I want to settle once and for all the B12 debate.?!


Question: I want to settle once and for all the B12 debate!.!?
I have heard MORE arguments FOR B12, saying that vegans DO need to take some sort of supplement or food fortified with it!. I have THEN heard a few arguments claiming that this whole worry over vegans getting enough B12 is just a myth and that either we get enough of it simply because our insides create enough of the bacteria, or that it is even in some vegan foods (like walnuts I have heard and/or unwashed organic vegetables)!. Some claim that in those two instances, vegans receive all the B12 they need!. But apparently we don't need that much I've heard!? I dunno, I would love and appreciate an expert's opinion on all of this!.Www@FoodAQ@Com


Answers:
There are a few decent studies based on science, and they don't agree over the need to intake B!.12 or not!.!.!.!.so you won't be able to settle the arguement once and for all - the science is still out

some of the considerations that make this not black and white are!.!.!.!.

There is sufficient store of b!.12 in the body that will last for 35 years
the excretion rate is very low ( 1!.5ug )
the effect of deficiency are long term and can be attributed to other diet aspects as well!.
b!.12 is found in numerous sources so monitoring people "without" a b!.12 intake can be problamatic!.

This page has some good stuff:
http://www!.vegsoc!.org/info/b12!.html

and i have report on b!.12 in vegetables by Victor Herbert, MD, LD if you want it!.!.!.its very dry reading and will give you all the science, but not the clear-cut answer you are looking for!. If you want it, email me and i'll stick it someone on the web for you if you don't want to pass across your real email address!.

There are plenty of examples of life-long vegans who do fine without b!.12 suppliments!. The report and link above discuss how its thought they get b!.12Www@FoodAQ@Com

It is impossible to end this once and for all - when even the experts can't agree!.

Supplements can't hurt - so if in doubt - take them!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

In the book "Eat to Live" by Joel Fuhrman, M!.D!., he says that on a vegan diet you definitely need to take a B12 supplement!. His book is all about nutrition and he has all the source references to prove his assertions!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

Animals get B12 from eating grass and plants straight from the ground which are contaminated with vitamin B12!. Plant foods don't contain vitamin B12 except when they are contaminated by microorganisms or have vitamin B12 added to them!.

Having a reliable source of vitamin b12 is very important for vegans!. The only reliable sources are fortified foods (like some soymilks and cereals) and supplements!.

What Every Vegan Should Know about Vitamin B12
http://www!.veganhealth!.org/articles/ever!.!.!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

B 12 is essential for human health!. Heart issues may not announce themselves until later in life but B12 is essential to heart health!. Anyone who says we vegetarians don't need to ensure that we get sufficient amounts of the essential B 12 are wrong!. Wrong and irresponsible!.
As a certified nutrition consultant and vegetarian chef, I caution against such nonsense and against any and all food fads of diets too restrictive in scope!.
Tempeh and Nutritional Yeast are excellent sources of B12!. For excellent recipes for these foods check out http://www!.your-vegetarian-kitchen!.com/h!.!.!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

I'm vegetarian and a former vegan!. Despite reverting back, I eat very little dairy products!. When I first went vegan, I took B12!. After studying how to eat a balanced diet without meat and dairy, I stopped taking it!. I used to have mental issues (depression due to hormonal imbalance)!. When I felt like this, the B12 was a HUGE help!. Even though I am no longer depressed, I can tell when I'm not getting enough B12!. HOWEVER, as long as I am eating well, I don't feel like I need it!. To summarize my argument!.!.!.!.if you are eating a wide variety of foods including plant based protein, you can do without the supplement!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

Vegetarians do NOT need food supplements if they eat properly!. When we eat the right combinations of grains and legumes with fruits, nuts and vegetables - they get everything they need!.
Unfortunately most vegetarians do not eat properly - nor do carnivores for that matter!.
As a licensed dietitian I see many medical issues derived from vegetarians who do not eat the proper combinations of foods!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

The amount of B12 our bodies 'require' is absolutely miniscule - 2mcg!.

In my opinion, you won't die without it and it's probably not necessary to take supplements if you don't always wash your veggies or consume foods that have been fortified with B12!.

There are many vegan foods fortified with B12!. They include non-dairy milks, meat substitutes, breakfast cereals, and some types of nutritional yeast!. E!.g!. "Red Star Vegetarian Support Formula" and "Twinlab Natural Nutritional Yeast"!.

Note: Consuming 500mg+ of vitamin C with your B12 course can diminish or destroy the amount of B12 you absorb!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

Science has yet to produce conclusive evidence one way or the other!. But this much can be said-- People HAVE been able to live healthily for their entire lives on a vegan diet WITHOUT B-12 supplements!.

Something to consider is the fact that it's to the benefit of the corporations, and all industries involved in animal usage, for us to believe that B-12 is necessary!. If science did produce conclusive evidence that B-12 isn't needed, would we be told!? I doubt it!.

Ask yourselves this question: If animal products provide sufficient B-12 that we supposedly need, why are so many of them B-12 enhanced!? Perhaps B-12 is addictive!. If so, force feeding our bodies with B-12 would certainly guarantee constant jumps in the sales of animal products!. While no one has ever been known to overdose on B-12, this is certainly not proof that it isn't addictive!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

tonight i had these soy fillets and it said on the front 'a great source of B12' or something to that effect!. so there are other sources than injections or pillsWww@FoodAQ@Com





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