Vitamin B12

Options
Hi
I would like to ask if anyone knows a vitamin B12 rich foods , because I not a fan of taking supplements?

Replies

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,962 Member
    Options
    https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/vitamin-b12-deficiency-anemia#2
    Beef, liver, and chicken
    Fish and shellfish such as trout, salmon, tuna fish, and clams
    Fortified breakfast cereal
    Low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese
    Eggs


  • ceiswyn
    ceiswyn Posts: 2,256 Member
    Options
    Animal products.

    If you don't consume animal products, then you'll have to take a supplement. (Eating fortified foods is basically taking a supplement in tastier and more spread-out form)
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    Options
    Most people who eat animal products have no problems getting enough B12. If you aren’t vegetarian or vegan and your B12 is low, that may indicate underlying bowel issues or other health problems that interfere with B12 absorption. You should ask your doctor if this is a possibility.

    If you are vegetarian or vegan and your B12 is low, you should supplement. It is far safer to take a supplement and be certain that you’re getting enough B12. https://www.theveganrd.com/vegan-nutrition-101/vegan-nutrition-primers/vitamin-b12-a-vegan-nutrition-primer/
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
    Options
    Just to add - if you are thinking you need more B12 based on your MFP food log, please keep in mind that most of the entries are user entered, and many users don't track micronutrients so they aren't careful about including them accurately (or at all) when creating database entries. You always need to double check that the fields that are important to you are accurate when choosing a database entry to log.
  • Luke_rabbit
    Luke_rabbit Posts: 1,031 Member
    edited August 2019
    Options
    apullum wrote: »
    Most people who eat animal products have no problems getting enough B12. If you aren’t vegetarian or vegan and your B12 is low, that may indicate underlying bowel issues or other health problems that interfere with B12 absorption. You should ask your doctor if this is a possibility.

    For example, proton pump inhibitors, used for heartburn/ulcer/GERD, interfere with B-12 absorption. Most long term users of PPIs need to take either sublingual or injections of B-12.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
    Options
    mans5891 wrote: »
    Hi
    I would like to ask if anyone knows a vitamin B12 rich foods , because I not a fan of taking supplements?

    Eat animal products
  • cbstewart88
    cbstewart88 Posts: 453 Member
    edited August 2019
    Options
    About 5 years ago - I got hit suddenly with a painful and debilitating case of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. I tried everything to alleviate it and finally broke down and went to my doctor. He sent me to some specialist who ran a series of tests, and those tests came back "inconclusive."

    My doctor kind of shrugged, mentioned surgery, and murmured something under his breath about B-12 supplements. I asked him what he was talking about, and he replied that there is some anecdotal evidence that sometimes B-12 can help with this issue. Especially in people like me who "don't eat a lot of animals".

    I figured I had nothing to lose, so on the drive home, I stopped at the drugstore and picked up a bottle. In 5 days the pain and numbness from the CTS was COMPLETELY gone. I have continued to take one supplement a day - and it has never returned.

    Just a little personal tidbit about my history with B-12. :) - for what it's worth...

  • HereToLose50
    HereToLose50 Posts: 154 Member
    Options
    nooshi713 wrote: »
    mans5891 wrote: »
    Hi
    I would like to ask if anyone knows a vitamin B12 rich foods , because I not a fan of taking supplements?

    Nutritional yeast

    Make sure it's fortified nutritional yeast if you decide on this way to get it.

    B12 comes from animal products so if you are vegan you'll have to supplement or get fortified food that has b12
  • Clairin
    Clairin Posts: 95 Member
    Options
    nooshi713 wrote: »
    mans5891 wrote: »
    Hi
    I would like to ask if anyone knows a vitamin B12 rich foods , because I not a fan of taking supplements?

    Nutritional yeast

    Yes also Marmite or Vegemite which is a yeast spread. Great to flavour a soup also.
  • ceiswyn
    ceiswyn Posts: 2,256 Member
    edited August 2019
    Options
    nooshi713 wrote: »
    mans5891 wrote: »
    Hi
    I would like to ask if anyone knows a vitamin B12 rich foods , because I not a fan of taking supplements?

