Cobalamin is the common name for vitamin B12. Cobalt (as in Cobalt blue) is a rare mineral in the soil. Cobalamin is made when bacteria combine Cobalt, Nitrogen & other chemicals. Interesting, right?!
The only natural source of vitamin B12 is bacteria in the soil. Animals, plants, fungi, and yeast do not have the enzyme to create it in their bodies. Animals incorporate it into their bodies by eating soil that has converted B12 or fortified food containing vitamin B12. For humans, animal products are by far the most reliable source of vitamin B12. A common misconception is that tempeh is a vegan source of this vitamin. Tempeh is a soybean product fermented by fungus, not bacteria… therefore no vitamin B12 is present unless it has been fortified.
What does this all mean? It is essential to be aware of the world around us. Well-nourished soil and bacteria are vital to producing the vitamins in our food.
Because we love sharing fun facts, here’s another one. Human gut flora can symbiotically create vitamin B12 in our colons - BUT - we don’t absorb it because, at that point, it has been made too far down the intestinal tract to be absorbed. It is a form that gets passed to soil and water through our stool. What goes around comes around.
There are several different forms of vitamin B12. But to keep it simple, our THRIVE and NOURISH formulas use methylcobalamin, which is the methyl donor form of vitamin B12 and does not need to be converted by the body for it to be used for its benefits.
Evidence-based relief and benefits from this super vitamin:
- Energy! Vitamin B12 helps to convert the food that we eat into glucose, which is then used as an energy source for our cells
- Vitamin B12 may help oxygenate our cells by helping to maintain healthy red blood cells
- Supportive aspect when producing myelin, which is the protective sheath that surrounds our nerve fibers - thus helping to prevent cell damage
- Vitamin B12 also supports our white blood cells, which make for a happy and healthy immune system
- Healthy for skin, hair, and nails
- Mood booster - may help in the regulation of serotonin levels, one of the happy chemicals we need when trying to feel our best
As you can see by the amount of information here, vitamin B12 is essential for many reasons. The best sources we have are provided below for you to learn more!
