More B-12 Information

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THE VITAMIN B12 ISSUE

 

by Dr Gina Shaw, D.S., M.A., AIYS (Dip. Irid.)

 

The subject of Vitamin B12 is not new to most vegans, vegetarians or

raw fooders. The supplement companies have many people running to

their local health (drug) stores in an effort to make themselves

deficiency-free, but is this a good idea? A number of issues will be

raised in this article and I will attempt to piece together some

information from many different and reliable (non-financially-

oriented) sources.

 

A vitamin B12 deficiency is a serious disorder, but it is never just

a B12 deficiency because vitamin and mineral deficiencies never

happen in isolation. Indications of a deficiency of vitamin B12,

when they do reach a stage where they have shown up, can be quite

severe. Fatigue, paleness, anorexia, mental confusion, delusions,

paranoia, weight loss, etc. are just some indications that a person

may have a B12-deficiency. In my opinion, ME is a B12-deficiency

disorder. If you do think you may have a B12-deficiency, it would be

wise for you to seek the advice of a health practitioner (such as

myself) who is knowledgeable about B12-deficiencies, for immediate

advice. This disorder can eventually lead to death if left unchecked.

 

UK official recommendations have decreased in recent years, the

body's needs having been previously over-estimated. Indeed, the

Department of Health recognises that some people have lower than

average requirements of B12. A whole lifetime's requirement of B12

add up to a 40 milligram speck of red crystals, about one-seventh the

size of an average tablet of aspirin! Taking large doses of the

vitamin by mouth is pointless because 3ug is the most that can be

absorbed at any one time.

 

Vitamin B12 is excreted in the bile and is effectively reabsorbed.

This is known as enterohepatic circulation. The amount of B12

excreted in the bile can vary from 1 to 10ug (micrograms) a day.

People on diets low in B12, including vegans and some vegetarians,

may be obtaining more B12 from reabsorption than from dietary

sources. Reabsorption is the reason it can take over 20 years for a

deficiency disease to develop. In comparison, if B12 deficiency is

due to a failure in absorption, it can take only three years for a

deficiency disease to occur. Since vitamin B12 is recycled in a

healthy body, in principle, internal B12 synthesis could fulfil our

needs without any B12 provided in the diet, but if cobalt in our diet

is lacking, the problem is not so much a lack of B12 synthesising

intestinal flora, as a lack of cobalt (which again will need other

factors for efficient absorption).

 

Among the many controversies surrounding vitamin B12, there is the

argument that, although intrinsic factor is produced in our stomachs

and that our intestines are known to produce vitamin B12, the

bacteria is produced too low down in the intestines and cannot be

absorbed by our bodies. This argument is sadly still hanging around,

however, according to Dr Vetrano, it was disproved by research over

20 years ago and is nothing more than an obsolete scientific theory.

Indeed, in a 1999 version of `Human Anatomy and Physiology' by

Marieb, it states quite clearly that we do indeed absorb vitamin B12

through our intestines.

 

Many people say that the only foods which contain vitamin B12 are

animal-derived foods. This also is untrue. No foods naturally

contain vitamin B12 - neither animal or plant foods. Vitamin B12 is

a microbe - a bacteria - it is produced by microorganisms. Vitamin

B12 is the only vitamin that contains a trace element - cobalt -

which gives this vitamin its chemical name - cobalamin - which is at

the centre of its molecular structure. Humans and all vertebrates

require cobalt, although it is assimilated only in the form of

vitamin B12.

 

B12 synthesis is known to occur naturally in the human small

intestine (in the ileum), which is the primary site of B12

absorption. As long as gut bacteria have cobalt and certain other

nutrients, they produce vitamin B12. According to Dr Michael Klaper,

vitamin B12 is present in the mouth and intestines. B12 must be

combined with a mucoprotein enzyme named Intrinsic Factor, which is

normally present in gastric secretions, to be properly assimilated.

