Végétarisme et la Vitamine B12

Documentation sur la vitamine B12 pour les végétariens et végétaliens.Documentation on the Vitamin B12 for vegetarians and vegans.

By Patrick Hautrive!(C) Lannion France 2013

Les formes de Vitamine B12

• La Vitamine B12 "active" trouvée et utilisée dans l'organisme humain:▪ (methylcobalamine)▪ (adenosylcobalamine)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_B12

• La forme stable de la vitamine B12 produite par des bactéries dans la nature :▪ (hydroxocobalamine)

• La forme stable de la vitamine B12 produite synthétiquement en laboratoire :▪ (cyanocobalamine)

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamine_B12

• La vitamine B12 en comprimé de VEG1 (Cyanocobalamine) doit être convertie par l'organisme humain et passer la digestion (facteur intrinsèque):

▪ (cyanocobalamine)

http://www.rootsofcompassion.org/en/food/dietary-supplement/veg1-blackcurranthttp://www.vegansociety.com/lifestyle/nutrition/multivitamins-and-minerals-lists.aspxhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroxocobalaminhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanocobalamin

• La vitamine B12 "analogue" (corrinoid) peut faire concurrence à l'absorption de la

vitamine B12 "active" et peut masquer les tests d'analyse sanguine. La spiruline contient surtout de la vitamine B12 "analogue", mais aussi de la vitamine B12 "active", mais en plus faible quantité.

▪ (corrinoid)

Les formes de vitamine B12 commercialisées

Les ampoules sublinguales ou à injection intramusculaire contiennent selon les fabricants différentes variantes de la vitamine B12 (methylcobalamine (MeCbl), cyanocobalamine (CNCbl) ou hydroxocobalamine (OHCbl)). En France, seulement la forme « cyanocobalamine » est commercialisée par les pharmacies.

Les ampoules injectables et/ou buvables, pour les traitements d'attaque en cas de carence, ou les traitements d'entretien mensuels, sont remboursées par la sécurité sociale, après ordonnance médicale. La vitamine B12 sous forme de comprimés peut être achetée en pharmacie sans ordonnance. contiennent de la vitamine B12 sous la forme de « cyanocobalamine ». L’absorption de cette molécule (cyanocobalamine) par l'organisme humaine est moins grande que les autres formes.

http://www.lavoisier.com/fic_bdd/pdf_fr_fichier/13376035700_2012.05_ML_Vitamine_B12_-_Version_D.pdfhttps://www.vietasante.com/Vitamin/B12_Mthylcobalamine_1000_mcg.html

Lecture et recommendation:

http://www.cahiers-antispecistes.org/spip.php?article191http://vegecru.com/vitamine-b12http://www.veggiebulle.fr/lexique/la-vitamine-b12-la-vitamine-essentielle-aux-vegans/http://www.veganhealth.org/b12/molhttp://www.howweheal.com/vitaminb12.htmhttp://thevegantruth.blogspot.fr/2012/01/exploring-truth-about-vitamin-b12-and.htmlhttp://www.beyondveg.com/billings-t/comp-anat/comp-anat-7c.shtmlhttp://www.veganhealth.org/b12/plant#spiru

Controverse sur la vitamine B12

Un apport régulier sous forme de suppléments est recommandé pour les végétarien et végétaliens.

La vitamine B12 est effectivement un sujet controversé, compliqué et important pour la santé des végétariens au même titre que le rapport de 1/5 entre les Oméga 3 et les Oméga 6. L'apport quotidien en Oméga 3 se trouve par exemple dans 2 cuillères à café de graines de lin moulues conservé au frais pour éviter l'oxydation, quelques noix, ou de l'huile de colza non cuite.

