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Atlanta Newbie
Aug 26th, 2004, 12:26 AM
Hey folks, sorry for these annoyingly technical questions, but since I've only been following a vegan diet for a little over two months, I am still trying to get all my nutrition facts straight and develop a consistent routine. Anyway, here goes:

I have read in more than one place that the best way to take B12 supplementation is in sublingual form. Does anyone know of any literature that specifically compares B12 utilization in this form to B12 obtained from a vegan multivitamin? I have a daily multivitamin that contains 100 mcg of B12. Surely there's no need to supplement beyond that??

Again, any insights would be appreciated. Thanks! :)

ConsciousCuisine
Aug 26th, 2004, 01:29 AM
Some people lack the ability to absorb B-12 in any other way than through sublingual dosing. Read up on "intrinsic factor". Be Well!

Atlanta Newbie
Aug 26th, 2004, 02:38 AM
Hmm.. thanks CC. Always something new to consider. The good thing is that I'm learning more about nutrition now than I ever thought I'd care to! I think a lot of this stuff would have helped me a lot even as an omnivore. Appreciate it!

Korn
Aug 26th, 2004, 06:55 AM
If the multivitamin contains copper or iron, this might interfere with the B12 and convert the B12 into inactive B12. That's why many people suggest that if you take B12, it's better to take them as a separate supplement, ideally with calcium, which is good for B12 absorption.


ETA: water tubes may also leak copper and lead, and according to this (http://www.dagbladet.no/2011/04/04/tema/bolig/klikk/16065843/) link, water which has spent the night in a copper tube may leak as much as 3 mg copper/liter. If contact between copper and B12 in multivitamins may damage the B12 in the multivitamins, maybe the copper in the water tubes have a negative effect on them the B12 that me be left after the chlorination of water as well.