Vitamin B12: what all vegans should know

The b12 vitamin is the nutrient in eternal contention in the vegetarian diet. We can read all kinds of claims about it, but they are not always based on the available evidence.

However, the reality is that the scientific literature on B12 is extensive and the conclusions leave no room for doubt: today there are few doubts about the unnecessary risk of not incorporating it sufficiently into the diet, so all vegans or vegetarians should pay attention to how to cover B12 requirements safely. If you don’t want to have it lowyou should take a B12 supplement.

Vitamin B12: what is it for?

Vitamin B12 is essential for the formation of red blood cells and also for the functioning of the central nervous system, since it maintains the myelin sheath of neurons and participates in the synthesis of neurotransmitters. It also acts as a coenzyme in a variety of important metabolic reactions.

Vitamin B12: foods

Generally we find it in foods of animal origin. Active B12 has also been found in seaweed such as fresh nori and some tempeh, but availability for use as reliable sources remains to be confirmed. There are also enriched products such as vegetable drinks, breakfast cereals…

Also there may be vitamin B12 in the earth. But when washing the vegetables, this is eliminated and with it the little B12 that might be there. Eating unwashed vegetables is not an option. Therefore it does not seem like the best idea when it comes to stocking up on this essential nutrient.

It is produced by certain bacteria in the colon, away from the small intestine where it is absorbed. There are reserves in the liver, but it is not possible to know how long they will last (months or up to 3 years). That is why it is advisable to supplement the vegetarian diet.

Symptoms of a lack of vitamin B12 in women and men

Vegetables do not contain bioavailable B12, but corrinoids or B12 analogues. Therefore, a vegan person is at risk of developing deficits. In addition analogues they hinder the absorption of the true B12 and can falsify a testa, since the serum determination does not distinguish between analogues and active B12.

The latest research on the prevalence of B12 deficiency in the vegetarian population shows a very frequent deficit also in lacto-ovo vegetarians. Therefore we should include this group in the recommendations.

“It can take a relatively long time for B12 stores to be depleted, but deficiency symptoms can occur quickly” Pawlak et al.

The reasons why the lacto-ovo vegetarian population also frequently presents deficits are, on the one hand, a consumption of dairy products and eggs that does not reach the necessary minimum and, on the other, a lack of acidity in the stomach or hypochlorhydria. This hinders the absorption of B12 because its binding with intrinsic factor is hindered, an essential step. when the Dairy and egg consumption is less than 3 servings a day (such as an egg, half a glass of milk, one and a half yogurt, 100 g of fresh cheese or 25 g of semi-cured cheese), it is essential to supplement vitamin B12 in the appropriate form and dose.

Symptoms of a low B12

Vitamin B12 deficiency usually manifests with:

megaloblastic anemia,an alteration of the precursor cells of the bone marrow,diarrhea,dizziness,poor appetite,pale skin,concentration problems,confusion,numbness of the hands and feet.

In addition to vegetarians, people over 50 years of age should pay special attention and those who take stomach protectors such as Omeprazole. Also those who suffer alterations in intestinal absorption or have undergone digestive surgeries.

B12 supplements, the sensible choice

The supplements are cheap: you can get them online for 7 euros for two years. They are of bacterial synthesis – not of animal origin – and very safe. It is appropriate to choose cyanocobalaminthe most studied form in terms of dosage and toxicity.

For maintenance (non-therapeutic) doses, there are three options: take two servings of fortified food daily (noting that they total 4 mcg); take a daily supplement of 25-100 mcg; and take a weekly supplement of 2,000 mcg, or two of 1,000 mcg.

Why are there vegans who do not drink and do not show symptoms?

On specific cases that are not under control, and it is not known exactly what they eat, no conclusions can be drawn. Studies do not show vegans who do not need B12. Not taking a cheap and safe supplement is not worth the risk.