La spiruline est une algue bénéfique pour sa haute teneur en chlorophylle, en vitamines, en minéraux et en protéines, mais la vitamine B12 contenue dans la spiruline n'est pas la vitamine B12 "active" que l'organisme humain peut utiliser directement, celle-ci est dite "analogue", parce que la molécule est très proche de la vitamine B12 dite "active" laquelle est métabolisée par l'organisme de l'être humain. La vitamine B12 n'est pas une vitamine au sens strict.

La vitamine B12 est fabriquée par biosynthèse par des bactéries uniquement, lesquelles ont besoin de cobalt pour la synthétiser. Ces bactéries se trouvent dans la terre, dans l'eau et

généralement dans les intestins des animaux et de l'être humain. C'est la mère enceinte qui transmet à sa progéniture ces bactéries et un stock de vitamine B12, et c'est pourquoi celle-ci a besoin de deux fois la quantité de vitamine B12, pour elle-même et pour son enfant.

La recommandation "officielle" d'apport journalier de vitamine B12 est de 2,5 micro grammes par jour pour un adulte. Une personne faisant une analyse sanguine doit avoir des résultats dans la norme établie actuellement entre 200 et 900 micro grammes (moins de 100 micro grammes peut être considérée une carence urgente à traiter immédiatement). L'analyse payante d'Homocysteine peut être un bon indicateur de carence en vitamine B12 et le niveau d'Homocysteine doit être en dessous de 2 micro Mole pour qu'il n'y ait pas de risque.

La vitamine B12 est stockée dans le foi en relative grande quantité et est distribuée dans l'organisme, c'est pourquoi il peut avoir un délais de plusieurs années pour un sujet "sain" avant de ressentir les effets d'une carence. La vitamine B12 peut être recyclée par l'organisme humain et être ré-assimilée en faible quantité, dans la partie basse de l'intestin grêle (iléon), en amont du colon, mais ce "recyclage" dépend du bon fonctionnement du facteur intrinsèque. L'absorption de vitamine B12 "analogue" peut peut-être gêner et faire concurrence à l'absorption de la vitamine B12 "active".

<< Les formes biologiquement "actives" de la vitamine B12 sont la méthylcobalamine (mécobalamine) et l'adénosylcobalamine (cobamamide), qui sont instables à l'air libre >>. << La cyanocobalamine est la forme commercialement la plus courante de la vitamine B12, car la plus stable à l'air libre et la plus facile à cristalliser, et donc à purifier une fois produite par fermentation bactérienne ou par synthèse in vitro. Il s'agit d'une forme synthétique de provitamine B12, qu'on ne trouve pas dans le milieu naturel >>.

La vitamine B12 "analogue" semble pouvoir être transformée par l'organisme humain, mais il n'y a aucune certitude à ce jour... L'absorption de trop de vitamine B12 n'est pas un risque puisque l'excès est simplement éliminé dans les urines. Un test ou une analyse sanguine est recommandée pour les végétariens et particulièrement pour les végétaliens. Les sociétés nationales de végétarisme occidentales recommandent l’absorption de suppléments en vitamine B12 quotidienne (2,5 micro grammes) ou tous les dix jours (2500 micro grammes) sous forme d'ampoule, de cachet ou d'aliments fortifiés.

Les injections de vitamines B12 (hydroxocobalamin) sous prescription médicale permettent de stopper rapidement une carence et de reconstituer le stock conservé dans l'organisme. Les apports en injections ou via des cachets à sucer sous la langue sont considérés comme plus fiables, parce qu'il sont directement incorporés dans le sang, sans passer par le système digestif. Les suppléments sous forme d'aliments fortifiés sont probants seulement si le sujet n'est pas déjà en carence.

