Research suggests that high dose oral supplements may be as effective as intramuscular injections at treating vitamin B12 deficiency. However, you should only use high dose supplements as directed by a healthcare professional. Additional clinical trials are needed to better understand the effects of vitamin B12 supplementation on cognitive function and cognitive decline. Energy and endurance Ozen S, et al. (2017). Vitamin B12 deficiency evaluation and treatment in severe dry eye disease with neuropathic ocular pain. As an added bonus, mykind seeks third party verification of many of their products through ConsumerLab.com’s voluntary certification program. In a 2022 Vitamin B Supplements review, ConsumerLab.com tested and approved mykind Organics Whole Food B12 and verified that it contains what it says it contains without potentially harmful contaminants.

Just because a supplement is not tested by one of these three companies, it does not mean it’s a bad product. We recommend doing some research on the reputability of the manufacturer, and calling up the manufacturer and their testing lab to determine their protocols and decide if you feel comfortable consuming the supplement. Yang C-H, et al. (2018). Impact of oral vitamin D supplementation on the ocular surface in people with dry eye and/or low serum vitamin D. These supplements do not contain any artificial flavors or preservatives. As an added bonus, they contain 120 mcg of calcium, or 10 percent of the daily value. This can be beneficial as calcium is a mineral many vegans need to make sure they’re getting enough of, as the calcium found naturally in vegetables may be less easily absorbed than the calcium found in dairy.Obeid R, Murphy M, Sole-Navais P, Yajnik C. Cobalamin status from pregnancy to early childhood: Lessons from global experience. Adv Nutr 2017;8:971-9. [ PubMed abstract] Another name for vitamin B12 is cobalamin. Synthetic vitamin B12 supplements usually have cobalamin in their name.

Vitamin B12 is bound to protein in food and must be released before it is absorbed [ 5]. The process starts in the mouth when food is mixed with saliva. The freed vitamin B12 then binds with haptocorrin, a cobalamin-binding protein in the saliva. More vitamin B12 is released from its food matrix by the activity of hydrochloric acid and gastric protease in the stomach, where it then binds to haptocorrin [ 1]. In the duodenum, digestive enzymes free the vitamin B12 from haptocorrin, and this freed vitamin B12 combines with intrinsic factor, a transport and delivery binding protein secreted by the stomach’s parietal cells. The resulting complex is absorbed in the distal ileum by receptor-mediated endocytosis [ 1, 5]. If vitamin B12 is added to fortified foods and dietary supplements, it is already in free form and therefore does not require the separation step. Vitamin b12: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. National Institute of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Exclusively breastfed infants of women who consume no animal products might have very limited reserves of vitamin B12 and can develop vitamin B12 deficiency, sometimes very early in life [ 56]. The infant’s deficiency can be severe, especially if the mother’s deficiency is severe or caused by pernicious anemia; sometimes, the mother’s own deficiency is clinically mild and not recognized. Undetected and untreated vitamin B12 deficiency in infants can result in neurological damage, failure to thrive, developmental delays, and anemia [ 2, 56, 57]. The reasons include the small amounts of vitamin B12 in the breast milk of vegan mothers as well as the limited amounts of vitamin B12 crossing the placenta in these women during fetal development. Vitamin B12 and Health An elevated homocysteine level has been associated with an increased risk of CVD [ 72, 73]. Vitamin B12 and other B vitamins are involved in homocysteine metabolism, and researchers have hypothesized that supplementation with these micronutrients can reduce CVD risk by lowering homocysteine levels [ 72, 73]. https://journals.lww.com/claojournal/Abstract/2018/09001/Dry_Eye_Assessment_in_Patients_With_Vitamin_D.11.aspx

Limited clinical trial evidence supports the finding that higher vitamin B12 intakes might increase cancer risk. In an analysis of data on 2,524 participants in the B Vitamins for the Prevention of Osteoporotic Fractures trial who were treated with supplements containing 400 mcg/day folic acid and 500 mcg/day vitamin B12 for 2 to 3 years, the risk of colorectal cancer was significantly higher, at 3.4%, in the supplementation group than in the placebo group, whose rate was 2% [ 61]. However, high folic acid levels are potentially linked to increased risk of colorectal cancer, so the result might be due to the folic acid rather than the vitamin B12 [ 62]. Furthermore, the supplements had no significant effect on overall cancer risk. Metformin, an antihyperglycemic agent used as first-line treatment for prediabetes and diabetes, might reduce the absorption of vitamin B12 and significantly reduce serum vitamin B12 concentrations [ 101]. Vitamin B12 and Healthful Diets

It's important for vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia to be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible. A variety of foods and their vitamin B12 levels per serving are listed in Table 2. Table 2: Vitamin B12 Content of Selected Foods [ 20] Food Vitamin B12 supplements should be easy to use. If you have trouble swallowing pills and capsules, the best vitamin B12 liquid drops can help. These types of liquid vitamins can be taken in liquid dropper form, a sublingual dosage, or even a spray. Make sure to pay attention to dosing when you incorporate a vitamin B12 supplement into your diet, as the daily recommended dietary allowance of vitamin B12 for adults is 2.4 micrograms. You should only waver from that dosing if your doctor recommends that you do so. The Best Vitamin B12 Liquid SupplementsThe second option comes from Live Wise Naturals, called Liquid Vitamin B12 Bioactive Blend. You can also place these drops under your tongue. As long as you get five drops a day, you should be good to go. These vegan vitamin B12 drops can help with digestion and you might even see healthier hair, skin, and nails along with reduced brain fog. The Dry Eye Assessment and Management Study Research Group. (2018). N-3 fatty acid supplementation for the treatment of dry eye disease. Walsh, Karla. "8 Best Vitamin B12 Supplements to Help Boost a Low Intake, According to Experts." Prevention, 14 Mar. 2022, www.prevention.com/food-nutrition/g35351378/best-b12-supplements/.

Liquid vitamin B12 is not the only form of vitamin B12 supplements. Pill capsules and gummies are commonly available oral options. Langan RC, Goodbred AJ. Vitamin B12 deficiency: Recognition and management. Am Fam Physician 2017;96:384-9. [ PubMed abstract] Our team works hard to be transparent about why we recommend certain supplements; you can read more about our dietary supplement methodology here. Vitamin B12 is available in multivitamin/mineral supplements, in supplements containing other B-complex vitamins, and in supplements containing only vitamin B12. Multivitamin/mineral supplements typically contain vitamin B12 at doses ranging from 5 to 25 mcg [ 22]. Vitamin B12 levels are higher, generally 50–500 mcg, in supplements containing vitamin B12 with other B-complex vitamins and even higher, typically 500–1,000 mcg, in supplements containing only vitamin B12.Sometimes products tested by these three companies are more expensive to try to offset the cost they pay for certification. Vitamin B12 has the potential to interact with certain medications. In addition, several types of medications might adversely affect vitamin B12 levels. A few examples are provided below. Individuals taking these and other medications on a regular basis should discuss their vitamin B12 status with their health care providers. Gastric acid inhibitors B12 supplements can interact or interfere with certain medications. This includes gastric acid inhibitors taken to treat digestive issues such as gastroesophageal reflux disease or peptic ulcer disease. These drugs, including omeprazole, lansoprazole, cimetidine, and ranitidine, can slow the release of hydrochloric acid into the stomach, which can interfere with B12 absorption. Metformin, a drug used to treat prediabetes and diabetes, can also reduce absorption of vitamin B12.