If the intrinsic factor is impaired or absent, B12 synthesis will not

take place, no matter how much is present in the diet. B12

deficiency may be brought upon by antibiotics (also contained in

milk), alcohol, smoking and stress (alcohol damages the liver, so

drinkers need more B12, smoking (and all high temp cooked food is

smoky) also raises B12 needs).

 

Many nutritional analyses of foodstuffs were carried out such a long

time ago, and, as such, have not taken account of more up-to-date

technology in scientific procedures. For instance, Tesco's

raspberries now state quite clearly that 100g of raspberries contain

30% of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin B12. This cannot

be an isolated example of a plant food which contains B12! More

likely, it is just one plant food of many which contain this vitamin.

Indeed, according to Dr Vetrano, current books on nutrition in the

U.S. have now stated that there is B12 in any food that contains

quantities of the B vitamin complex, but previously they were just

not able to assay the amounts. Nowadays, more modern technology has

allowed them to discover that there is B12 in those foods rich in the

B complex.

 

The author does not believe that a vitamin B12 deficiency is more

widespread in vegans or vegetarians - this is probably just another

marketing lie! In fact, many so-called studies `showing vegans

deficient' have to be carefully studies themselves - many of them do

not prove vegans to be deficient at all! In fact, contrary to meat

and dairy industry propaganda, meat-eaters are known to be more

likely to have a vitamin B12 deficiency - this has been known since

1959!!(1)

 

Having said this, we must bear in mind that many vegetarians and

vegans still take antibiotics or consume antibiotic-containing foods

such as onions, garlic, strong radishes and other foods rich in

mustard oil, which are lethal to intestinal flora. The trouble is

that once we have damaged our intestinal flora, it is difficult to

correct without proper and knowledgeable healthcare and dietary

advice. It is of far greater importance to correct intestinal flora

problems than to rely on so-called supplements. People who have a

physical problem because they think they are not getting enough

vitamin B12, are in fact often not assimilating their foods properly

because of poor digestion. When digestion is straightened out, B12

can be utilized and produced once again

 

According to Marieb's `Human Anatomy and Physiology', vitamin B12 can

be destroyed by highly alkaline and highly acid conditions. This

assumes that the B12 in meat would be easily destroyed because the

hydrochloric acid in our stomaches during the digestion of meat is

highly acidic. This may explain why meat-eaters are just as likely to

have a B12 deficiency as vegans - even though their diet contains

vitamin B12. Also, for meat-eaters, there is antiobiotics contained

in meat! Of course, many meat-eaters destroy their friendly bacteria

in their intestines by constant putrefaction and the putrefactive

bacteria naturally present in meat will give the body a hard time.

 

Another side to the equation is that low serum B12 levels do not

equate to a B12 deficiency necessarily. Just because there is a low

level of B12 in the bloodstream, this does not mean that there is a

deficiency in the body as a whole, it may well be being utilised by

the living cells (such as the central nervous system). In any case,

a person who takes supplements may well have `vitamin B12' floating

in their bloodstream, but this does not mean it is usable to the

human body as synthetic, inorganic vitamins are not.

 

The illusionary benefits of supplement-taking result in the person's

increased metabolism in order to expel these harmful substances as

quickly as possible. This results in a stimulation of the body and

the illusion of an improvement in health. The truth is that there is

a very delicate balance among hormone secretions, vitamins, enzymes,

minerals, etc. This is something that scientists know very little

about. These substances do not work alone, but in fact require other

factors for them to be effective, like fats, etc. We know very

little about life within a cell. The use of supplements can disturb

this delicate balance and diminish the efficiency of body

functions. Health is reduced commensurate to the imbalance that

occurs.

 

Commercially, vitamin B12 tablets are made from bacteria and the

bacteria is deeply fermented. A healthy body will usually expel

fermented substances. The main problem with pill supplements is that

they: 1) Do not contain the hundreds of other nutrients we may need

to be healthy that raw foods provide, and 2) they contain artificial

substances/contaminants that are detrimental to health.

