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Login Here Signup Here Signup using FacebookIt is still in the "normal" levels, but lower than normal. She suggested B12 supplements, but I'm weary of taking any kind of artificial vitamins/minerals, besides that, I've heard that taking B12 orally is not efficient (ie B12 injections are preferable). She insists that B12 is only found in animals and thus I need to either eat meat/dairy/eggs or take supplements (which are likely not vegan) What do you all think? Is there a natural, animal friendly way to increase my B12 levels?
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Supplementing with a sublingual(i.e under the tongue) b12 supplement is the best route other than getting the injections.
Im afraid theres no getting away with supplementing b12 if you are vegan.
Hope that helps
I don't know how MUCH this would increase your levels, but there are great amounts of B vitamins in nutritional yeast found in the bulk bins at most health food stores.
~Mona
Only the american version by red star has added b12 i believe, normal nutritional yeast contains full b complex minus b12.
I think this link sums it up pretty good:
http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/b12.htm
Right now I take b12 1000iu each day, don't know if it is vegan, i bought them just before going vegan.
Just using up stuff i have in the house, like vitamins and honey, and then once they are finished switching to other products.
Hey this one is good too:
http://www.vegfamily.com/health/vitamin-b12-debate.htm
Ugghh, I guess I just have to bite the bullet then, huh? :P
It just seems strange to me, that if we are following a diet for optimal health, why would we need supplementation, I mean, deer, elephants, rabbits, ect. don't have problems with low B12 levels.
They eat dirt and such which has b12, sadly raw vegan is quite a restrictive diet and supplementation is needed.
reh- do you live in Europe? I get my B12 from a tropical fruit juice brand called vitafit from Lidl (it's added in it) and Linwoods miiled flax seed mix.
There are people who have been eating a raw vegan diet for decades without supplements and who don't have any deficiencies; so it is possible to get or maintain it from solely vegan sources. But if you've tested low, you probably do want to just take a supplement every once in a while; they are not animal-derived.
I think some of it has to do with the body's ability to absorb the vitamins and minerals.
durian for the 100th time b12 deficiency isnt common at all in meat eaters the select ones that do suffer have absorption problems and/or some other condition going on.
powerlifer:
If you could please provide a link, I am interested in the proof.
I found this one:
http://www.buildingbodies.ca/Nutrition/B12-deficiency.shtml
But it says in the article:
"These occur for meat eaters with huge B12 intakes as well as for vegans."
And there are some sources listed at the bottom, but doesn't really provide proof.
Another thing that doesn't make sense to me, and again I am NO expert, but if the b12 is cooked (most people cook their meat), how does the b12 survive the cooking cycle???
i just read an article yesterday in vegetarian times that said meat eaters have more B 12 deficiencies than vegetarians do. it was backed up by a few studies so i figured i'd mention it.
b12 comes from byproducts..(yeast, dirt, poop..etc.) ... nutritional yeast is the most natural source in my opinion (that tastes good anyway!)... also it is 100% vegan. but you should always research the type of nutritional yeast you are buying as they come from different sources. usually grown on some type of molasses.
Thanks for the article rawcanadian- I've saved that to my favourites- it is interesting. Looking at the symptoms of B12 deficiency I haven't got one. I cannot have the nutritional yeast as I have an intolerance to yeast. I'm sticking with the Lidl fruit juice and the flax mix.
Interestingly, my mother, who isn't even vegeterian has vitamin deficiencies. She hasn't been absorbing calcium, iron and Vitamin D well. It seems to be caused by her gastric medications she takes. I've been telling her for about 4 years that if she took herbal mecicines for her gastric problems she would get better and not have problems but I think she must think me a silly hippy. She did go with me to the health shop after she found out her problems and got slippery elm- which cured my gastric problems. Also, she eats processed foods which cause indigestion- I keep encouraging her to eat some organic.I haven't seen her for awhile so I don't know if she is still taking the slippery elm or not.I had GERD really bad and herbs cured me.
Bitters are great for GERD and indigestion also.
None of the UK types of nutritional yeast have b12 added like the american red star do, so watch incase those are thinking its contained naturally.
I also had meadowsweet and licquorice for the GERD- but by far the best was slippery elm- and yes it is really bitter! I had it in tablets as I couldn't face the powder.I went from being unable to lie down to sleep (had to sleep sitting up), due to acid reflux and being unable to eat onions to being completely better in about 3 days.
Too bad. So how's your vitamin B12 level now? I hope you're doing fine now. When I was younger, I was diagnosed that I was low in this vitamin, too. What I did was to supplement myself with vitamin B12. I tried this: http://products.mercola.com/vitamin-b12-spray/ It's not a pill or tablet but a spray. It did good to me that time, and until now, I'm still using it. :)
I see that this is a pretty old thread, but I thought that I would also add that in my studies, sea vegetables are supposed to be a good source for B12. I believe that I read it in Depression Free For Life by Gabriel Cousans (sp?). I have found him to be a good, reliable source for information.
Unfortunately from the research i have done it is actually analogs of b12 and not usuable viable B12 in sea vegetable sadly.
At the current time i havent come across any solid evidence of a vegan dietary B12 source. Obviously not including fortified foods.
I have to agree with powerlifer. I recently found out that my B12 is extremely low. This has prompted me to really research it in deapth and I have found a lot of misleading information regarding sources of VIABLE, USABLE B12. Just as our bodies are able to better metabolize protien from plants as opposed to animal protien, the same holds true for many other things within our diet. What I mean is that sea vegtables may contain a type of B12 but that doesn't mean we are able to benefit from it. As a vegan I would love to believe and say that we are able to get an adequate amount of B12 purely from our diet alone. For some individual that may be true. Our bodies are all different and the human body only requires a very small amount of B12. However, for the vast majority of people, B12 must be obtained either through animal by-products, injections, or supplementation. At least that's what I've been finding through my research. Some people have an inability to absorb B12 in their small intestine and therefore sublingual suppliments is the best alternative. Monthly (or even bi-weekly) shots are also a good option for those individuals who simply don't remember to take the suppliments.
Cheers,
The Bajan