Vitamin B12 Deficiency – Is it a Joke?

All too often, I encounter raw foodists who claim that following a simple low-fat raw food diet means vitamin B12 deficiency isn’t a concern. Look, I’ve been there, and oh, if it were only that easy! Since starting a raw vegan lifestyle in 2004, I have been fortunate to connect with and learn from many long-term raw vegan teachers, doctors, and experts on the subject, as well as through consulting hundreds, if not over a thousand people applying this lifestyle.

Vitamin B12 Deficiency – Is it a Joke?

In this video, we will go into my personal experiences with B12 as a long-term low-fat raw vegan, how to increase your absorption/exposure to B12, the factors that diminish your absorption/exposure to B12, and what you can do to ensure that you’re getting all the B12 you need to be optimally healthy.

In short, I simply have found that vitamin B12 deficiency is no laughing matter and is something to learn more about and be aware of, read on. 

I now find the viewpoint that B12 deficiency isn’t an issue for vegans or raw vegans, or that there never is a need to supplement, especially when taken to the extreme of judgment toward others who get tests or choose to take a supplement, a very dangerous viewpoint. I have met far too many people who stringently stuck to a “no supplements” ideal, especially with B12, and have ended up with nerve damage and other issues, many permanent! In the case of pregnancy and bringing up healthy children, this is an even bigger issue due to nerve/brain development and the reality that you do not get a second chance. Because of all of this, as well as my personal experience with Vitamin B12 deficiency, I felt the need to share this video going into b12 deficiency symptoms, my personal experiences, how to increase your absorption/exposure to b12, going deeper into the factors that diminish your absorption/exposure and what you can do to ensure your getting all the b12 you need.

Vitamin B12 plays a vital role in the normal functioning of the brain and the nervous system and the formation of red blood cells. It also helps to regulate and synthesize DNA as well as brain chemicals serotonin and dopamine, critical “feel good” hormones. It is required for the metabolism of every cell in the body and is involved in fatty acid synthesis and energy production. Often called the energy vitamin, it helps the human body to absorb folic acid, which also facilitates the release of energy.

The human body produces millions of red blood cells every minute, but without vitamin B12, cells cannot multiply properly and have a lower oxygen-carrying capacity. The production of red blood cells goes down if a person’s vitamin B12 levels are too low, resulting in a drop in red blood cell count and anemia. The most common symptoms of low B12 and anemia are fatigue, tiredness or lightheadedness, shortness of breath and palpitations, irregular heartbeat, a sore mouth or smooth tongue, loss of appetite, weight loss, pale or yellowish skin, diarrhea or constipation, gas / poor digestion, tingling or numbness in the hands or feet, muscle weakness, vision loss, mental / memory problems, depression, confusion, behavioral changes, stress/inability to handle stress, menstrual / fertility problems, and also leaves people more susceptible to infections.

My Personal Story

For my first 9+ years as a raw vegan, I did not take one supplement. I will admit I had some pride around this feeling; it was a “better” or more enviable way to live. After 6 years on the lifestyle, my mom wanted me to get some blood tests, so I did and always got amazing results. The power of blood tests comes from comparing them over time with multiple tests to see trends and where variables are headed. Now with 5-yearly/bi-yearly tests over 7 years, I could see a trend showing my B12 status going down and down, to a point that I was clinically vitamin B12 deficient, although I didn’t have elevated homocysteine (more on this later). At the time, I wasn’t symptomatic, so I didn’t worry, but slowly and surely, some deficiency symptoms started to creep in. I started to become incredibly stressed over very little things; troubles with my computer during “work,” for instance, made me want to pull my hair out and scream. I felt I needed way more sleep and felt less energy/strength, and symptoms of depression, as well as memory issues, started to creep in. At this point, I knew I needed to look at supplementing. After a few rounds of B12 injections and then following up with sublingual, these symptoms started to disappear. Since then, I have continued supplementation and tried a few different methods, including transdermal patches, sublingual Methylcobalamin B12, and Methylcobalamin injections, showing my levels to come up.

How to Increase Your Absorption / Exposure to B12

Now, right off the bat, I want to say that some of these points are controversial, but are included due to the point I feel they are as relevant as possible, cumulative factors for improving our B12 status.

In the past, we were much more connected to our environment, outside in the sun, water, and soil/dirt, and we weren’t afraid to get “dirty.” All of these factors played a role. Natural, healthy soil can contain B12; gardening, walking barefoot, foraging wild foods, and not washing food grown in such conditions could have helped us get B12 both through ingestion and transdermally through our skin. Drinking water from streams and natural sources, which might contain B12, would have been a natural source. Unfortunately, most places today do not recommend this. Being outside in the sun and our natural environment allows bacteria to proliferate on our skin, feeding off our sweat and nutrients, and being slowly absorbed through the skin. For those new to this lifestyle, gradually increasing greens in smoothies, salads, and stews can help build the stomach’s HCL and intrinsic factor needed to absorb nutrients, especially folate, involved in B12 absorption. Mental calm and stability from a spiritual or athletic practice can help reduce stress and decrease the need for supplementation. A healthy sex life, including oral sex, both ways, can be beneficial because sperm and vaginal secretions may contain B12, which can be absorbed through the thin, sensitive membranes of our genitals during sex and orally during oral sex.

A big one as you know.

Living and eating well, combined with a simple low-fat raw food lifestyle with *minimal use of irritants (onions, garlic, hot peppers) *(this point is not well studied but simply passed on from other hygienists), can help build our digestion as well as healthy flora, HCL, and intrinsic factor needed to absorb B12.

