Need advice on B12

[Percy]

Well... I'm starting to get annoyed with the stupid B12.

Right now I'm taking no substitutes... and in various boards, there are huge discussions on B12.

Do I need B12 supplements? I'm raw vegan 100%

Also, at the vitamin shoppe, they have a pot with 60 tiny pills of B12 (500 mcg/serving)

It has 60 pills, so for me an Ana it would be an additional expense of $30 monthly. (a daily pill...)

It's necessary to get a daily pill of B12? (As the body stores a lot and releases the remaining...)

Or it's fine to take one pill or two every week?


Also, are there other vitamins that may cause any problem? I know D is one, but I'm getting my sun light (I heard also about D2 as well.. it's the same?)


Thanks

[Vivid Lily]

I go to raw food classes. they recommended that I take B12 every other day. So I take it Mon. Wed. & Fri. that way I remember. Hope this helps. suzy:D

[SmilingRawDancer]

Ok. I've been raw vegan for 2 years now, and my b12 levels were checked last week, and my level was 398, with 200-910 pg/mL being the standard levels.

I take a b12 supplement, and always have, but NOT religiously. Again, this is only after 2 years, but I think taking a supplement (especially depending on the dose, mine is an astronomical number) 1-2 a week is good enough. I'm going to keep having my blood checked every couple of years, but I really don't think it's something to take EVERY day.

[Rawmommie]

I've been raw for 3 1/2 years and have never taken a supplement. I had my levels tested this spring and they were fine, as was my protein. I know that everyone is different and I can't see that taking a supplement would hurt you, but I think that since the body stores it, taking one daily is certainly not necessary. Just my personal opinion!

[Lollipop]

Vitamin B-12 levels can remain normal in the body for many years (5-7) on a vegan diet. If you are a strict raw vegan, and are not using nutritional yeast flakes or supplements, then you probably should have your B-12 levels tested. Based on the blood test results, then you can make an informed decision regarding supplements.

Vitamin D is the other vitamin of concern - especially if you are dark skinned (can take 10 times longer for the body to make vitamin D than for light skinned people) or are living in the northern part of the US. In this geographical location, the oblique angle of the sun can prevent vitamin D synthesis for much of the year. This is another thing I would ask the doctor to test for, before deciding whether or not to take supplements.

There are different forms of vitamin D. D2 comes from plants; D3 comes from animals, and is the form we make when exposed to the sun. There is controversy in the peer-reviewed literature as to whether D2 or D3 should be the recommended supplement form. As for everything else, it comes down to personal choice!

[Percy]

Well... in Chicago we see the sun sometimes... so I'll be good. I'm caucasian so I do not have dark skin.

Regarding B12... I'm strict raw 100%, but the only thing not raw I get is Nutritional Yeast for making walnut cheese. Also, I've purchased a bottle of B12. Just the plain thing vegetarian friendly. I do not wanna get my brain bugged with the damn B12... pills and go to hell all B12 issues. 500mcg per serving. I will take a pill or two per week. I should be fine.


Thanks guys!!

[RawHeaven]

Dear Chicagoan, I wouldn't worry about the B12. I don't take any pill supplements, but drink a lot of hempseed milk and occasionally I'll add chlorella, spirulina or bee pollen to my green smoothies.

I debated on whether to point this out, lol, but there are dark skinned caucasians and light skinned non-caucasian peoples in this world. Sometimes I just can't keep my big mouth shut. :p

Peace.

C

[RawSinger]

I debated on whether to point this out, lol, but there are dark skinned caucasians and light skinned non-caucasian peoples in this world. Sometimes I just can't keep my big mouth shut. :p

Peace.

C


Lol. Nice. You shouldn't keep your big mouth shut; I like what you have to say ;)

It's soo funny. We raw fooders worry a lot. I know I do. I never gave a damn about B-12 before I went raw. I was eating enough meat so I guess I didn't have to worry. Didn't have to worry about protein either. Was probably getting way too much of that. But was I getting enough of everything else? Vitamins, minerals, healthy fat? No way. I didn't really worry too much about the nutrients I was lacking. So even if I never take a B-12 supplement again, I'll probably be healthier eating raw than eating the way I was eating. Horrible eating habits. Of course, I will continue to take chlorella tabs and maybe try spirulina at some point, even though sea veggies supposedly don't have any "usable" B-12 :mad:

For those of you who take B-12 supplements, what brand do you reccomend? Any vegetarian or vegan friendly brands??

[RawSinger]

bumping up

[Raw Yogini]

Raw Singer, I use Nature's Sunshine liquid B vitamins. B12 is stored for such a long time in the body so I only take it like once a month. The liquid is good because you can put it under your tongue which helps w/ absorption. Some people cannot absorb it through their digestive tract (it's rare but it happens, especially w/ older people). I figure just to be safe I'll take it sublingually. The bottle was $16 and I've had it for seven months and there's plenty left so it's cheap! Best wishes!