La vitamine B12 contenue dans les viandes et les volailles "industrielles" est généralement apportée en supplément au bétail, étant donné qu'il leur ait administré de grandes quantités d'antibiotiques, lesquels détruisent la flore intestinale et les bactéries, et que la majorité de leur alimentation provient de produits conditionnés, contenant souvent des OGM, et que les bêtes n'ont pas accès à des pâtures à ciel ouvert, dans lesquelles elles pourraient trouver de la vitamine B12 dans l'herbe mélangée avec la terre. La vitamine B12 contenue dans les huîtres par exemple est une source reconnue fiable et saine. L'eau de montagne naturelle, fraîche et pure peut être une bonne source de vitamine B12, et ce fut certainement historiquement, dans les siècles passés, la source principale pour les êtres humains, avec les dépôts de terre dans les végétaux peu lavés, pouvant contenir de façon incertaine de faibles quantités de vitamines B12.

Toutefois, aujourd'hui ces eaux "non traitées" sont rares et difficilement accessibles, et les eaux du robinet et en bouteille sont aseptisées pour éliminer toutes traces de bactéries ou de virus, de telles manière que l'être humain doit pouvoir trouver ailleurs, et avec une hygiène contemporaine, un apport régulier et fiable de vitamine B12. Une étude scientifique réalisée avec des végétariens volontaires a montrée que les selles ingérées (matière fécale des participants) contenaient de la vitamines B12 et permettaient un apport significatif, mais il ne parait pas que ce soit la meilleure façon d'obtenir sa vitamine B12.

La vitamine B12 contenue dans la spiruline est dite "analogue" , c'est à dire qu'elle ressemble de très près à la vitamine B12 dite "active", et il semblerait qu'elle pourrait être convenablement transformée en vitamine B12 "active" par l'organisme humain, mais il n'y a pas, à ce jour, de certitude scientifique établie et démontrée.

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamine_B12http://www.vegetarisme.fr/vegetarien.php?content=vegetarien_ficheB12 http://www.dietobio.com/vegetarisme/fr/vit_b12.html

L'alimentation source de bonne santé

Une bonne alimentation est constitué de produits naturels, complets, variés, frais et de saison (et donc de préférence de fabrication locale pour éviter la pollution des importations et pour soutenir une économie de proximité). La presque totalité de toutes les cellules du corps humain sont reconstituées en une année, et ces milliards de cellules sont régénérées sur la base des composants que leur apporte notre alimentation.

La consommation de fruits et de légumes biologiques est essentielle pour éviter la présence de toxines et de produits chimiques nocifs contenus dans les produits non bio de la production agricole conventionnelle et dans les produits préparés dans des circuits de fabrication industrielles (fertilisants de synthèse à base de pétrole, insecticides, fongicides, édulcorants, additifs, hormones animales, antibiotiques, vaccins, organismes génétiquement modifiés...). La consommation de

végétaux biologiques est beaucoup plus saine et éthique, énergétiquement viable et meilleure pour la préservation de l'environnement, que la consommation de produits animaliers (viandes, laits, œufs, poissons,...).

Les végétaux qui sont cultivés dans une terre riche et vivante (humus, micro organismes, lombric, bactéries, champignons,...) avec des procédés naturels qui respectent les cycles naturels et les autres espèces de l'écosystème, contiennent en abondance tous les nutriments que l'être humain a besoin quotidiennement (vitamines, minéraux, calcium, fer, magnésium, potassium, iode, zinc, antioxydants, pigments, protéines, aminoacides essentiels, glucides et lipides, tout sauf la vitamine B12). Une bonne alimentation équilibrée et une bonne hygiène de vie avec la pratique régulière d'activités physiques à l'extérieur au soleil (vitamine D) sont cruciales pour apporter à l'organisme les nutriments pour préserver un bon système immunitaire, pour purger l'organisme des toxines accumulées et pour conserver une bonne dynamique interne (musculaire, sanguine, cardiovasculaire, hépatique, lymphatique). L'alimentation est la première des médecines, surtout de nos jours où le complexe pharmacologique est plutôt une économie de symptômes qui profite des maladies chroniques entretenues par la mauvaise alimentation industrielle. L'être humain a besoin d'eau, de terre, d'air de chaleur et d'amour.