    Nutritional yeast

    Yes also Marmite or Vegemite which is a yeast spread. Great to flavour a soup also.

    Note that nutritional yeast only contains useful amounts of B12 if it's been fortified. Though I think most of it is. Marmite is similarly rich in B12 only because it's fortified.
  • nighthawk584
    nighthawk584 Posts: 1,994 Member
    Options
    steak is my go to B12 source...this was lunch yesterday
    8npw4drh4u63.jpg
  • PaymanLux
    PaymanLux Posts: 23 Member
    edited August 2021
    Options
    mans5891 wrote: »
    Hi
    I would like to ask if anyone knows a vitamin B12 rich foods , because I not a fan of taking supplements?

    Because my meat consumption is on the low side lately I take B12 about 4-5 times a week along with niacin, these help with my diet and improving other health issues unrelated to my weight loss program. A pill a day isnt all that bad the worst part is remembering. B12 will help your digestions while the niacin will clean up your circulatory system while healing and strengthening your nervous system. I want to keep it simple and not turn into a pillbox so I carefully chose these two supplements as they are widely used and accepted and very low risk.
  • Safari_Gal_
    Safari_Gal_ Posts: 1,461 Member
    Options
    Animal organ meats have the most natural b12. Liver and kidneys, especially from lamb, are the richest in vitamin B12.

    - signed the kid who always ate liver growing up and has it weekly. 😉

    (Clams also mineral rich and high in b12)
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,969 Member
    Options
    nooshi713 wrote: »
    mans5891 wrote: »
    Hi
    I would like to ask if anyone knows a vitamin B12 rich foods , because I not a fan of taking supplements?

    Nutritional yeast

    Not all nutritional yeast. Check the label to be sure it is fortified with B12.
  • itsmemonty
    itsmemonty Posts: 3 Member
    Options
    Make sure you get your blood work done regularly if you need supplements. I don’t absorb it well so I have to get injections weekly. You can have serious neurological issues and other health issues if your B12 stays very low.
  • icemom011
    icemom011 Posts: 999 Member
    Options
    Few years ago my blood work showed that i was low on B12. I'm not vegan, but i don't eat too much of red meat or organ meat lately. So on advice of my doctor i started taking B12 supplement every day. One year later on annual blood work check my B12 levels were through the roof. I initially cut back on supplement to 3 days a week, if i remember correctly, then slowly weaned off that completely. I had blood work done to monitor it. Also, at same time my D3 levers were pretty low too, even though i spend good amount of time outdoors. Not sure why it happened, but my b12 levels were fine ever since. Not D3, still taking supplement daily. So make sure to get tested, you don't want to overdo it, especially if going to take supplements. On the side note, i love nutritional yeast and use it often in my meals, or just have a spoonful here and there.
  • VegjoyP
    VegjoyP Posts: 2,714 Member
    Options
    I am vegan and my B 12 was past average my last few blood tests. I supplement with a sublingual or liquid but Nutritional yeast can be used as a source of B 12. they are easy to take and I buy food sourced Methylcobalamin
  • Fuzzipeg
    Fuzzipeg Posts: 2,298 Member
    Options
    B12 is an unusual vitamin because it, b12 needs to be "protected" by an enzyme as it passes from the mouth into the digestive tract down to the "Islets of Langerhans" where it is taken in. This means that some of us are are less or even unable to make the enzyme to protect the b12 causing insufficient uptake. That is why some in the UK, probably in other parts of the world have b12 injections.

    Most specific b12 supplements need to be positioned under the tongue so it can have greater uptake through the under tongue area. I do know of a pill which also contains the enzyme in the UK what I don't know is how widely it is available beyond our borders.
  • MikePfirrman
    MikePfirrman Posts: 3,307 Member
    Options
    I don't love to take a ton of supplements either, but two that I think are a must are a good full spectrum methyl B and a high quality Omega3.