B12 deficiency?

[advancewithcourage]

Will I get a B12 deficiency on this diet? Has anyone been tested?

I read the Malkumus group at Halleluah Acres was recently tested and most came up B12 deficient, so he is now recommending B12 supplementation. I wanted some comments on this please.

Thank you!

[Rawkinlocs]

Here is a wealth of info...some of it's a LOOOONG read, so be prepared:

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3244

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3260

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3261

But if ever in doubt or highly concerned, supplement every 6 months or so and you'll be fine!

[SamuelWilson]

advancewithcourage, I probably stand alone on my position on this matter. I do not believe a person needs any supplements on a well balanced raw vegan diet. The B12 thing ranks right up there with the "Where are you getting your protein?". Mountain Gorillas in Africa sure don't look like they are lacking B12 to me and I don't ever remember seeing them in GNC buying any B12.

[dreamrawalwz]

I had B-12 and folic acid anemia...it has been fixed due to going raw.

[twinee1]

Mountain Gorillas in Africa sure don't look like they are lacking B12 to me and I don't ever remember seeing them in GNC buying any B12....

....good one Sam..lol....but "Looks" can be deceiving.....what does a B-12 deprived Gorilla look like ?

[SamuelWilson]

....good one Sam..lol....but "Looks" can be deceiving.....what does a B-12 deprived Gorilla look like ?

[rawpriestess]

If you eat mushrooms you will not be B-12 deficient, because they are grown in manure, and that will give you all the B-12 you will ever need.

Also, if you eat your veggies and fruits without washing, most likely you will get enough B-12.

We eat ours right out of our gardens this way.

And I highly doubt we are anything deficient.

Actually in medical tests, meat eaters have more cases of B-12 deficiency than vegans do because they can't assimilate the nutrients in foods anyway.

just a thought.

[Trish55]

Dulse -- that raw sea vegetable (red seaweed) is a good source of Vit. B-12. I love to chew it right out of the package with some raw almonds... makes the almonds taste salty, which appeals to me since i'm such a salt freak :)

[NicoleF]

The reason why (in my opinion) that gorillas don't get B12 definciencies is because they eat "dirt" along with their food which has the bacteria in it. I've talked to many raw foodists who got tested and were deficient. You could probably get enough B12 if you didn't wash your fruits and veggies (but who wants germs from Joe Shmoe who just touched your apple at the market?). Anyway, every body is different. Some people are able to produce the B12 in their gut, some might not be able to. We are not all exactly the same and each person's body works slightly different. I'd say, go raw and if you become deficient (go get tested) after awhile, take a supplement occasionally. The amount of B12 your body needs is so miniscule, you would only need a tiny bit here and there because your body stores it.

[SamuelWilson]

I think this mountain gorilla is thinking about where to get its next dirt meal

[twinee1]

....good one Sam..lol....but "Looks" can be deceiving.....what does a B-12 deprived Gorilla look like ?

Sam that is one nice looking Gorilla...and yes he does look pretty darn healthy..nice shiney coat too.

So I eat loads of Shitake mushrooms & some Portabell's...and recently was taking New Chapters MycoMedicianal Mushrooms to fight off some bronchitis..(it worked great) so I guess I can not be concerned about the B-12 ..Thanks !

[Sunshine9]

39% of the american population is suspected to be B-12 deficient. How many of those people do you think are vegans, or raw even? maybe.. 1%? This is a serious issue, not just for us without the animal products!!

Eating from the soil is great, however that is only if you have highly mineralized soil. The problem is that with the current state of farming and poor farming practices, we have some very deficient soils to begin with. Seaweed, spirulina, saurkraut, etc are all ANALOG forms of b-12 and will supply adequate levels.

Gorillas in the wild are not strict vegans, and eat small bugs and critters from time to time. Thats where their b-12 is coming from.

Read all you want about both sides of the argument, and listen to your body... Gabriel Cousens is a huge advocat for B-12 supplementation. He notes that it is especially important because some of the effects of defiency are not reversable.. So I would supplement from time you time, you don't need to take a lot and certainly not daily.

(I didn't have my sources on hand, though I can reference them if anyone would like)

[Rawkinlocs]

I have a question...

I keep hearing about soil depletion and things of that nature. So, me being the non-scientific person that I am, I have not researched this...but if anyone knows...where do they get the B-12 that is in the supplements? Is it coming from an animal source? Is it artificially created? Anyone? I can Google it, but if someone here already knows, I'd greatly appreciate it! :D

[maydolphin10]

i think the b-12 marketed for vegetarians is created by bacteria and harvested

[exurb]

Hi Rawkinlocs. I don't know everything there is to know but I did a little research on this. As I understand, it is difficult but not impossible to get a B-12 supplement that has no animal products. I actually found one at one health food store. However, almost every one you see under normal commercial availability has animal products in it. I understand they can produce the B-12 without animal products by producing it from bacteria.