HEART = (Health Environment Animals Relation Tradition)Health = La santé de la personne qui s'alimenteEnvironnement = La production agricole animalière responsable de la pollutionAnimaux = La prise de conscience du respect des droits des animauxRelation = Le comportement social d'une personne végétarienne change Tradition = L'absorption de souffrance nuit à l’épanouissement spirituel

Nous avons tous besoin d'un déclic pour prendre conscience de notre alimentation et de ces conséquences pour notre santé (physique, relationnelle et spirituelle) et pour l'environnement (pollution, préservation des espèces et respect de la vie et d l'habitat des animaux). Quelque soit ce déclic, nos parcours et nos raisons personnelles, l'important n'est-il pas d'aller dans le bon sens...?... Je sais que c'est difficile de prendre conscience qu'il y a quelque chose qui ne va pas (en fait plein de choses qui ne vont pas), et cela représente un effort quotidien de faire progressivement sa transition et de persévérer dans ses choix éthiques (désinformation, critiques de l'entourage et des autorités, changer d'habitudes et de croyances, manques de choix et d'aides, surveillance de l'équilibre dans son alimentation, doutes quand à la B12, changement dans son propre métabolisme, isolation culturelle etc...)...

Et toutes ces difficultés entraînent souvent de l'amertume, du découragement, de l’écœurement, de la lassitude, des hésitations sur sa façon d'exprimer ses arguments, des réactions considérées hypersensibles ou excessives, des positionnements et des revendications perçus comme "extrêmes" ou "vindicatifs"... C'est une évolution individuelle et sociétale qui prends du temps, et c'est à chacun de faire le pas, en fonction de ses capacités, de sa situation et à son propre rythme... Et je crois que l'intérêt et le respect pour sa propre santé et pour notre environnement est une "révolution" bénéfique pour tous et que chacun peut y trouver une joie de vivre et un équilibre serein... Je vous souhaite à tous ici et ailleurs, la chance de prendre conscience clairement de la réalité (sans désespérer), le courage de prendre progressivement ses responsabilités (sans impatience) et la force d'avancer lentement mais sûrement (avec compassion et générosité) vers un monde meilleur où il fait bon vivre pour tous les êtres vivants...

English articles

99% Of All B12 Deficient People Are Meat, Eggs And Dairy Eaters! Please, read all info and share!https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=376315182468651&set=a.376315115801991.1073741866.131369396963232&type=1&ref=nf

Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is a water-soluble vitamin, with a key role in the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system, and for the formation of blood, and it is produced by bacteria, not by animals or plants. Animals / animal products and plant foods do not naturally contain B12 - most animals get B12 from the bacteria that live in their intestines, while plants get B12 from ''contaminants'', such as microorganisms living on their surface, or from the surrounding soil. The bacteria that produce B12 can live in every place that's dirty, and they can be destroyed by synthetic fertilizers or other chemicals, such as pesticides (insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, bactericides, etc.) and cleaning products.

We have the B12 producing bacteria in our guts, like other frugivores (herbivores). However, most people in rich countries don't have healthy lifestyles and diets that allow an optimal production and absorption. They have very unhealthy lifestyles (they smoke, don't exercise, sleep at wrong hours and / or don't get enough sleep, take too many pills and antibiotics, etc.) and follow the most unhealthy diets, which are rich in animal products and processed foods, fast foods and junk foods, sodas, alcohol, coffee, etc. and low in or devoid of nutrient rich foods, such as raw and fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, etc., and that will obviously have a negative effect on their systems, especially the digestive system, which will most likely lead to deficiencies, including B12 deficiency.

Shaolin / Buddhist Monks, who are known for their cruelty free veg diets / lifestyles, take no supplements and never get any deficiencies. Most of them don't even get any diseases, and live extremely long lives, even though they overexercise and eat too many calories. They don't even eat fully raw, and are still like the healthiest people. They can exercise and practice Martial Arts even when they are old. Check out the links below and see by yourself!

