NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC FORMS OF VITAMIN B12
Author of the article: Monique van der Vloed
In recent years, more and more has been said about vitamin B12 and its important role for humans. It is a "hot topic" because it has become clear that not only vegetarians are at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency—this issue can concern anyone. Vitamin B12 deficiency can be caused by a lack of nutrients in the daily diet, but also by poor absorption or the body’s inability to assimilate it.
In this article you will learn:
What should be the proper level of vitamin B12 in the body and how to check it?
What form of supplementation to choose if you have deficiencies?
What dose of vitamin B12 to use?
HOW TO CHECK IF YOU HAVE A VITAMIN B12 DEFICIENCY?
To find out if you have a vitamin B12 deficiency, you need to do a blood test.
vitamin b12
In some cases, blood test results indicate a significant deficiency (normal values are 150–700 pmol/l). If your vitamin B12 level is too low, it may be necessary to supplement it with injections. Vitamin B12 injections can only be prescribed and administered by a general practitioner or specialist.
In the Netherlands, the Health Council (Gezondheidsraad) has set the RDA of vitamin B12 for adults at 2.8 micrograms per day. In Poland, this level is similar. The National Education Center provides that the requirement for vitamin B12 is:
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for infants: 0.4–0.5 µg per day,
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for children e.g. aged 9: 1.8 µg,
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for adults: 2.4 µg.
During pregnancy, the need for vitamin B12 increases slightly (2.6 µg), and a bit more for breastfeeding women (2.8 µg), due to its transfer into breast milk. In adults, the body stores of vitamin B12 are on average 2–3 mg, and for women entering pregnancy with such a reserve, it is sufficient to meet the fetus’s needs. Moreover, during pregnancy, the absorption of this vitamin in the small intestine increases, and for these reasons, vitamin B12 deficiency in traditionally nourished women occurs rarely and is not as problematic as folic acid deficiency. It is also worth noting that with the development of pregnancy, the mother's blood level of vitamin B12 drops due to increased metabolism, blood volume, and the transport of this vitamin through the placenta, which exceeds the so-called physiological concentration balance, resulting in the newborn’s blood having twice the concentration as the mother’s.
Many people take supplements because they suspect a deficiency or fear they might have one. If your diet is nutritious and you're otherwise healthy, vitamin B12 supplementation is not necessary. But if you suspect a deficiency—get tested!
The best supplements come in tablet form. There are various versions to choose from, from very small to large tablets, flavored chewable tablets, or capsules. Do you have mild symptoms? Then it’s usually enough to take multivitamins. But always consult your doctor before using them.
If you supplement vitamins, it is recommended not to take more than 100% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA). This information can be found on the label of each supplement. In the case of vitamin B12 supplementation, you should not take more than 2.8 micrograms per day. If you belong to a risk group, it is wise to supplement. For example, if you are vegan or 100% vegetarian (no dairy, no eggs), supplementing 2.8 micrograms per day will certainly be helpful. But even in this case, I recommend getting tested first!
WHICH FORM OF VITAMIN B12 TO CHOOSE?
Due to the enormous interest in vitamin B12, in recent years more and more supplements have appeared on the market like mushrooms after rain. Making a choice can therefore be quite stressful. We are confused about which supplement to use, which is actually good, and why there are such price differences—are we overpaying for exactly the same thing?
Let me start by explaining something about vitamin B12 supplementation because it turns out it’s not as “black and white” as it often seems. Did you know that there are many different forms, not all of which are equally effective for everyone?
The active form of vitamin B12 is also called COBALAMIN.
Below are some of its forms, also called analogues. Cobalamin analogues, however, are inactive. At best, they are neutral, and at worst, they inhibit the action of true vitamin B12. Moreover, analogues can strongly affect the absorption of vitamin B12.
The active forms of cobalamin include:
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METHYLCOBALAMIN
This form is also found in breast milk, meat, and fish. -
HYDROXOCOBALAMIN
This form is also found in meat and fish, but also in vitamin B12 injections. -
DIBENCOZYD (Adenosylcobalamin)
This form is also found in meat, fish, and cow's milk. -
CYANOCOBALAMIN
This form is not found in food.
