We’ve added Vitamin B12 to our Protein powder as it’s the nutrient many medical doctors claim to be most difficult for vegans to obtain. It is produced only by microorganisms and thus found more often in animal-based products. Humans used to get some of our B12 from drinking non-treated water or eating fruits, veggies, and grains that hadn’t been sterilized with soap. As hygiene standards improved, our needs changed.
Why Do We Need Vit B12?
- It is needed to absorb iron, calcium and Vit A
- It maintains the health of the brain and nervous cells thus protecting against stress and dementia.
- It helps clear harmful homocysteine from blood (high levels of homocysteine are associated with inflammation, heart disease and osteoporosis).
- Vit B12 deficiency can lead to anemia, nervousness, muscle tremors, dementia (the elderly). Older people who do not eat well usually lack this vitamin.
VEGAN SOURCES OF B12
The only proven reliable sources of B12 for vegans are:
Fortified Foods
Vitamin B12 is added to some alternatives to milk products, vegan spreads, nutritional yeast flakes, yeast extracts and breakfast cereals.
Supplements
You may notice that there are supplements containing different types of vitamin B12. Cyanocobalamin is recommended, mainly because it is the most stable type. Your body converts it to the two active forms of vitamin B12, which are methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin.
The recommended daily amount of B12 varies from country to country but no upper limits have been set for the vitamin because no toxic effects have been identified. Regardless of diet preference, the National Institute of Health in the US recommends that all adults over 50 years of age receive most of their vitamin B12 through supplements and fortified foods, due to impaired absorption that occurs during aging.
