vitamin B12

The subject of vitamin B12 is not new to most vegans, vegetarians or raw fooders. The supplement companies have many people running to their local health (drug) stores in an effort to make themselves deficiency-free, but is this a good idea? A number of issues will be raised in this article and I will attempt to piece together some information from many different and reliable (non-financially-oriented) sources.

A vitamin B12 deficiency is a serious disorder and indications of a deficiency of vitamin B12, when they do reach a stage where they have shown up, can be quite severe. Fatigue, paleness, anorexia, mental confusion, delusions, paranoia, weight loss, respiratory problems, etc. are just some indications that a person may have a B12-deficiency. In my opinion, ME is often a B12-deficiency disorder. If you do think you may have a B12-deficiency, it would be wise for you to seek the advice of a health practitioner (such as myself) who is knowledgeable about B12-deficiencies, for immediate advice. I would strongly recommend that you do something to remedy the situation, as this deficiency can eventually lead to death if left unchecked.

Not all vitamin B12 in food is bioavailable. For instance, the B12 in plant foods (like green vegetables and soy) is an analog form of the vitamin which cannot be used in the human body. This analog B12 can actually interfere with the absorption of other types of vitamin B12, making the reliance on plant foods for B12 very ineffective for many individuals. Soy foods, in particular, appear to cause problems in B12 absorption.

Don Conrad, Independent TriVita Affiliate Member, ID#13478787 phone: 316-648-5476