• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
    • Disclaimer
    • Disclosure Policy
    • Privacy Policy
  • Blog
    • Comment Policy
  • Contact
    • Media Kit

Evelyn's Blog

Lifestyle, Health, Fitness, Self-Care, Personal Growth

  • Healthy Living
    • Diet & Nutrition
    • Recipes
  • Weight Loss
  • Fitness
  • Self-Care
  • Personal Growth
  • Reviews
  • Other Stuff
    • Blog Topics
You are here: Home / Diet & Nutrition / The Importance of Vitamin B-12

The Importance of Vitamin B-12

April 21, 2010 by Evelyn Parham

Many people go vegan or raw vegan for many different reasons.  When choosing vegan or raw vegan some of us, including myself do so in hopes becoming healthier.

But most of the time we enter this way of eating without doing adequate research about the supplements and other vital nutrients our body needs.

If you follow a vegan or raw vegan way of eating and find yourself feeling worse than you did before changing your diet, then you had better have your blood tested.  Because you may be lacking certain nutrients that your body so desperately needs.

Some so called experts will encourage you to stay away from supplements and tell you that all you need is in the food you eat.  Do not believe the hype!

There are vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that your body needs and if you do not get them, you can end up being worse off than we were before you changed your diet.

Vegans and raw vegans must be careful, making sure you get an adequate amount of calcium, vitamin D and B-12.  Why is this?  Because these are the nutrients that vegans/raw vegans test low for.

Today is Vitamin B-12 day.  Learn what it is, why you need it and what can happen if you don’t get enough of it.

What is Vitamin B-12?

Vitamin B-12 is a large and complex molecule, with the mineral cobalt at its center.  (page 166)

Vitamin B-12 helps build DNA and is crucial for those cells that reproduce rapidly, such as red blood cells that are produced in the bone marrow.  It also helps protect the fibers surrounding the nerves.

Vitamin B-12 works with amino acids to help rid the body of homocysteine, a potentially damaging breakdown product of the amino acid methionine that can injure the delicate inner lining of artery walls and be a trigger for heart disease.

These symptoms are easily avoided by ensuring that you have a reliable source of this essential nutrient.  (page 167)

Vitamin B-12 Deficiency Symptoms

Megaloblastic Anemia – A condition in which the red blood cells fail to divide properly.  As a result this can lead to fatigue, weakness, decreased stamina, shortness of breath, palpitations, and skin pallor.

Nerve Damage
– This can cause mental changes, such as confusion, depression, irritability, mood fluctuations, insomnia, and inability to concentrate, plus physical symptoms, such as tingling and numbness in fingers, arms, and legs, difficulty with balance, lack of sensation, and eventual paralysis.

Gastrointestinal Disturbances – Sore tongue, reduced appetite, indigestion, and diarrhea.

Elevated Homocysteine in Blood – Homocysteine increases, atherosclerotic plaque accumulates, and arteries begin to clog, resulting in heart disease and strokes.  (page 167)

Proven Approaches for Getting Vitamin B-12

It does not matter if you eat a raw vegan, vegan vegetarian, or non-vegetarian diet, the most dependable source of Vitamin B-12 is typically bacteria.  To be safe, use a trusted source of B-12 before deficiency symptoms appear. (page 173)

Ways You Can Obtain a Reliable Supply of Vitamin B-12

Everyday – Choose a vitamin or multi-vitamin mineral supplement that includes at least 10 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin B-12

Red Star Vegetarian Support Formula – Nutritional yeast that is grown on a vitamin B-12 – enriched medium.  Recommended intake is about 1 tablespoon of mini flakes or 1 1/2 tablespoon of large flakes.

Once a week – Take 2,000 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin B-12 sublingually (under the tongue) or in supplement form. (page 173)

As you can see Vitamin B-12 is very important. Do not wait until you begin experiencing symptoms.  Start today, making sure that you get the adequate amount of vitamin B-12 that your body needs.

All information was obtained from Becoming Raw written by Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina with Rynn Berry.

