What is the best form of Vitamin B12?

Q: Dr. Kmiec, I’m confused about all the different types of Vitamin B12. Some have cyanocobalamin on the bottle, and others have methylcobalamin. Are the same? Also, what do you think of pills vs lozenges?

A: This is actually a great question that I get so often that I wrote an article about it that I think will help answer your question, Cyanocobalamin vs. Methylcobalamin: Which is Best?

Regarding pills vs lozenges (or sublingual)…I prefer and recommend sublingual Vitamin B12.

Absorbing Vitamin B12 requires two factors to be functioning properly:

Sufficient gastric acid (hydrochloric acid) present in the stomach
The presence of Intrinsic factor

Because a large portion of people suffer from gastrointestinal disturbances such as: constipation, diarrhea, and heart burn, it is more than likely that a subclinical Vitamin B12 deficiency is far more prevalent then what was previously thought because you may not be able to absorb the nutrient. Making matters worse, widespread use of anti-acids makes the absorption of Vitamin B12 nearly impossible.

Also, some people lack intrinsic factor (IE. People with Diabetes Type 2), which results in a condition known as pernicious anemia because without this enzyme, you cannot absorb the vitamin. . For unknown reasons, this condition doesn’t usually become apparent until mid-adulthood. You can by-pass this issue by taking Vitamin B12 in the form of a sublingual tab that simple dissolves under your tongue.

I typically recommend 1000 – 5000 mcg/day.

Dr. Michelle Kmiec

is a board-certified Chiropractic Physician and Life Coach who also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Biology, and a minor in Medical Research. She is a life-long athlete who after curing herself 100% naturally from MS and anxiety, became an avid nutrition health researcher/promoter.

She has been featured in many Health magazines and has been a guest on radio talk shows in the USA, Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia. She is the author of Health Freedom Revolution: Exposing the Lies, Deceit and Greed of the Medical Profession, Founder of Online Holistic Health, and a contributing writer for other popular informative health website/blogs.

She is the host of Holistic Health Radio – where she discusses how she recovered her health as well as other hot health topics, and she is also co-founder of Crazy Meets Common Sense! –  The Podcast that Makes Sense Out of the Crazy, to Help You Live a More Healthy, Fulfilling and Empowering Life!