VITAMIN B-12: INFORMAL REMARKS


The following was posted on the veg-raw e-mail list in early 1996.  I have
made very minor updates. This article is not intended as a comprehensive
review of B-12, which is a complicated topic. It only presents a few remarks
for your consideration.

B12 & Raw Foods

* As B12 is produced only by bacteria, some of the fermented foods may provide
some B12 and other B-vitamins. Due to lack of reliable laboratory analysis
(HPLC: high performance liquid chromatography), that claim cannot be completely
confirmed. (Other methods of B-12 assay do not distinguish between true human
B-12 and analogues, which may actually block assimilation of true B-12).
However, the claim is certainly plausible.

* Reliance on spirulina and/or algae is very dubious. These may contain B12
analogues, which block B12 absorption, rather than true B12. Unless/until the
producers of these supplements provide reliable assays (HPLC only, no microbial
assays), it is not wise to rely on these as B12 sources. Further, algae and
spirulina supplements are usually dead; they are raw but also dead (from freeze
drying).

* In a number of talks, Viktoras has claimed that B vitamin shortages are due
to overeating and flatulence. Specifically, overeating causes fermentation and
changes the intestinal flora - i.e., the B-vitamin producing bacteria cannot
thrive, and flatulence has a similar effect. By bringing your eating back to
the correct level, the intestinal flora will soon adjust and B vitamin producing
bacteria will thrive again. (The topic of producing B12 within your intestines
and colon is controversial; the bacteria are there but there is no hard proof
that you can absorb it, as the B-12 receptor sites are upstream in the digestive
tract.)

* Those who consume raw dairy can get some B12 from raw milk/products.


Speculation: are blood tests for B12 accurate for raw fooders?

If you go to an M.D. and have a blood B12 level test done, they will take a
blood sample and do a microbial assay - a bacterial culture. Reportedly, this
type of test is not very reliable. One also wonders whether such a test might
be unreliable if conducted on a 100% raw/live fooder.  The reason is that raw/
live food diets enhance your immune system greatly. Your blood is clearly alive,
and it is still alive when it is taken from you and put into culture. The point
here is that the blood from a raw/live fooder is likely to be a very unfriendly
environment for bacteria - due to strong immune system and possibly different
pH (more alkaline?). Because of this such tests might under-measure the B12 in
raw/live fooders?


Ayurvedic view of B12

B12 deficiency is seen as a digestive disorder, specifically caused by lack
of a certain type of agni or digestive fire. If not corrected, B12 deficiency
can damage the liver (over and above the other known damages). Failure to
eat mindfully is seen as a major cause: that is - eating while busy, nervous,
distracted (TV, reading, etc.), overeating, eating wrong foods, and so on.
Sesame seeds and pomegranates support the deficient agni or digestive fire, and
are recommended. Turmeric does not directly address the problem, but it is
known to promote proper bacterial culture in the digestive system, so it may
help some.


Suggestions

* Whether it will promote B12 bacteria or not, it is a good idea to eat in
moderation (no overeating), and to eat so as to avoid flatulence. Things that
can help here include exercise, food combining, tonic herbs, fermented foods,
acidophilus, use of spices, taking sufficient time to eat, and so on.

* Eating sprouted sesame seeds is a good idea (delicious, excellent source
of fatty acids), as is eating pomegranates in season (pomegranates have many
medicinal properties). These are good foods, regardless of whether they help
B12 deficiency or not. Also, turmeric has many medicinal properties, aids in
the digestion of protein, and is very good for you - worth including in your
diet.

* Using a B12 supplement should be seriously considered by vegans. It is common
practice among conventional vegans to eat nutritional yeast to get B12. However,
nutritional yeast is cooked (dead), and it has synthetic B12 added. If the
choice is to eat a tablespoon of dead yeast to get B12, or a very small pill
of dead material, my opinion is that the pill is the better alternative (more
B12, less dead material consumed).

Update:
A recent article (1994) in the journal "Plants and Soil"  claims that vegetables
grown 'naturally' contain B-12. One nutritionist, citing this article, now
claims that one can get B-12 from the vegan diet. Other nutritionists have not
joined in that opinion, and continue to recommend supplements.

Tom Billings