Why I Reject Vitamin B12 Supplementation

Why have I, as a long-term plantarian who has steadfastly adhered to a plant-exclusive (vegan) diet for almost 20 years, never taken vitamin B12 supplements, and why do I not intend ever to take them? In this article, I will answer this question and elucidate the nebulous nature of this enigmatic “nutrient.”

Health experts assert that so-called vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient, meaning that the human body cannot produce it on its own. Simultaneously, they claim that this “essential nutrient” is indispensable for critical physiological processes, such as red blood cell formation, central nervous system function, DNA synthesis, and cellular division. This theory contends that humans who choose not to feed on flesh, ingest dirt or feces — the reservoirs of the purported B12-producing microorganisms — or consume a synthetic, man-made substance cannot live long, healthy lives. Such an assertion is utterly inane and fundamentally dissonant with reason.

The nebulous vitamin B12 is simply cobalamins — compounds that contain a cobalt atom within a ring-shaped molecule. These compounds are produced exclusively by bacteria and archaea (microscopic microorganisms) found in soil, natural water systems, and the digestive tracts of humans and animals.

Indeed, healthy humans harbor gut bacteria that synthesize B12, or cobalamin, in both the large intestine (colon) and the last portion of the small intestine (distal ileum), which are subsequently absorbed (primarily in the distal ileum) and utilized by the body as needed. In some individuals, however, this process is hindered. For example, people with an impaired/imbalanced gut microbiota composition, and thus an unhealthy gut microbiome, are unable to properly manufacture and/or absorb cobalamin. The most common causes of microbiota disruption are diets rife with processed and ultra-processed foods, alcohol consumption, and antibiotic use. In fact, antibiotic use is known to produce virtually the exact same symptoms attributed to so-called B12 deficiency (e.g., weakness, fatigue, digestive disturbances, brain fog, etc.). “B12 deficiency” essentially means compromised gut health.

Another significant factor that leads to the impaired production or malabsorption of cobalamins is gastrointestinal disorders, such as celiac disease and Crohn’s disease.

Yet another major cause is the habitual use of pharmaceutical drugs, particularly diabetic medications such as Metformin (inhibits absorption pathways), as well as acid-suppressing drugs such as proton pump inhibitors, or PPIs (reduced stomach acid results in less B12 being released from food).

Another cause of B12 deficiency is attributed to so-called “autoimmune” origins (which are essentially chronic systemic inflammation). In fact, what initially led to the discovery of vitamin B12 was a condition that had nothing to do with inadequate levels of cobalamin in the gastrointestinal tract, but rather a deficiency of the intrinsic factor glycoprotein, which enables the absorption of B12 into the bloodstream.

It is important to recognize that the aforementioned physiological dysfunctions do not merely diminish the availability or metabolism of so-called vitamin B12, but also affect the entire B-vitamin complex. The so-called “vitamin B12 deficiency” is therefore not an issue of a single supplement, but rather an indicator of compromised gut health in general.

The symptoms of so-called B12 deficiency — whether fatigue, brain fog, difficulty concentrating, or gastrointestinal distress — can be corrected by rebuilding a healthy microbiota. A healthy microbiota cultivates a healthy microbiome, and a healthy microbiome ensures that all — not merely one — of the necessary components (B vitamins, short-chain fatty acids, vitamin K, etc.) required for optimal physiological processes are readily available. To focus on a single nutrient such as vitamin B12 completely disregards the complexity and holistic nature of the human internal ecosystem and is therefore inherently misguided.

However, if one insists on obtaining B12 specifically, nature has the answer. Good sources of naturally occurring, organically bound cobalamin, or vitamin B12, include spirulina (technically a cyanobacterium, not an alga), blue-green algae such as chlorella; sea vegetables such as purple laver (nori), green laver, and aonori; aquatic plants such as duckweed and water lentils; mushrooms such as shiitake, black trumpet, and golden chanterelle; and fermented foods such as tempeh, kimchi, and sauerkraut.

All of the above contain natural, protein-bound cobalamin (organic corrinoid complexes). This is the form of vitamin B12 that is compatible with the organic biology of which humans are a part.

(Personally, I consume very little from the aforementioned food groups, as I look at things from a holistic perspective and am not typically concerned with any single, isolated compound. The pharmaceutical and supplement industries’ primary objective is to ensure that the masses remain fixated on individual nutrients and in a state of perpetual fear and worry regarding potential deficiencies, thereby creating more consumers and generating greater profits.)

The industrially produced, isolated, synthetic B12 found in commercial supplements represents a rather crude attempt to mimic that which already exists all around us, and within us, in its integrated and naturally balanced form, chiefly for revenue-generating purposes.

The most common forms of B12 found in commercial supplements are synthetic cyanocobalamin and methylcobalamin. Other forms include adenosylcobalamin and hydroxocobalamin. The production of these man-made substances involves numerous toxic chemical agents during various manufacturing stages, from seed-culture preparation and industrial fermentation to harvesting, cell disruption, extraction, purification, and drying. For instance, cyanocobalamin (the most commonly used form of supplemental B12, owing to its low cost) contains cyanide, which is a poison. Methylcobalamin, often promoted as “more natural” and “healthier,” is ironically manufactured from the cyanide-containing cyanocobalamin as the starting material and processed with highly toxic sodium borohydride and methyl iodide.

Synthetic B12 accumulates in various tissues and organs of the body, including the liver, kidneys, and lymphatic system. It is no wonder that elevated serum levels of supplemental B12 have been associated with cancer, liver disease, kidney disease, and increased overall mortality.

Considering that serum (blood) B12 tests primarily measure synthetic, biologically inactive B12 circulating within the bloodstream (derived from B12-fortified foods, B12 supplementation, and animal products from animals fed B12-fortified feed) it is unsurprising that countless healthy adherents of plant-based or vegan diets who do not consume B12 supplements are nevertheless classified as deficient according to blood tests while exhibiting excellent health decades later. As someone who has never taken a single B12 pill, liquid, or injection, and who has deliberately avoided B12-fortified foods like nutritional yeast and breakfast cereal, I am fairly certain that, were I to undergo a serum B12 test, it would show a deficiency.

Click here to book a private consultation with Akin.
For access to in-depth protocols, direct support from Akin, and exclusive resources, join the Intelligent Living Club.