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19713187http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZwmluSn_T0

I think this says a lot, and it's the best evidence that proves that a human who has a truly healthy lifestyle does not need any supplements or other pills on a plant based diet!

Some experts believe that the fact that most of us live in very sanitized places has a lot to do with B12 deficiency, which is true, actually. However, there are also many other factors that should be taken into account.

Dr. Vivian V. Vetrano insists that ''the real problem in so-called B12 deficiency is a failure of digestion and absorption of foods, rather than a deficiency of the vitamin itself''.

http://www.roylretreat.com/articles/b12.html

It is a well known fact that the main cause of B12 deficiency is absorption problems, due to a lack of IF (Intrinsic Factor), and all these can be directly or indirectly caused by diet and other factors.

http://www.localhealth.com/article/vitamin-b12-deficiency/symptoms

B12 DEFICIENCY IS NOT ONLY A VEGETARIAN / VEGAN PROBLEM -- Unfortunately, many meat eaters and lacto-ovos are literally afraid to go veg, because they believe that they will get B12 deficiency. But will an animal based diet really ''save'' you from B12 deficiency? Definitely not! Most people in the US and Europe are animal products eaters, and studies show that over 40% of all meat eaters are B12 deficient - yep, we're talking about over 1,5 billion meat eaters that are B12 deficient. Lots of vegetarians and vegans are also deficient. Please, note that in rich countries there are more meat eaters and lacto-ovos than vegetarians and vegans (veganism is NOT a diet), even though most Asians and people in poor countries are vegetarians and flexitarians. Most deficiencies, including B12 and Iron deficiencies, are common among people in rich countries.

Does it mean that everyone should start taking B12 supplements? Of course not! After all, supplements are just a way to make more money / profit (for the meds companies), and should be used only if it's absolutely necessary, that is, if people have the ''early symptoms'' of B12 deficiency: burning tongue (glossitis); smooth, sore tongue; tiredness; tingling in extremities (fingers and toes); failing memory; depression, etc. But even if someone has one or more of these symptoms, it doesn't necessarily mean that they have B12 deficiency, so getting tested every 6 months or once a year would be a great idea.

So, yeah, I highly recommend you to get tested at least once a year, but make sure you do the right type of testing.

''A blood B12 level measurement is a very unreliable test for vegans, particularly for vegans using any form of algae. Algae and some other plant foods contain B12-analogues (false B12) that can imitate true B12 in blood tests while actually interfering with B12 metabolism. Blood counts are also unreliable as high folate intakes suppress the anemia symptoms of B12 deficiency that can be

detected by blood counts. Blood homocysteine testing is more reliable, with levels less than 10 µmol/litre being desirable. The most specific test for B12 status is methylmalonic acid (MMA) testing. If this is in the normal range in blood (<370 nmol/L) or urine (less than 4 mg /mg creatinine) then your body has enough B12. Many doctors still rely on blood B12 levels and blood counts. These are not adequate, especially in vegans.'' (Source: veganhealth.org)

http://www.vegansworldnetwork.org/nh_b12.php

If your test shows that you have a B12 deficiency, you will need supplements, but make sure you get the right supplements. Most B12 supplements are in the form of cyanocobalamin - a common synthetic form of cobalamin, that does not occur in nature, which is not well absorbed, and it's basically useless, in most cases, but people often choose those, mostly because they are very cheap. Taking cyanocobalamin supplements is actually worse than not taking supplements at all, as they contain a toxic, poisonous cyanide molecule that must then be removed from your body by the liver. Removing the cyanide molecule from cyanocobalamin and then flushing it out of your body requires using up so-called "methyl groups" of molecules in your body that are needed to fight things like homocysteine (high levels cause heart disease). By taking low-quality cyanocobalamin, you're actually stealing methyl groups from your body and making it do more work at the biochemical level. This uses up substances such as glutathione that are often in short supply, anyway, potentially worsening your overall health situation, rather than helping it. (Source: http://naturalnews.com/032766_cyanocobalamin_vitamin_B-12.html)

Injections or sublingual supplements in the form of methylcobalamin or hydroxycobalamin are much better, but they are more expensive. Also, if you are a vegan who needs B12 supplements, make sure that the B12 supplements you buy are certified vegan, as most B12 supplements, especially the capsules, are NOT vegan - capsules are often made from gelatin, and some brands may even test on animals.

