Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin and a multitasking nutrient which plays an essential role in various crucial functions including:

• Choreographing the creation of healthy red blood cells
• Nerve centre controls- It is the maestro behind the scenes conducting the production of myelin, a protective coating for your nerve fibres
• Aiding the production and repair of your DNA

When you ingest anything with vitamin B12, hydrochloric acid in the stomach separates it from any protein it was attached to, and the vitamin then combines with a protein made specifically by the stomach, at which point it can then be absorbed by the body.

The amount of vitamin B12 you need will depends on a number of factors. However, the National Institutes of Health advises that on a daily basis adults get at least 2.4 micrograms¹. Your doctor can always check your levels if you are unsure of the correct dosage.

Now, let’s talk sources. Traditionally, B12 has been found in animal-based foods like meat, eggs, and dairy. But fear not, vegan crusaders, there are plant-powered options too:

Fortified Foods: Some plant-based products like cereals, plant milks (almond, soy milk etc ), and meat alternatives, have B12 supercharged into them. Look for the “fortified with B12” label!

Nutritional Yeast: Nutritional yeast is a cheesy-flavored topping for your dishes, and it’s often fortified with B12.

Algae and Seaweed: Some aquatic wonders, like spirulina, chlorella and seaweed, have B12 content These are similar to B12 but not as potent.One study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food², which was aimed at determining whether adding 9 g of Chlorella pyrenoidosa daily could help reduce a vitamin B12 deficiency in vegetarians and vegans, revealed that chlorella is indeed an excellent bioavailable source of the vitamin for vegetarians and vegan.

Supplements: B12 supplements are your trusty sidekick in this adventure and ensure you are having enough. Try and find a whole-food based, non-synthetic bran. I have used the Garden of Life brand and found that very reliable based on my pathology tests.

Much Love 🙂

1. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-HealthProfessional/ ↩︎
2. Merchant RE, Phillips TW, Udani J. Nutritional Supplementation with Chlorella pyrenoidosa Lowers Serum Methylmalonic Acid in Vegans and Vegetarians with a Suspected Vitamin B₁₂ Deficiency. J Med Food. 2015 Dec;18(12):1357-62. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2015.0056. Epub 2015 Oct 20. PMID: 26485478. ↩︎