What Every Vegan Should Know about Vitamin B12
Recommendations
Very low B12 intakes can cause anemia and nervous system
damage.
To get the full benefit of a vegan diet, vegans should
do one of the following:
Lessons from History
B12 is an exceptional vitamin. It is required in smaller amounts
than any other known vitamin. Ten micrograms of B12 spread over a
day appears to supply as much as the body can use. In the absence
of any apparent dietary supply, deficiency symptoms usually take
five years or more to develop in adults, though some people
experience problems within a year. A very small number of
individuals with no obvious reliable source appear to avoid
clinical deficiency symptoms for twenty years or more. B12 is the
only vitamin that is not recognized as being reliably supplied from
a varied wholefood, plant-based diet with plenty of fruit and
vegetables, together with exposure to sun. Many herbivorous
mammals, including cattle and sheep, absorb B12 produced by
bacteria in their own digestive system. B12 is found to some extent
in soil and plants. These observations have led some vegans to
suggest that B12 was an issue requiring no special attention, or
even an elaborate hoax. Others have proposed specific foods,
including spirulina, nori, tempeh, and barley grass, as suitable
non-animal sources of B12. Such claims have not stood the test of
time.
In over 60 years of vegan experimentation only B12 fortified
foods and B12 supplements have proven themselves as reliable
sources of B12, capable of supporting optimal health. It is very
important that all vegans ensure they have an adequate intake of
B12, from fortified foods or supplements. This will benefit our
health and help to attract others to veganism through our
example.
http://veganhealth.org/articles/everyvegan
It can be hard to spot a Vegan Vitamin B12
deficiency. Why? Because enough B12 can be stored in the
liver to last 3-6 years. So, for instance, if you went vegan 5
years ago, but haven't been paying any attention to your B12 intake
to replenish those stores, you could be on your way to a harmful
deficiency. And by the time you notice, it could be too late.
But there's no time like the present to take the bull by the
horns and pay attention to what your body needs.
So, please be conscious of your Vegan Vitamin B12 intake. A
Vitamin B12 deficiency is nothing to mess around with. It can lead
to anemia, constipation, weakness, loss of appetite, weight loss,
depression, confusion, dementia, poor memory, soreness of the mouth
or tongue, and irreversible nerve damage (such as tingling and
numbness in the hands and feet), among other symptoms.
(Of course, many of these can be caused by other medical
conditions, so if you have any of these challenges, be sure to
speak to your physician about your concerns.)
http://www.vegancoach.com/vegan-vitamin-B12.html
Myths and Facts about
Vitamin B-12
by Valerie Copeland, TVS
Most of us know that vegetarians live longer,
and have less cancer, heart disease, and risk of stroke. Vegetarian
(including vegan) meals supply adequate amounts of all the
nutrients that we need - with the possible exception of Vitamin
B-12, which is important for making red blood cells and maintaining
the nervous system.
Vitamin B-12 is an essential vitamin that is only produced by
microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and algae; animals and
plants cannot synthesize B-12 (animals are B-12 sources to
non-vegetarians because animals ingest microorganisms). Unwashed
vegetables may also contain significant sources if they are
contaminated with B-12 containing bacteria. However, in developed
countries where vegetables are washed during harvest, these
bacteria are easily lost.
Vitamin B-12 requirements are small. The Recommended Daily
Allowance is 2 micrograms (mcg), and experts believe that 1 mcg/day
may be sufficient 1. Deficiency is rare,
since our bodies typically store several years' worth of B-12,
conserving it by reabsorbing it from our waste. By far the most
common B-12 problem isn't lack in the diet, but inability for a
small number of people to absorb it due to enzymatic deficiencies;
these people may receive periodic B-12 injections. You should see
your doctor if you feel that you may have a B-12 deficiency.
Requirements are small, deficiency is rare ... Sources
include enriched cereals, fortified soymilk, supplements, and
fortified nutritional yeast
Lacto-ovo vegetarians who eat a variety of foods have no problem
meeting all of their vitamin needs, including B-12.
Lacto-vegetarians also have little difficulty getting B-12 in their
diet. However, vegans may be deficient in B-12 if they are not
making a conscious effort to include a regular, reliable source of
B-12 in their diet.
Many foods once popularly thought to contain B-12 do not in fact
contain it, or contain only analogs that resemble B-12 but have no
biological activity and actually inhibit B-12 absorption. The
following either contain no B-12 or contain B-12 analogs
2:
Foods with
no B-12 or that inhibit B-12 Tempeh Amaranth Tamari Shoyu Spinach Miso Alfalfa Turnip greens Umeboshi plums Algae Legumes Tofu Spirulina Peanuts Barley malt syrup
Comfrey
Soybeans
Sourdough bread
Rainwater Shiitake
mushrooms Sea
vegetables (arame, wasake, kombu)
Reliable sources of B-12 can easily be found in many enriched
breakfast cereals, fortified soymilk (such as Eden Soy Extra), some
meat analogues, and all common multivitamin supplement tablets
(look for it by its chemical name of {it}cyanocobalamin{/it}).
Fortified nutritional yeast is also an excellent source, such as
Red Star T6635 (one tablespoon provides 4 mcg). These products can
be readily found in local whole foods stores, such as Harmony
Farms, Wellspring Grocery, and Weaver Street Market.
http://www.trianglevegsociety.org/grapevine/v11_1/b12.html
ps: yea, think i'm ok. as i'm incline toward Lacto-ovo. :)
/\