 

Synthetic vitamins and minerals are inorganic and are therefore

unusable by the human body. In the manufacture of `food

supplements', chemically pure substances must be used for the most

part. If the scientists used naturally derived nutrients, their

pills would be too large for us to swallow. Additionally, a

chemical `carrier' is added to make the products acceptable to the

palate of the consumer and to bring their product up to an acceptable

standard. These chemical carriers, as with all chemicals, are toxic

to the human organism. They result in stimulation of the body and an

illusionary cure.

 

According to Dr. John Potter PhD, of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center,

Seattle, " Food's magic is based on thousands of complex interactions

of dozens of different phytochemicals which are difficult to recreate

in pills. While 190 solid studies prove that fruit and vegetables

benefit, supplements have only a smattering of evidence " . Vitamins,

minerals, hormones, etc. do not work in isolation, they work

symbiotically. They work with other nutrients in order for their

work to be carried out. When these highly complex substances are

disturbed, their overall effectiveness can be reduced. However, too

much of a nutrient is draining on our vital energy as the human (or

non-human) organism may have to expel a nutrient overload. Also, it

is doubtful whether, even if you do have a B12 deficiency, you have

only a B12 deficiency. A healthier diet and living conditions, as

well as a fast may be in order.

 

According to Dr Douglas Graham, in his book `Nutrition and Athletic

Performance', supplementation has proven to be an inadequate and

incomplete method of supplying nutrients as scientists cannot match

nature's refined balances. He says that since an estimated ninety

per cent of all nutrients are as yet undiscovered, why would we want

to start adding nutrients into our diet one at a time rather than

eating whole foods? Most nutrients are known to interact

symbiotically with at least eight other nutrients and considering

this, the odds of healthfully supplying any nutrients in its

necessary component package becomes `infinitesimally minute'. More

to the point he adds, `there has never been a successful attempt to

keep an animal or human healthy, or even alive, on a diet composed

strictly of nutritional supplements'.

 

Dan Reeter, at Bio-Systems Laboratories in Colorado is creating one

of the world's most comprehensive computer facilities for soil

biology testing. He says that, from his extensive tests, plants

grown in organically-managed soil make significantly higher levels of

usable vitamin B12. It has also been reported that vitamin B12 is

present in wild fruits and wild and home-grown plant foods.

 

The author contends that animal and dairy produce is a poor source of

Vitamin B12 since the vitamin is contained in nutrient-deranged

foodstuffs which will inevitably destroy the usability of the

vitamin. Studies show that those following a typical animal-based

diet require more vitamin B12 than those who do not. This is because

the typical diet leads to digestive atrophy. Because B12 is peptide-

bound in animal products and must be enzymatically cleaved from the

peptide bonds to be absorbed, a weakened gastric acid and gastric

enzyme secretions (due to a cooked food diet) causes an inability to

efficiently extract vitamin B12 from external food. Nevertheless,

raw food vegans who have a more powerful digestion actually get more

B12 by reabsorption from the bile than they do from external food.

Wolfe argues that the natural soil microbes and bacteria found on

wild plant foods and unwashed garden plants are typically adequate to

supply our B12 requirements. The natural microbes in the soil need to

be duplicated and to colonise in our digestive tract, without

fermentation or putrefaction.

 

Another point worth considering is that vitamin B12 Recommended Daily

Allowances (RDA's) are based upon the average cooked food (meat and

two veg), smoking, drinking person. Commercial interests have indeed

grossly exaggerated our needs for many nutrients. These studies tell

us nothing of the requirements for a healthy vegetarian. It is very

difficult to determine precise individual needs of any vitamin or

nutrient, and an overload of any vitamin or other nutrient creates an

unnecessary burden on our vital domain. Factors such as rate of

metabolism, stress, etc. can determine our differing and often

changing needs. Dr Victor Herbert reported in the American Journal

of Clinical Nutrition (1998, Volume 48) that only 0.00000035 ounces

(1 microgram) of vitamin B12 is required per day. These minimum

vitamin requirements may be inadequate to explain the needs of a

healthy raw food vegan, for example, who may require less B12 due to

an improved gastric ability and a high ability to recycle vitamin

B12. (Cooking destroys microbes and a highly sterilised, cooked

vegan diet may not provide the intestines with enough good quality

flora). Absorption rates of B12 are higher in healthy individuals

than in unhealthy individuals. Studies, based on healthy Indian

vegetarian villagers, showed that none of them exhibited symptoms of

B12 deficiency, despite levels of .3-.5 micrograms of B12.