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Factors that Decrease our Absorption / Exposure to B12

Living in today’s modern world presents many realities that can hinder our absorption and reduce our exposure to B12. Germaphobic individuals are a good example: B12 is a naturally occurring bacterium, but when someone habitually uses antibacterial soaps, creams, and sprays and actively avoids “germs” in the environment, they both reduce exposure and absorption. In such cases, much of the antibacterial substance can sit on the skin, preventing absorption, but it can also be inhaled or ingested, affecting intestinal bacteria, digestion, and B12 absorption. Beyond antibacterials, our exposure to chemicals, whether environmental, like chemtrails, fertilizers, car exhaust, or industrial pollutants from commercial produce and pollution, also plays a role in our gut health and the health of our mucosal lining that absorbs B12. The common use of antibiotics, heavy drinking, and smoking can imbalance digestive bacteria, leading to malabsorption and bacterial overgrowth issues. High levels of stress and lack of sleep cause the body to burn through more B vitamins, including B12.

Certain conditions and ailments can interfere with B12 absorption. A prime example is atrophic gastritis, where the stomach lining becomes thinned, reducing absorption. Pernicious anemia (possibly due to low HCL or insufficient green vegetable intake) or iron deficiency can also lead to decreased B12 absorption and utilization. Surgeries that remove parts of the digestive tract result in lower absorption of all nutrients, including B12. Diseases of the digestive system, such as Crohn’s, celiac disease, bacterial overgrowth, or parasites, can impair absorption and cause problems. Additionally, immune disorders like Graves’ disease or lupus, along with long-term use of antacid medications, can contribute to vitamin B12 deficiency.

Lastly, it has been shown that seaweeds and algae, such as nori, dulse, chlorella, spirulina, and others that are often consumed by vegans and raw vegans for iodine and other trace minerals, contain an analog form of B12 that binds active B12 receptor sites and can actually diminish absorption for a short period of time. Due to this and the fact that quality forms of those seaweeds and algae can be beneficial, it is most often recommended to take B12 and those foods a day or two apart to avoid this issue affecting absorption, which I do myself. Speaking of seaweed and how to enjoy it, check out my delicious “The Best Raw Vegan Sushi Recipe” where I share my secret on how to make raw “rice” sticky as well as share my favorite brand of certified organic raw vegan nori!

What Can You Do?

I find it important to recognize that this issue is quite simple, that it requires little thought or stress in reality, and that any that is created results from being stuck on “what should be” rather than what is. By looking over both lists above, one can see if they are living a life that avoids the factors that decrease absorption/exposure, and if they apply all the points that increase absorption/exposure. From there, one can more accurately determine whether they are a prime candidate for supplementation. In truth, I would recommend that everyone, no matter whether you checked off everything above in the most favorable way, get tested at least every 12 months for a few years, and then, from there again, if any symptoms start to creep in at all. The fact is that 40 -60% of North America is deficient, regardless of diet; this is based on inaccurate tests. I would wager the actual numbers could be higher. The consequences are too high. I recommend everyone get tested again, this time with an UMMA test and homocysteine, as a collaborative test. If your doctor gives you a hard time, simply say you are a vegan that also ingests analog forms of B12 in seaweeds and that you have been told that UMMA is the best test when in collaboration with the homocysteine test as well.

If clearly showing a severe vitamin B12 deficiency, I would consider B12 injections (best to order online and ask questions / make sure there are no preservatives like aluminum) and from there supplement with B12 as a sublingual spray, pill, or patch. Dr. Gregor of NutritionFacts.org highly recommends Cyanocobalamin b12 supplementation, check out Dr. Greger’s most current b12 recommendations here. I feel it is worthwhile noting that many other experts on this subject that I know recommend Methylcobalamin. The reasons Dr. Gregor gives, 1. cyanocobalamin is much cheaper, as low as 2-5 $ a year to supplement with due to it being synthetically made 2. it is more shelf stable and can last that long 3. it can be used once a week as opposed to every day or two with methylcobalamin 4. it has more double-blind studies on it showing near 100% rates of correcting b12 deficiency, as opposed to one study he quoted where methylcobalamin completely failed to correct a deficiency in roughly 30% of the people in the study. At the end of the day, if you are testing the efficacy of the vitamin B12 you are taking with periodic/yearly blood tests, and it works, then it’s really up to you.

This all said it must be noted that cyanocobalamin forms are synthetically made by attaching cobalt to a cyanide molecule, this being poisonous and potentially hard on the liver/kidneys, it is not recommended for anyone with past exposure/damage from cyanide, heavy smokers, people with liver/kidney issues or pregnant mothers. I would consider trying a Methylcobalamin sublingual spray (my personal favorite) or pill, then get tested to see if it’s working. If not, try cyanocobalamin or any other available options.

I hope this post helps you come to ease with the realities of B12 deficiency so that you can easily answer the question “Vitamin B12 Deficiency – Is it a Joke?”

I am not trying to scare you in any way, but rather hope to empower you to feel relaxed and confident in your raw food lifestyle. To me, it’s such a no-brainer issue, realizing that we are in an unnatural world with many unnatural influences, B12 supplementation may, in fact, be the most “natural” solution to an unnatural situation. I just want to feel the best I possibly can and exhibit the highest levels of health possible…

I want the same for you. The consequences of vitamin B12 deficiency are too high IMHO, thus I pray you take this message to heart and become proactive, or at least get some tests over a few years to see trends.

To thrive and grow in ways to continue to do so, as always…