Symptoms of B-12 deficiency

The symptoms of Vitamin B12 can include any of the following:

* Chest pain or shortness of breath
* Fatigue or weakness
* Dizziness, trouble with balance, and fainting
* Confusion, memory loss or dementia
* Coldness, numbness or tingling in the hands and feet
* Slow reflexes or diminished nervous system function
* Pale skin
* Sore mouth and tongue

Vitamin B-12 deficiency is especially common in vegans and vegetarians because typical vitamin B-12 sources (meats, yogurt, etc.) are not present in their diets. But even meat eaters can be deficient in B-12 due to poor digestion, especially elderly people who have a diminished ability to absorb nutrients in their small intestine.

This leads to a significant amount of people who have Vitamin B-12 deficiency!

Best Form of Vitamin B-12

Many people who are deficient in vitamin B-12 typically receive injections of B-12. This is extremely effective since it bypasses the digestive tract and goes straight into the bloodstream. However, the downside is it needs to be injected, which many people may avoid.

Another alternative is for people to use nutritional supplements. Unfortunately, the most common type is cyanocobalamin, which is a “cheap” synthetic type that can be harmful for your body; it bounds to a cyanide molecule that is poisonous, which can worsen your overall health rather than help it. It is even found in big name baby formulas!

Low-end vitamin manufacturers like it because it can be bought in bulk and added to products with claims that they “contain vitamin B-12!” However, this vitamin is bound to a toxic, poisonous cyanide molecule that needs to be removed by your liver. Cyanocobalamin is also up to 100 times cheaper than the best quality of Vitamin B12: methylcobalamin which I write about below.

 

ProTip: If you have any vitamin B-12 supplements at home, check the label right now to see what form of vitamin B-12 they contain. If they contain cyanocobalamin, make sure to start buying the right type!

 

The best type of Vitamin B12 for your body: Methylcobalamin

The proper form of vitamin B-12 to supplement is methylcobalamin. This is the form that exists in nature, and it is pre-methylated, which means it is ready for your body to put into immediate use.

Methylcobalamin has several key advantages over cyanocobalamin because it is:

* Increased absorption
* Better retention in tissues
* Contains no toxic cyanide

Why 99% of vitamin B-12 supplements are wasted

Here are three methods for absorbing vitamin B-12 that reliably work:

1) B-12 injections.
2) Sublingual absorption.
3) Skin absorption.

A great product is Natural Factors Vitamin B12 Methylcobalaminwhich is taken through sublingual absorption under the tounge. This gets directly absorbed into the glands and allows for greater absorption.

A Vitamin B12 skin patch is also available that delivers methylcobalamin through the skin, using a small medical-grade patch placed behind the ear. Each patch delivers 1000 mcg of methylcobalamin (1,666% DV) in a steady release over a 1-2 day period. After that, the patch may be removed and discarded.

Make sure you avoid cyanocobalamin and stick to methylcobalamin – which is must easier absorbed and better for your body! 🙂