 

Dr Gabriel Cousens argues that vitamin B12 deficiency is typically

caused by lack of absorption in the intestinal tract rather than a

lack of this vitamin in the diet. Annie and Dr David Jubb argue that

people have lived in such a sterile, antiseptic environment for so

long that these necessary symbiotic organisms have been less than

present in our diet. They argue that by ingesting soil-born

organisms you can maintain an enormous reservoir of uncoded

antibodies ready to transform specific pathogens, the way nature

intended - by eating a little dirt!

 

If a person is healthy and on a healthy vegan, high-percentage raw

food diet and does not habitually over-eat, wrongly combine their

foods and abuse their bodies generally, and utilises fasting on

occasion, it is unlikely that they will develop B12 deficiency

symptoms providing their intestinal flora was not previously

deranged. Vitamin B12 deficiency is usually symptomatic of a larger

problem i.e. poor intestinal flora, poor absorption and also lack of

sunlight.

 

Harvey Diamond argues that the entire nutrient issue has been made so

confusing with contradictory information that it is no wonder that

people are bewildered about where to obtain sufficient nutrients.

Unfortunately, some people have been so totally misguided and scared

that no amount of common-sense reasoning of even factual data can

rescue them from the meat, dairy and petrochemical (synthetic

food `supplement' suppliers) multi-million pound industries. The

truth is that whatever nutrients the body needs will be contained in

its natural foods (for human beings, raw plant foods). Mother Nature

knows how to provide for her own. Why would it be that we are

created in such a way as to make us a natural plant-eater and hey

presto, there is no vitamin B12 provided for us by plants? If you

can't get it from raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds or sprouts then

WE DON'T NEED IT! Just because a wild fruit or organic foodstuff

contains only a small amount, this does not mean it is deficient.

It means that we only need a small amount!

 

The pill pushers are quick to say that our soil is deficient, but

according to Diamond and others, if a seed does not receive the

elements it needs IT WILL NOT GROW (OR WILL GROW POORLY - author).

Also, plants obtain nutrients from other sources in greater amounts:

the sun, water and the air. Plants actually obtain only about 1% of

nutrients from the soil.

 

If you do develop a B12 deficiency, certain urgent dietary

adjustments may need to be made, and there is a possibility that

fasting is in order. In any case, on switching to a healthier diet,

be it vegetarian, vegan or raw food (for optimum health), we should

go back to nature as much as possible and pay little attention to

germ phobics who advise us to scrub our vegetables and fruits. Buy

organic and eat home-grown or wild foods and do not clean them too

scrupulously! Just as nature intended!.

 

Please note that it is not recommended for anyone to go on a fast of

longer duration than 1½ days wihtout competent supervision, as

prolonged fasts must be monitored by a qualified fasting supervisor.

 

Dr Shaw is available for health and nutritional consultations,

fasting supervision, courses in natural health, emotional healing and

iris analysis (iridology). Her address is: True Health, c/o 8

Marston Rd, Clayhall, Essex IG5 OLZ, telephone 020 8351 0086/8550

0374. Email GinaShw Visit her web site at

http://vibrancy.homestead.com/pageone.html

 

1. `Fit for Life', Diamond, H. and M., 1987

 

2. `The Life Science Institute Course in Natural Health' - 1986

 

3. `Nutrition and Athletic Performance', Dr D. Graham, 1999

 

4. `Female Balance' article 2001 -K Perrero www.living-foods.com

 

5. Human Anatomy and Phyisology - Marieb - 1999

 

6. Correspondence with Dr Vetrano and family 2001

 

7. `The Sunfood Diet Success Story' by David Wolfe

 

8. B12 article by the Vegan Society

 

9 . B12 article by the Vegetarian Society

 

10. 1990 `Solstice Magazine' article