B12 Deficiency Site — All about B12 deficiency, symptoms & treatment options.
Beach vacation was cold and wet, not from splashing in waves, but running from rain. No worries, retail therapy saved the day and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute until one afternoon a strange dizziness and tiredness overcame my sunshiny disposition and I lay on a bench (not the beach) while my husband jogged the boardwalk.
I packed my Vitamix, veggies, fruits, and supplements and expected to eat at two restaurants catering to vegans to continue my vegan commitment. Unfortunately, the restaurants closed Monday-Thursday in prep for Memorial Day. Therefore, I ate seafood at alternate restaurants and thought my symptoms evolved from seafood toxins. I was wrong.
Seems we humans must have B-12; without it we may die. However, B-12 ONLY comes from animal products, including dairy, meats, fish, and eggs. So my question is, if humans were intended to be vegetarians as implied by our anatomy-long colon and flat teeth-then why do we need animal by-products?
I started taking liquid B-12 supplement about two weeks ago, then learned the difference between cyanocobalamin and metylcobalamin B-12 and switched to the latter in form of a pill that dissolves under the tongue. Still, I developed symptoms determined to thwart my vacation.
Did I have a B-12 deficiency long before my vegan debut? Do I efficiently absorb B-12? Has permanent damage already occurred? Will I continue my vegan journey? A visit to my doctor will help answer these questions. I just wish I had known at the beginning of my vegan quest what I know now about B-12.
I hope my experience will help you on your journey.
To your health,
Claudia
fitnessoversixty 
I did a lot of study before I went vegan. I have been taking a raw multi that includes B-12. I’m reading “In Defense of Food” by Michael Pollan. He says that B-12 can also come from vegetables that are decaying which makes me wonder if we evolved to need B-12 from decaying meat after eating it for eons. Gross.
I think that most omnivores need supplementation too because they aren’t getting enough nutrients because they don’t consume enough fruits and vegetables.
Hope you feel better soon
I will look into Pollan’s book. Decaying veggies are bad enough, but meat, UCK!
Supplements seem to be the answer, but I hate depending on a pill! Certainly the benefits outweigh the challenges of being vegan.
I really love Michael Pollan. If you have Netflix, watch FOOD INC. He is a big part of the film. This is the 3rd book of his I have read. He is an omnivore, but incredibly brilliant. Funny that he says his books have made many people go vegan after reading them.
If you don’t want to supplement, there are a few vegan food sources of B-12. Nutritional Yeast and Vegemite (or Marmite or Promite). All provide high doses of B-12 but all are a little unusual 😉
Will look into Netflix!
go figure, I use Nutritional Yeast, but mostly for hubby. I take better care of him than I do myself. 🙂 Thanks for the tips!
You can add it to almost anything. I really like it in salad dressings and soups. Check this salad dressing recipe out (house dressing) I love it and could drink it from the jar! http://eatunprocessed.com/ep31-40.html#40