for those who take B-12...

[aililiu]

I know this is such a chewed over subject, and Ive read a lot of info on it... but after some debate i got myself a B-12 supplement, sublingual, vegan, no fillers... 1000mcg.

i know ive read a few times that even though it says on the bottle to take it daily, some people only take it weekly or monthly.. &i was curious, for those of you who do supplement, how often do you take a tablet?

[Trolltyget]

I eat supplements a couple of weeks at the time, but never longer than a month. B12 is one of those vitamins that your body will be able to store for a very long period of time (we´re talking years) so you dont have to eat supplements every day. And if you´re new to vegan foods, then you don´t have to be as concerned. Perhaps you should start to consider supplements 5-7 years after you stopped eating meat/dairy/eggs

[vgloveforlife]

I take one about 3X a month (but I also eat eggs ocassionally)

After years as a vegan I was starting to develop deficiency symptoms so I would really recommend taking one regularly.

[belleadonna]

I take one every other day and a B-complex in between.

[garden granny]

I take liquid sublingual B-Complex a few times a week (when I remember) - I take it just to be sure I'm getting all my B vitamins.

[lalakis]

I take a multi-vitamin everyday , b-12 when i remember (every few days), and i also have cold-pressed organic flax oil for all the omegas (i also take this when i remember, maybe once a week). I see nothing wrong with it. :)

[Dj 247]

I am reading the book, "The China Study." It is a very good book. I wish I could get my family to read it. The author suggest that those on a vegan diet should supplement vitamin B12 using a very low dose. The body can store B12 for about 3 years. I have been vegan since Feb. of this year so I am not really concerned yet, but I will take a B12 supplement in the future.

[aililiu]

thanks for all your answers... ive been vegan for only 8-9 months (raw for 18 days :p ) so its probably not vital i take it, but i just dont want to get to the stage where it is.

dj247.. can you tell me why the author suggests vegans supplement with a low dose? i thought that any extra B-12 our bodies would just clean out.

ive been hearing a lot about that book, its definately in my must-read list :)

[dustandbreath]

Perhaps you have seen this, but there is a good article on the web about it, and they recommend the following levels:


To get the full benefit of a vegan diet, vegans should do one of the following:

Eat fortified foods two or three times a day to get at least three micrograms (mcg or mg) of B12 a day or
Take one B12 supplement daily providing at least 10 micrograms or
Take a weekly B12 supplement providing at least 2000 micrograms.
http://www.veganhealth.org/articles/everyvegan/

They also explain why the different amounts (it has to do with absorbtion, etc) depending on daily or weekly use.

I just order some B12 via Quixtar/Nutrilite. They are all organic, do all their own supplements and grow their own foods. The only question I have is their B Complex, which I ordered, only gives 6 mg for their recommended daily allowance. However, you take that 3 times a day, so maybe the way it enters your body and the fact that they combine their nturients with actual food stuffs, may make it closer to the "fortified food" category. That is just my guess. They do make a multi with 45 mcg, but I didn't order that. You also have to check because some multis have a vitamin that blocks B12 (I don't remember which one, and I can't find the source anymore. K or D or something).

[SchoolOfRAWk]

B12 is only a big issue for like hygienists who refuse to supplement. Non-vegans get this deficiency too. Just take the sublingual here and there...

[aililiu]

dustandbreath.. thank you for that article! i hadnt read that one, it was so nice and clear. i guess since my supplement is 1000mcg i could take that twice a week.

there are three different 'types' of B-12 as well, arent there? but i read that any of them will do. just wondering because most of the supplements ive seen are cyanocobalamin and mine is methylcobalamin.

[dustandbreath]

Yeah, I thought it was a pretty clear article, too. Glad it was helpful to you! I wonder about taking a test to see where my levels are at, but for now, I will just take the supplement. Maybe test later. I may not even need it now, but I don't mind taking supplements, better safe than sorry . . . and a few hundred dollars lighter a year . . . :)