I REPEAT, VEGETARIANS & VEGANS - Do NOT start taking all kinds of pills, supplements, or even injections, just because you are afraid of developing a B12 deficiency. Please, pay attention to the ''early symptoms'' of B12 deficiency and / or get tested every year.

WHY VEGETARIANS AND VEGANS SHOULD NOT START TAKING SUPPLEMENTS, UNLESS THEY REALLY NEED THEM? -- ''There is the view, by opponents of the Vegan philosophy, that the Vegan diet can not be the correct diet for humans, as vitamin supplements are needed to supplement "an inadequate diet". If all Vegans take supplements of vitamin B12 and Folate, how will we ever know if the Vegan diet is adequate for a normal healthy human? The ideal situation for the Vegan movement would be if we were able to say that, say, 50 percent plus Vegans were able to produce and absorb B12 in the digestive tract. It could well be the case. It is known that the body stores an average of five years' supply of vitamin B12. So, for some, there will be no need to take supplements for this time. During this time, it is recommended that Vegans have regular blood checks, say once a year, for levels of vitamin B12, folic acid and homocystine.'' (Bill Westerman, ND)

http://www.vegansworldnetwork.org/nh_b12_homocystine.php

So, like I said, take B12 supplements only if you really need them, that is, if your test clearly shows that you have a B12 deficiency. Note that lower serum vitamin B12 concentrations do NOT necessarily mean B12 deficiency.

B12 DEFICIENCY IS NOT CAUSED BY DIET -- B12 deficiency caused by diet alone is extremely rare, like 1 in a million, and, in most cases, it's not necessarily caused by a plant based diet itself, and it's actually caused by a POOR diet, in general. I really hate it when someone says that veganism is a cause of B12 deficiency. It is not. Most of those people who suffer from B12 deficiency are meat eaters, after all. Someone will most likely develop a B12 deficiency if they have a damaged gut, if they lack that bacteria in their intestines, or due to Intrinsic Factor issues or other absorption problems.

http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2007nl/nov/b12.htmhttp://www.nealhendrickson.com/mcdougall/030200puVeganDietDamages.htm

Sometimes, B12 deficiency may also be caused by other existing health problems / conditions, such as pernicious anemia - an autoimmune disease, in which parietal cells of the stomach, responsible for secreting IF (Intrinsic Factor), are destroyed. Since IF is crucial for the normal absorption of B12, a lack of IF causes vitamin B12 deficiency. People who have pernicious anemia are unable to absorb B12 from foods or supplements, so B12 injections are obviously the most effective options for them to get B12, as they bypass the digestive tract and go right into the bloodstream.

http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/vitamin-b12-deficiency-anemia-topic-overview

Note that meat and other animal products, as well as antibiotics and many other medicines may destroy the bacteria that produce B12, while some foods, especially soy products, can strongly inhibit B12 absorption. Factory farmed animals are fed with B12 fortified grains, as the bacteria in their intestines were destroyed by all those antibiotics and artificial hormones.