My review of this book is coming soon.

Like it? Share it!:

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • More
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp

Like this:

Like Loading...

Filed Under: Diet & Nutrition Tagged With: Becoming Raw, high raw food vegan, vital nutrients, vitamin b12

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 61 other subscribers

About Evelyn Parham

Evelyn is a blogger, reader, and book reviewer. She enjoys adult coloring, knitting, writing, and dancing with her daughter. Learn more here

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Evelyn says

    April 24, 2010 at 4:46 PM

    @Travis, You are so right. I don’t think anyone should go cold turkey overnight. It is always best to gradually make the transition while learning as much as we can. This allows for better success. It helps keep the frustration at bay. Thanks for your feedback and for stopping by!

    Loading...
  2. Travis says

    April 24, 2010 at 1:18 PM

    Well said. Although I’m not a vegan, I DID become a vegetarian years ago, and one of the initial mistakes I made was making the “overnight switch.” While this works for many people, i jumped in head first with a severe lack of knowledge about where such a lifestyle would take me, and so for the first 2 weeks I felt miserable. Fast forward to now and I’ve accumulated a wealth of information about the lifestyle I choose to live… however I’d rather people take things slow then jump in head first, get frustrated with things, and revert back to their old ways.

    Loading...
  3. Evelyn says

    April 23, 2010 at 4:17 PM

    @Jarrod@ Optimistic Journey, Thanks, Jarrod and I am glad you found it helpful. 🙂

    Loading...
  4. Jarrod says

    April 23, 2010 at 3:31 PM

    Very informative Evelyn. I can tell you are very knowledgeable on Vitamin B-12 and raw foods. Thanks for sharing this has been helpful for me!!

    Loading...
  5. Evelyn says

    April 23, 2010 at 3:55 AM

    @Fruitfulvine2, We must always do what is best for us and what we know works for our bodies. Each person is different with different needs nutritionally.

    Loading...
  6. Fruitfulvine2 says

    April 22, 2010 at 8:57 PM

    When we first changed our eating habits I was a bit confused about the supplement issue. Now, I have come to the conclusion that no matter what anybody else says I will do what’s best for myself and my family. To me supplementation is important. Unless I can eat and drink all the healthy things that I need on a daily basis, I will supplement.

    Thanks for the info on Vit B12. I’ve come across that too and that’s what sealed the deal for me when it comes to supplementation.

    Loading...

Trackbacks

  1. Nutritional Problems That Vegans Should Watch For says:
    July 1, 2011 at 11:28 AM

    […] are also other nutritional problems associated with eating pure a vegan diet. For example vitamin B12 (a B-complex vitamin) is found only in foods of animal origin. No plant-based foods contain vitamin […]

    Loading...
  2. Becoming a Raw Vegan and I Need Advice says:
    August 6, 2010 at 8:25 PM

    […] need to take supplements, then do so.  Research has shown that raw food vegans are usually low in vitamin B-12, vitamin D, essential fatty acids and protein. Just because someone says they don’t take […]

    Loading...
  3. 10 Lessons in Eating a Raw Vegan Diet: Becoming Raw says:
    July 31, 2010 at 1:04 AM

    […] Raw helped me understand why we I need vitamin B-12, good fats, and to calculate the amount of protein based on my body […]

    Loading...

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Recent

  • Why You Need to Build Yourself Quietly: Be Silent
  • Out with the Old, In with the New
  • What did we do before the internet?
  • 5 Simple Habits for a Healthier You in 2025
  • New Year Goals For 2025: Fitness, Write, Weight Loss

Categories

About Evelyn

Evelyn is a blogger, reader, and book reviewer. She enjoys adult coloring, knitting, writing, and dancing with her daughter. Learn more here Read More…

Main Pages

  • About
    • Disclaimer
    • Disclosure Policy
    • Privacy Policy
  • Blog
    • Comment Policy
  • Contact
    • Media Kit

Archives

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

© 2025 · Evelyn Parham · Built on the Genesis Framework

%d