There's animal products in so many supplements, and in lots of prescription medication, as "excipients" if not as active ingredients. I've even seen B supplements say "suitable for vegetarians" but they still contain animal products. :mad: So it takes some doing to find one without animal products, but according to what I read, it is not impossible. I think it's just easier and cheaper for supplement makers to get it from animal products, so most are made that way. You have to be reeeeeeeeeeeally careful if you want one without animals in it. I would also add to be careful with ALL supplements, unless they state no animal products they most likely have animal products in them. Also OTC products like aspirin, etc., many have animal products.

[sport]

I buy B12 labelled suitable for vegans so the had better not be getting it from somewhere dodgy. I intend to continue taking it because I wash my produce and do not eat mushrooms and do not intend to discontinue either practice.

[DrPr]

There is no one-size-fits-all and no agreement in the raw food community (as you can see on these boards) about B12, so you have to go by your own body. Nobody can say that what works for them or what works in theory will work specifically for YOU. My take on it is that you should get your blood tested to see where your B12 level lies, if you can afford to do this. If the level is low, take action. If it's fine, then just get tested on a regular basis to see where your blood levels stand. As for me, I'm going to take supplements for all nutrients in which my raw diet is deficient until I learn enough about raw foods to get those nutrients from nature. I track my intake on Sparkpeople.com and currently I'm low in calcium, B12 and other nutrients. I'll eventually eat better because I'll be more knowledgeable and won't be deficient in some of those, but if B12 remains deficient, I have no problem taking a supplement.

[Gosia]

There is a lot to un-learn, when one enters raw foods, after years of abuse with cooked foods, and years of being brain-washed by the media. B12 has been my little hobby for a little while, until I got bored with the topic. I compiled a number of useful facts, which make one wonder, here:
http://www.rawgosia.com/articles/sevenpoints.html

My opinion is that there is no need for self-prescribed supplementation "just in case". Even mainstream medicine says that it can in fact be detrimental, or even dangerous sometimes, as it can mask a bigger underlying problem, as evidenced in scientific literature. Relying on tests or other standards, which are based on averages calculated by analysing cooked food individuals, is not reliable option either. How can we rely on data based on sick population to create guideliness about health? Seems contradictory.

It is clear to me that we do not have to eat animal products to be healthy. Health is the product of a proper (= raw vegan :) ) diet, and enough exercise, rest, and sunshine. If one takes care about all these, they do not have to worry. Phew!

Gosia.

[Revvell]

There is a lot to un-learn, when one enters raw foods, after years of abuse with cooked foods, and years of being brain-washed by the media. B12 has been my little hobby for a little while, until I got bored with the topic. I compiled a number of useful facts, which make one wonder, here:
http://www.rawgosia.com/articles/sevenpoints.html

My opinion is that there is no need for self-prescribed supplementation "just in case". Even mainstream medicine says that it can in fact be detrimental, or even dangerous sometimes, as it can mask a bigger underlying problem, as evidenced in scientific literature. Relying on tests or other standards, which are based on averages calculated by analysing cooked food individuals, is not reliable option either. How can we rely on data based on sick population to create guideliness about health? Seems contradictory.

It is clear to me that we do not have to eat animal products to be healthy. Health is the product of a proper (= raw vegan :) ) diet, and enough exercise, rest, and sunshine. If one takes care about all these, they do not have to worry. Phew!

Gosia.


What she said. *Points up to Gosia*

Revvell

[RawYogini]

dreamrawalwz,
was there any foods in particular that you ate for the folic acid anemia?

[DharmaGirl]

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Hello Everyone,
Nutritional Yeast is very high in B vitamins, including B12. It's grown on blackstrap molasses. Not sure how it's harvested, but I believe it is raw, as I have a friend who is 100% raw and she uses it frequently as an ingredient for dressings, etc... .. It's tasty and delicious, too!
Hope this helps!

[Leslie_L]

This link http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3244
that Rawkinlocs posted just about says it all IMO.
I suppliment B12 and have for quite a while. I can't imgine not after reading that post. I personally think the risk of the consequences is not worth it.

Leslie

[DrPr]

[QUOTE=rawpriestess]If you eat mushrooms you will not be B-12 deficient, because they are grown in manure, and that will give you all the B-12 you will ever need.

I hate to say this, but I'm not so sure about that. The nutrition info I've read tells me you could eat 100 cups of raw mushrooms and still not get even half of your daily RDA of B-12.
:(