UK B12 supplement dosage info needed please

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Hi there. I'm new to the forum and have been pretty much vegan since the start of the year and strict vegan for about 3 weeks. I've been looking at taking a b12 supplement but I am unsure what dose I need to take. It seems a bit of a minefield of information out there. I'm male and 43. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
It is a complicated situation.

I''m not sure I can explain it that well but I'll try.
also I tend to use the RDA percentages instead of the micrograms unit. I just find it easier to remember.

So the deal is that the "absorbtion site" easily gets "overwhelmed". At any one time it can only pass thru 25 - 35% of the RDA. After that initial amount it continues to pass thru B12 - but only with 1%.efficiency. After that first 30% it takes 5 or 6 hours for it to "clear".

Strategy #1 is to take at least 30% of the RDA, 3 or 4 times a day. Spread out - like at meal times. For most people this is too much effort. But since I drink at least two glasses of fortified soy milk and take a multi with 100% of the RDA a day - this is my method.

Strategy #2 is to take a much larger dose once a day. I have no idea how to do the math but I'm pretty sure the number is something around 1666% of the RDA. You see that number on a lot of B12 supplements.

Strategy #3 is what most people do. take 10000% of the RDA once a week. I think this might be the most cost effective as well.

B12 can be stored in your body and also it can't be toxic - extra B12 is just excreted.

I guess there is a 4th strategy - taking it sublingually. since it goes right into the blood stream you can forget about all the math. I'm not sure how reliable that is. Maybe someone else has a handle on that

also VFers, I'm not that confident on my numbers. so if anyone has anything to add or change I would appreciate it.
 
It is a complicated situation.

I''m not sure I can explain it that well but I'll try.
also I tend to use the RDA percentages instead of the micrograms unit. I just find it easier to remember.

So the deal is that the "absorbtion site" easily gets "overwhelmed". At any one time it can only pass thru 25 - 35% of the RDA. After that initial amount it continues to pass thru B12 - but only with 1%.efficiency. After that first 30% it takes 5 or 6 hours for it to "clear".

Strategy #1 is to take at least 30% of the RDA, 3 or 4 times a day. Spread out - like at meal times. For most people this is too much effort. But since I drink at least two glasses of fortified soy milk and take a multi with 100% of the RDA a day - this is my method.

Strategy #2 is to take a much larger dose once a day. I have no idea how to do the math but I'm pretty sure the number is something around 1666% of the RDA. You see that number on a lot of B12 supplements.

Strategy #3 is what most people do. take 10000% of the RDA once a week. I think this might be the most cost effective as well.

B12 can be stored in your body and also it can't be toxic - extra B12 is just excreted.

I guess there is a 4th strategy - taking it sublingually. since it goes right into the blood stream you can forget about all the math. I'm not sure how reliable that is. Maybe someone else has a handle on that

also VFers, I'm not that confident on my numbers. so if anyone has anything to add or change I would appreciate it.
I guess that's why you need so much more if taken less often. I do find taking it on Sat very convienent!
My best take away is that cyanocobalimin is very stable, where methyl degrades quickly, so you can't be sure you're getting the dosage listed--unless you have that MTHFR genetic thing where you need methylated B12 and folate
 
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It is a complicated situation.

I''m not sure I can explain it that well but I'll try.
also I tend to use the RDA percentages instead of the micrograms unit. I just find it easier to remember.

So the deal is that the "absorbtion site" easily gets "overwhelmed". At any one time it can only pass thru 25 - 35% of the RDA. After that initial amount it continues to pass thru B12 - but only with 1%.efficiency. After that first 30% it takes 5 or 6 hours for it to "clear".

Strategy #1 is to take at least 30% of the RDA, 3 or 4 times a day. Spread out - like at meal times. For most people this is too much effort. But since I drink at least two glasses of fortified soy milk and take a multi with 100% of the RDA a day - this is my method.

Strategy #2 is to take a much larger dose once a day. I have no idea how to do the math but I'm pretty sure the number is something around 1666% of the RDA. You see that number on a lot of B12 supplements.

Strategy #3 is what most people do. take 10000% of the RDA once a week. I think this might be the most cost effective as well.

B12 can be stored in your body and also it can't be toxic - extra B12 is just excreted.

I guess there is a 4th strategy - taking it sublingually. since it goes right into the blood stream you can forget about all the math. I'm not sure how reliable that is. Maybe someone else has a handle on that

also VFers, I'm not that confident on my numbers. so if anyone has anything to add or change I would appreciate it.
I'm grateful for taking the time to explain this. You explained it well. Sounds like the strategy you use would suit me as like you I do have soy milk on cereal and in tea.
 
I guess that's why you need so much more if taken less often. I do find taking it on Sat very convienent!
My best take away is that cyanocobalimin is very stable, where methyl degrades quickly, so you can't be sure you're getting the dosage listed--unless you have that MTHFR genetic thing where you need methylated B12 and folate
Thanks for the comment Silva.
 
It's micrograms. The odd symbol is the Greek letter mu.
µ

you can't use mg cause that is milligrams. there are 1000 micrograms in a milligram.
1000 µ = 1 mg

On a Mac you can hold down the option key when tying the M.

Just checked the Link Silva provided.
According to Nutrition facts.

For adults under age 65, the easiest way to get B12 is to take at least one 2,000 mcg supplement each week or a daily dose of 50 mcg. Note that these doses are specific to cyanocobalamin, the preferred supplemental form of vitamin B12, as there is insufficient evidence to support the efficacy of the other forms, like methylcobalamin.​
As we age, our ability to absorb vitamin B12 may decline. For those over 65 who eat plant-based diets, the supplementation should probably be increased up to 1,000 mcg of cyanocobalamin each day.​
 
µ

you can't use mg cause that is milligrams. there are 1000 micrograms in a milligram.
1000 µ = 1 mg

On a Mac you can hold down the option key when tying the M.

Just checked the Link Silva provided.
According to Nutrition facts.

For adults under age 65, the easiest way to get B12 is to take at least one 2,000 mcg supplement each week or a daily dose of 50 mcg. Note that these doses are specific to cyanocobalamin, the preferred supplemental form of vitamin B12, as there is insufficient evidence to support the efficacy of the other forms, like methylcobalamin.​
As we age, our ability to absorb vitamin B12 may decline. For those over 65 who eat plant-based diets, the supplementation should probably be increased up to 1,000 mcg of cyanocobalamin each day.​
I'll have a look what's available here in the UK. So grateful to everyone who has replied. You vegans are a helpful bunch! I suppose I should say us vegans now!
 
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Thanks for clearing that up. I've never come across that symbol until browsing for the b12 supplement.
Not much is measured in micrograms.
Picture an M&M. An M&M is about a gram.
if you cut it up into a thousand pieces - that is a milligram.
now take one of those pieces and cut it up into a thousand pieces. Thats a microgram.

But its a handy thing to know about. There are about 5 other micronutrients that are measured in micrograms.
Fat soluble vitamins are measured in International Units, IU, the size of an IU depends on the vitamin. but you can look it up if you need to know.