6 and folic acid are required as they act synergistically. This is evident when vitamin B12 is involved in the conversion of amino acids into neurotransmitters as without the help of vitamin B6, this would not occur.</p>
<p>Elevated levels of homocysteine (a condition called hyperhomocysteinemia) is responsible for an increase risk of hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) which could eventually lead to a heart attack or stroke, and also an increased incidence of blood clots which could also lead to a stroke. A rare genetic condition with the acronym of MTHFR Inhibitor causes increased levels of homocysteine.</p>
<p>Vitamin B12 acts as a methyl donor in the metabolism of homocysteine to a less damaging component called methionine. Vitamins B12, B6 and Folic acid are all involved in the reduction of homocysteine.</p>
<p><strong>Absorption of Vitamin B12</strong></p>
<p>Vitamin B12 is only absorbed in the lower portion of the small bowel or from mucosal lining such as those found in the mouth.</p>
<p>Vitamin B12 is tolerant to high heat for short periods of time and there is very little loss so the best way to cook meat is to pan fry, BBQ or grill. Boiling meat at high temperatures for 45 minutes will result in a 30% loss of vitamin B12.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, taking tablets has little effect on the amount of vitamin B12 that is absorbed as the acids in the stomach and only about 1% of ingested vitamin B12 is actually absorbed. That means you are throwing away 99% of your vitamin B12 supplement which is generally excreted in the urine.</p>
<p>There are two effective methods of obtaining vitamin B12 from sources other than food. These are the painful and expensive injections from the doctor or a sublingual B12 supplement such as that offered by Trivita.</p>
<p>Taking sublingual B12 (with vitamin B6 and folic acid) is the most cost effective and painless way to get a daily dose of these essential vitamins.</p>
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