Supplementation: Vitamin B12 What You Need To Know

Quick Note: It is always wise to talk to your doctor and/or doing blood work when starting any supplementation regiment. Knowledge is key!

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B12 is one of the most common vitamins taken in the US. It is in basically every multivitamin and energy/power drink, and is probably the most well known supplements (probably why I am writing about it first).

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Function

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B12 has a ton of important functions in the body. 

• It is required for function and myelination of the central nervous system. Myelination is the fatty tissue around nerves that makes the impulse move faster and function more efficiently
• It is crucial for the production of red blood cells
• It is crucial for DNA synthesis

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Pretty important stuff! Makes sense why so many people take it on a daily basis!

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What is the proper dosage?

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Approximately 2.4 mcg per day.

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That being said; most supplements have WAYYYYY more than that as their dosage. The FDA currently does not have an upper limit on dosage for B12 which is why in many supplements you will see upwards of 1000x the recommended dose.

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Methylcobalamin vs. Cyanocobalamin

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Cobalamin is the vitamin B12, however, in order for it to be stable in nature, animals will attach a methyl molecule onto it to make it methylcobalamin. Cyanocobalamin is synthetically formed when you put a cyanide molecule onto cobalamin. Cyanocobalamin is probably the most popular version of all B12 supplements because it is more stable (easier to package, ship and store), however, that does not mean by any stretch that it is better.

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Cyanocobalamin contains cyanide as I previously stated. It is approved in low doses for humans by the FDA, however, the idea of taking cyanide is not something I care for. 

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Furthermore, it has been shown that Methylcobalamin and Cyanocobalamin have similar absorption rates when taken orally. When we look deeper, though, we see that Methylcobalamin has a more effective dose.

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More cobalamin is found in the liver after taking Methylcobalamin, and the urinary excretion of Methylcobalamin is over ⅓ that of Cyanocobalamin.

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Lastly, Methylcobalamin is the naturally occurring form in animals (including humans) anytime you can supplement with the real thing is almost always better.

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Myths

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B12 is not a magic drug. It will change your life with 1 shot or 1 month of supplementing with it. It, like many other supplements, is something that will help you a little bit. 

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If you are deficient in B12, that is a totally different story. Consult your doctor and get on that stuff ASAP!

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Cyanocobalamin is not made from human feces. There have been videos and articles floating around making these claims. As far as I can tell, this is not true. 

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Like most things, it is made through microbial fermentation/production. Bacteria in the proper medium with produce adenosylcobalamin which will then be turned into cyanocobalamin to be more stable.

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I think the reason for this myth is because a city in Minnesota patented the technology to process their human refuse into cyanocobalmin.

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I could be wrong, but that seems super expensive and gross, and there was literally no research suggesting this is how they produce it.

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Side note: do you really need to make something with cyanide in it sound even worse? 

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Final thoughts

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B12 is just a piece in the puzzle that is good health. All supplements can have a positive effect on your health, however, it only goes so far. 

The word supplement means that it is not the most important factor. Good, healthy eating and working out regularly is the secret sauce to health. It will cover about 80-90% of what you need. That last 10-20% is where supplements come into play. They help you optimize your health and performance, but they do not make it.

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As always, if you have any questions please feel free to reach out to me: nate@oakperformanceusa.com

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Yours in strength,

Nate

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