Vitamin B12

[Coldicote]

I understand that vitamin B12 is essential for the body's production of healthy blood cells. The human body does not produce its own B12 and has to rely on meat, eggs and dairy produce. Vegetarians and vegans therefore need to look for B12 fortified foods. According to a previous AB answer, B12 can be synthesised in the lab. I don't understand synthesising. What would actually be used to make this synthesised B12, if not an extract from meat /dairy products?

[ann_h]

1)
page:http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7018815.html
"Method for producing vitamin B12 from hydrogen-metabolizing methane bacterium "
Abstract:Mesophilic methane bacteria obtained from digested sludge are acclimatized in an H2/CO2 medium and the acclimatized methane bacteria are grown on a support inclusive of inorganic nutritional salts of trace metal elements by using an immobilized bed bioreactor. The grown bacteria are allowed to metabolize a mixed gas, prepared by adding hydrogen to at least one of coal gas and biogas, into methane and at the same time, cobalamin contained in the fermented liquor is recovered as an extracellular product in the form of cyanocobalamin by using potassium cyanide to thereby produce vitamin B12 efficiently in a high content and high yield.

2)
http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2007/b12.html
"MIT biologists solve vitamin puzzle"
If you're really interested in more

[suemor7]

yeast produces B12 too-find it in wholemeal bread and marmite!

[Coldicote]

Thank you for these replies. I asked because I'm having tests and half expecting to be told I need Vit B12 injections for anaemia. Must say the thought of something originating from 'digested sludge' is not exactly attractive! However it appears there is a lot more to its development, so I hope the end product is worth it. B12 is added to breakfast cereals and I wondered where it came from.

Suemor, wholemeal bread and Marmite sounds much more attractive! Thank you.

[theprof]

Almost all production of Cyanocobolamin, the principal clinical form of vitamin B12 are derived from microorganisms. In the UK, a considerable amount is derived from Pseudomonas dentrificans under carefully controlled sterile conditions. The methods discussed above remain commercially impractical at present and will remain so for some time.

Unless they are commercially fortified, plant food products in general do not contain any Vitamin B12. The only exception is those plants that grow in close proximity to soil bacteria that will cling to the plant concerned and are processed along with the plant.

Everything seems to point to you undergoing treatment for pernicious anaemia. This particular type of anaemia is not really due to a lack of or a deficiency of B12 in your body.

Pernicious anaemia occurs because you lack a specific type of glycoprotein in your stomach contents. This protein is called intrinsic factor. Without this intrinsic factor, your body cannot absorb Vitamin B12, the extrinsic factor, in adequate amounts.

Ironically, there are bacteria in the the gut that can process Vitamin B12 correctly, but they are simply too far down the digestive tract to work - by then the body will have begun to destroy the vitamin.

Deficiency of Cyanocobolamin occurs within 2-3 years, but sometimes even strict vegans can remain symptomless for 20-30 years. Nevertheless, some vegetarians demonstrate neurological symptoms, weakness and other symptoms within a relatively short time.

Some other good sources of Vitamin B12 include ox liver, lambs liver, herring, mackerel, pilchards, kippers, tuna and sardines. Marmite is an excellent source and it also provides another important vitamin usually given alongside vitamin B!2 called folic acid.