The vitamin B12 conundrum: Why we need B12 supplements

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[seattle Vegan Examiner]So much controversy over such a tiny vitamin. One teaspoon of vitaminB12 could meet the needs of 100 people for the rest of their lives.But smart vegans know that they need to supplement their diets withvitamin B12. The only reliable non-animal sources are fortified foodsor supplements.So how can we advocate a diet that can’t provide all of the essentialnutrients without supplementation?Actually, what we know about vitamin B12 supports the argument for avegan diet. The human body conserves vitamin B12 in an incrediblymiserly fashion. It recycles and stores it so efficiently that mostpeople have enough stashed away in their livers to last for years.This suggests that humans evolved in an environment where B12 wasscarce. In fact, our ancestors probably were able to get all theyneeded just by consuming plants and water that were contaminated

withB12-producing bacteria. Since we know now that there are significantadvantages to consuming clean food, it makes better sense to get B12from supplements.-- full story:http://www.examiner.com/x-5670-Seattle-Vegan-Examiner~y2009m3d30-The-vitamin-B12-conundrum-is-a-vegan-diet-natural