Hi, I want to start taking a B12 supplement but on researching, am finding it difficult to get one that is vegan and that does not have artificial sweeteners in it.  Alicia says she takes on that she puts under her tongue - can anyone help as to what is a good brand or know which one Alicia takes?  Many thanks.

I take Dr Fuhrman's Gentle Care multivitamin - which is vegan and contains B12.

Check out my blog post B12 for Vegans for more information.

Mark Osborne - www.VeganHealthAndFitness.com

Wow Mark, that's great and you look pretty healthy!  Thanks so much for the info.

I take a sublingual B12 supplement that has worked great for me.  Sublingual doses get into your blood stream faster and are better absorbed.  Last I got my checked (about a year ago) my levels were excellent in the 700's!  Good luck!  Oh, I have to take it after I eat because there is also Niacin in it which some people react to with a rash and whatnot. 

I do take a B12 supplement, but have never been fully convinced of its necessity. I only recently (2 months ago) made a real commitment to veganism, but have been vegetarian for many years. A friend who is also a recent convert was speaking to a doctor friend/colleague who said that your liver stores large amounts of B12 for like 5 years, and that daily supplements probably aren't necessary for most people.

Anyone got any knowledge on this liver storage of B12 business?

Yes your liver can store some amount of B12, but how much for a particular individual is unknown. The problem is if you are just living off your reserves you are storing up trouble for some indeterminate point in the future.

A lot of vegans like the idea that their diet is naturally healthy and shouldn’t require supplementation.  However the consensus of the vegan community and the medical evidence show that B12 deficiency is a real risk for vegans who do not supplement.

There maybe cases of vegan's thriving without B12 supplementation, however these are in the minority and we don’t know the specifics. Maybe they are highly efficient at processing B12, maybe they are consuming B12 supplemented foods without realizing it, maybe they are consuming food contaminated with B12 producing bacteria.

It may be, as some suggest, that most healthy individuals don’t require B12 supplementation and all cases of B12 deficiency in humans are due to some other confounding factor.

However according to the CDC, 1 in 31 adults 51 years of age or older have B12 deficiency. So it looks like those confounding factors are pretty common. B12 deficiency is not just a problem for vegans, but vegans are putting themselves at higher risk without supplementation.

Supplementation with B12 is safe and easy, B12 deficiencies are common in the population and a B12 deficiency can result in permanent neurological damage, so it would seem that the sensible option would be supplementation.

Mark Osborne - www.VeganHealthAndFitness.com

Thanks for all the B12 info, Mark! I will share the knowledge!

In the UK berocca is a multi vitamin and suitable for vegans. I take one daily.  I'm sure I get enough of most vitamins and minerals in my diet, but am happier to be sure, and I've never felt so healthy than in the last six weeks.  My husband caught a cold, my body didn't even sneeze!  Normally I'd drop with every bug going!