No products in the cart.
Blog
Vitamin B12: The complete guide
08
Jul
Jul
Don't know which products to eat to reach your health goals?
Find out in less than a minute by making your personalized diagnosis.
Vitamin B12, also called cobalamin, is an essential nutrient for the proper functioning of the body (and in particular the brain and the nervous system). This vitamin from the group of B vitamins is water-soluble and associated with several vital processes of our metabolism. This vitamin, stored in our liver, influences our good physical and moral health, strengthens the nerves and gives us energy for the day.
Role of vitamin B12
As mentioned earlier, vitamin B12 is essential for the body. It plays a decisive role and allows :
- Regulation of the nervous system
- DNA synthesis
- Production of red blood cells
- Cell growth and division
- Ensure neurological functions
- The proper expression of genes
- Improve energy and folic acid metabolism
Daily requirements
The need for vitamin B12 is the lowest of all vitamins. Indeed, it is recommended to consume between 2.5µg and 3 µg (or about 0.003 mg) per day for an adult person. This corresponds, for example, to 100g of camembert or 70g of beef.
The dosage obviously varies according to needs and age (a child will not take the same dose at 5, at 13, or at 18 years old). Some individuals have a greater need for vitamin B12, such as, for example, pregnant women or the elderly.
However, the assimilation of vitamin B12 may be more important than the daily requirement. For example, an ampoule of B12 corresponds to 1000µg. It is possible to take two per week, mixed with a drink or not.
Overdose and adverse reaction
An overdose is almost impossible. A flare-up of acne is the only adverse effect (and extremely rare) known to date. Vitamin B12 is therefore not toxic in high doses. However, the maximum dose usable by the body is 5000µg per day. (Let’s not abuse the good stuff!)
Note: a large consumption of beer or alcohol in general increases the need for vitamin B12.
Probably the best organic organic chlorella
Certified AB and Ecocert France 100% pure organic chlorella Cultivated in spring water
Sources of vitamin B12
There are many sources of vitamins B12. It is present in particular in all kinds of foods of animal origin such as meat, fish, eggs, shellfish, etc. It is however necessary to pay particular attention to the cooking of your food. Vitamin B12 is sensitive to heat and therefore, some of the nutrients are lost during cooking.
Dairy products would still remain to be preferred in case of vitamin B12 deficiency. It has been shown by several studies that the vitamin present in these products (cheese, yogurt, etc.) is better assimilated by the body than that coming from meat.
To give you an example, 250 ml of milk corresponds to 1 µg of vitamin B12!
The forms of vitamins B12
There are 4 forms of B12 vitamins: cyanocobalamin, hydroxocobalamin, methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin.
The first two are the most stable forms of vitamin B12. Adenosylcobalamin and hydroxocobalamin are both present in meat while methylcobalamin is present in dairy products. The latter is therefore ideal because it does not require any transformation, even if the hydroxocobolamine also seems satisfactory (despite the fact that it requires to be converted into an active form).
Cyanocobalamin, a danger to humans?
Cyanocobalamin is the most widespread and cheapest form on the market. It is a synthetic form of vitamin B12 that is found in most supplements and is also offered intravenously. It is preferred to Adenosylcobalamin and Methylcobalamin because the latter are less stable and more sensitive to light.
Cyanocobalamin requires many transformations before it can be effective in the body. It is also good to know that at high doses, cyanocobalamin can be toxic. Indeed, its metabolization generates small amounts of cyanide. For most people, these amounts do not pose any problem but they are generally poorly tolerated by others (such as heavy smokers).
We reassure you right away: in 2000 µg of cyanocobalamin, we find 40 µg of cyanide. However, only about 1% of vitamin B12 passes into the blood, which is about 0.5 µg of cyanide.
Despite the proven safety of cyanocobalamin, some people prefer to turn to other forms of B12.
Vitamin B12 deficiency
If your diet is rich in protein, the risks of a vitamin B12 deficiency are minimal (except in specific cases).
Vitamin B12 deficiency is more likely to affect the elderly, pregnant women, vegans/vegans as well as people living in emerging countries.
Such a deficiency can cause serious health problems such as: congenital malformation, growth retardation, anemia, loss of limb sensitivity, neurological and cognitive deficits, etc.
spirulina were for a while considered as a solution. However, most algae contain analogues, i.e. pseudo-vitamin B12.
The deficiency of this vitamin is therefore particularly high in vegan/vegetarian people and requires in the vast majority of cases, recourse to supplementation.
Probably the best organic organic chlorella
Certified AB and Ecocert France 100% pure organic chlorella Cultivated in spring water
The case of chlorella
Chlorella is one of the rare algae to contain vitamin B12. It must be 100% pure and the culture must be closely monitored: high temperatures can destroy certain nutrients. The B12 content was also our main criterion for the selection of an aquaculture farm.
A study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food confirmed the presence of vitamin B12 (active!) in chlorella. Indeed, the study concerned vegan/vegetarian people with a healthy lifestyle but a vitamin B12 deficiency. The results after taking chlorella turned out to be very promising.
However, the fact that some tablets contain more vitamin B12 than others (in the same package!) still remains a mystery to science…
Don't know which products to eat to reach your health goals?
Find out in less than a minute by making your personalized diagnosis.
