Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin)

 

      I am sometimes asked about whether one should use a form of B12 as cyanocobalamin or methylcobalamin. Methylcobalamin is widely promoted on the internet as being superior. Studies do show that methylcobalamin is a very beneficial form of B12 when given by injection. Studies of oral supplementation show that methylcobalamin is very poorly absorbed compared to cyanocobalamin. Cyanocobalamin has the additional advantage of being the only form of vitamin B12 that can be converted by the body to all the different biologically active forms of vitamin B12 for which the body has numerous uses.

     Manufacturers of methylcobalamin try to scare people regarding the presence of cyanide in cyanocobalamin. The trace of cyanide that stabilizes the vitamin B12 in cyanocobalamin makes up only 2% of the molecule's mass. So, even a 1000 mcg megadose of vitamin B12 contains only 20 mcg of cyanide. To put that in perspective: a single serving of lima beans (per Health Canada) can supply as much as 300,000 mcg of cyanide --- 15,000 times the amount in a cyanocobalamin megadose.

     Clearly, the infinitesimal trace of cyanide in vitamin B12 is a totally insignificant quantity as far as toxicity is concerned. --- In fact --- cyanocobalamin is so completely nontoxic and so easily eliminated by the kidneys, that the antidote for true cyanide poisoning is the injectable form of vitamin B12 hydroxocobalamin. The injected hydroxocobalamin combines with the cyanide to form cyanocobalamin --- which is completely non-toxic and is quickly eliminated by the kidneys.

     The only real advantage of methylcobalamin is the methyl molecule. This molecule is readily available in other supplements such as NeoLife's Lipotropic Adjunct.