The substances we call vitamin B12 therefore exist in various forms and contain the mineral cobalt. Almost all vitamin B12 supplements contain cyanocobalamin. Logical, because cyanocobalamin is chemically stable and has a long shelf life.
But... Cyanocobalamin does not occur in Nature. It is a byproduct of purifying other forms of vitamin B12 with activated carbon, during which cyanide is absorbed. In the body, cyanocobalamin is broken down into physiological forms—methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin. Cyanide then remains in the body in small amounts. Therefore, the use of vitamin B12 with cyanocobalamin is often not recommended. Many informational sites even refer to it as rat poison.
VITAMIN B12 DOSAGE
Research shows that vitamin B12 tablet doses above 1000 micrograms per day (40,000% RDA) have no additional effect in people with mild vitamin B12 deficiency. And keep in mind, most people have a mild B12 deficiency. People with severe B12 deficiency may benefit from doses higher than 1000 micrograms, but then it is almost always administered as an injection. B12 in injections is hydroxocobalamin, because this form is better absorbed by the body than cyanocobalamin. 
Higher doses should be prescribed by a doctor.
The best-absorbed forms are methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin (coenzyme B12). Both are biologically active forms that no longer need to be processed by the stomach and intestines. And it's worth realizing that in this process, many things can go wrong. You can read about the process of vitamin B12 absorption in the body by clicking here.
Both methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin have important biochemical and therapeutic advantages compared to other inactive forms of vitamin B12.
NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC FORMS OF VITAMIN B12
I have been living a vegetarian (98% vegan) lifestyle for over 30 years and I also supplement vitamin B12. I’ve noticed that over the years, many brands have appeared on the market—from cheap to expensive. Vitamin B12 supplementation is very important to me, which is why I decided to test various B12 supplements on myself. I dedicated about a month to each one to get the best possible idea of how it works. It’s really difficult to evaluate the effect of taking vitamin B12, so in the test I mostly indicate whether I experienced any changes or symptoms during use. In this test, I evaluate supplements in terms of naturalness, effectiveness, ease of use, and price. The test is rated based on my personal experience. More details about the whole test and results can be found by clicking here.
And my conclusion?
Vitamin B12 supplements, like most supplements, are almost always synthetic. It really doesn’t matter whether you buy a cheap version or a more expensive one. Almost all brands that sell both methylcobalamin and cyanocobalamin have exactly the same composition. What can make a big difference are the fillers and additives used in the supplement. But in terms of effectiveness, they’re all the same. The price differences, however, can be shocking. You can save up to 100 PLN!!!!!
There are no TRUE natural and/or 100% organic plant-based options, with one exception—ROYAL GREEN.
The process of creating Royal Green Vitamin B12 is so unique that I describe it in my next article, which you can read by clicking here. I also share my personal experiences with B12 supplementation there.
Author of the article: Monique van der Vloed
BIO MONIQUE
Monique van der Vloed
Monique van der Vloed (born 1969) is a Dutch (natural) food expert / weight consultant and critical health blogger. Advocate of Nature, organic food, and a healthy lifestyle. Her adventure with food began as a child, assisting in her grandmother's kitchen. She further developed her passion by studying dietetics and nutrition—first in America and then in the Netherlands. Besides healthy food, Monique also focuses on natural personal care and is involved in sustainability.
Monique writes about herself:
“I became a critical health blogger and... I tackle burning issues, investigate abuses, and go beyond the average article on nutrition and health. I deal with the latest developments in the field of healthy food and health every day. I regularly conduct my own research and study new supermarket products.”
“My work as a blogger is non-commercial, I don’t take any money for it, this way I want to maintain my independence and honesty.”
“I believe it’s extremely important to limit ‘fast fashion’ (disposable clothing industry) and pay more attention to ‘slow fashion’, also known as sustainable clothing. Also in the field of durable kitchen tools in our households and surroundings. I think it’s extremely important that people become more aware.”
“I am a proponent of NO NONSENSE. And I do everything my own way. I like to dig deeper than the average nutrition and sustainability influencer. Making money is not a priority for me. Raising awareness and creating a better world is a thousand times more important to me. PEOPLE come first. And animals. And the environment, which we really should care about.”