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Thread: B12 only from animals??

  1. #1

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    Default B12 only from animals??

    Hi everyone. I apologise in advance if I break any etiquette rules, I've only just registered on this forum and I've only been a vegan for a week having completely bypassed the vegetarian stage. I've been devouring books and information almost 24/7 and have joined the vegan society and buav and petauk and am completely committed to my new lifestyle. But there is one issue which is puzzling me and I wonder if anyone can help?

    I have become convinced that humans are naturally meant to be able to live healthily without eating any animal products at all, but I have only just read that vitamin b12, vital to health, is ONLY available "naturally" from consuming animal products. I realise I can get b12 from a supplement and/or in fortified foods, but the fact that it is not available without the intervention of the food or supplement manufacturer, unless I consume at least a small quantity of animal products, is worrying me. Does this mean that humans were designed to consume at least some animal products in their diet in order to get this vital vitamin? Or am I missing a huge point somewhere? I really hope someone can help because I want to be able to counter any argument a non-vegan may throw at me!

    Thanks in advance for any advice that may be offered.

  2. #2
    Ex-admin Korn's Avatar
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    Default Re: B12 only from animals??

    Hi,
    have you seen this thread: B12: How natural is the vegan diet??
    I will not eat anything that walks, swims, flies, runs, skips, hops or crawls.

  3. #3

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    Default Re: B12 only from animals??

    Oh, thank you so much Korn! That was a huge help. What a great forum this is.

  4. #4

    Default Re: B12 only from animals??

    Nutritional yeast is a great way to get B12 (and lots of other B vitamins) in a natural, vegan way

  5. #5

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    Default Re: B12 only from animals??

    Since you're in the UK, an easy source of B12 is Marmite. Assuming you like it anyway

  6. #6
    Rentaghost Marrers's Avatar
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    Default Re: B12 only from animals??

    Quote flourchild View Post
    Nutritional yeast is a great way to get B12 (and lots of other B vitamins) in a natural, vegan way
    I could be wrong but I thought I read here before that it depended on which brand you use.
    Idleness is not doing nothing. Idleness is being free to do anything. - Floyd Dell

  7. #7
    boatsteem1
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    Default Re: B12 only from animals??

    Quote flourchild View Post
    Nutritional yeast is a great way to get B12 (and lots of other B vitamins) in a natural, vegan way
    I thought it was added to the nutritional yeast?

  8. #8
    burl's Avatar
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    Default Re: B12 only from animals??

    Quote Marrers View Post
    I could be wrong but I thought I read here before that it depended on which brand you use.
    You're right. A lot of the B12 in nutritional yest is not bio-available and therefore not much good. A weekly supplement is the best thing you can do.
    pro-vegetable

  9. #9

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    Default Re: B12 only from animals??

    Seconding burl. There's absolutely no shame in supplementing B12, even the animals who are supposedly the best "source" are fed supplements (at least here in the US) since they don't really graze, and the unnatural diets they are fed are deficient and/or grown in depleted soil.

    Find a good vegetarian supplement and take it without regret!

  10. #10
    Blueberry's Avatar
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    Default Re: B12 only from animals??

    Quote Piggles View Post
    Since you're in the UK, an easy source of B12 is Marmite. Assuming you like it anyway
    Mmmm... Marmite! Every day I have two slices of toast with lots on it! But I also supplement with SevenSeas Multi vitamins for Vegetarians and Vegans. They carry the Vegan Society logo. I thought as I was so new at this it was better to be safe than sorry!
    Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet. ~Albert Einstein

  11. #11

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    Unhappy Re: B12 only from animals??

    I think some of you may already have read this article, but let me give a link again.

    Here, it is said that they have tested two separate types of laver and found there are lots of B12 in both of them.
    And they had done another study in 2009, where they found that the B12 in these lavers are active. (See here)

    Hope this information is useful to some of you.
    Last edited by yeolkim; Feb 13th, 2012 at 11:53 AM.

  12. #12
    Ex-admin Korn's Avatar
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    Default Re: B12 only from animals??

    Hi yeolkim, your first link doesn't seem to work.

  13. #13

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    Default Re: B12 only from animals??

    hi, Korn, I just changed the link. Thanks.

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