Check out the ''LiBaware'' link listed below, for unbiased medical info on B12, written by expert (Dr. Gina Shaw)!

http://libaware.economads.com/b12issue.php

Also, check out these links:

http://www.adaptt.org/veganism.html (Especially the ''Vitamins, Minerals, and Other Nutrients'' section.)

http://www.naturalnews.com/029531_vitamin_B12_vegan.htmlhttp://www.raw-food-health.net/VitaminB12Deficiency.html

''Herbert (Herbert V. Vitamin B-12: plant sources, requirements, and assay. Am J Clin Nutr. 1988;48:852-8.) reported a group of "vegan" Iranians growing plants in night soil (human manure). The vegetables were eaten without being carefully washed and the amount of B12 was enough to prevent deficiency. However, for this information, Herbert cites Halstead et al. (1959) (Halsted JA, Carroll J, Rubert S. Serum and tissue concentration of vitamin B12 in. certain pathologic states. N Engl J Med. 1959;260:575-80.), who do not mention these Iranians in their paper. Herbert possibly meant to cite a 1960 paper by Halstead et al. (Halsted JA, Carroll J, Dehghani A, Loghmani M, Prasad A. Serum vitamin B12 concentration in dietary deficiency. Am J Clin Nutr. 1960 May-Jun;8:374-6.) which reported that some Iranian villagers with very little animal product intake (dairy once a week, meat once a month) had normal B12 levels. None had megaloblastic anemia. Their average B12 level was 411 pg/ml which was quite high considering their diet. The authors speculated this could be because their diets, which were very low in protein, allowed for B12-producing bacteria to ascend into the ileum where the B12 could be absorbed. They also speculated that because they lived among their farm animals and their living areas were littered with feces,

they picked up enough B12 through contamination.'' (Jack Norris, RD)

Here's the actual study, which indicates that ''vitamin B12 deficiency caused only by a deficient diet must be very rare''!

http://www.ajcn.org/content/8/3/374.abstract

SOY AND B12 DEFICIENCY -- Soy products and other processed foods are the main cause of B12 and Iron deficiencies among vegetarians and vegans, who are fooled into believing that they need to eat enormous amounts of soy and other ''magic'' fortified processed foods, in order to ''replace'' the ''amazing'' animal products, that we are not even supposed to eat, in the first place, since we are natural frugivores. Don't you find it unbelievable how most vegetarians and vegans who get those deficiencies are those who eat mostly soy products, despite many pro-vegan experts CLAIMING that fortified soy products are RELIABLE sources of B12, because they have been FORTIFIED with ACTIVE B12? So, according to their claims, most vegetarians and vegans should NOT have B12 or Iron deficiencies, since they consume a lot of fortified soy products on a regular basis. But, amazingly, many of them are B12 and Iron deficient. How do you explain that? Well, it's easy - soy and other processed foods contain compounds or substances that can strongly inhibit nutrients absorption, including B12 and Iron absorption, so, even though soy products are fortified with reliable, active B12, the vitamin will simply not get absorbed.

Another thing is, many vegetarians and vegans also smoke and drink a lot of alcohol, as well as sodas and coffee, and they basically follow the standard plant based diet, which is very unhealthy and lacks many essential nutrients, and that's another major cause of B12 deficiency. It's a well known fact that smoking and drinking can lead to B12 deficiency, as well as lung cancer and liver damage, among others.

Sodas, coffee, refined sugars, refined ''white grains'' and processed foods are also highly acidic, just like animal products, and if you eat or drink too many highly acidic foods and drinks, they will mess with your digestive system and IF, and they will strongly decrease B12 absorption, so that's why you should make sure you eat 80% or more alkali forming foods and only 20% or less acid forming foods.

Now, seriously, how can someone be a heavy smoker, who also drinks lots of sodas, coffee and alcohol, and eats mostly processed foods, soy products and refined sugars, and, at the same time, expect to be super healthy and have no deficiencies, just because they eat plant foods? Yes, a plant based diet is obviously the only healthy and normal diet for a human, but plant based diets can also be unhealthy, if you get what I mean. You can eat plant based processed foods and be unhealthy, or you can choose a raw or mostly raw plant based diet, based of a wide variety of organic and wild plant foods, and be healthy - that is, if you truly care about your health.

It's true that vegans choose veganism for ethical reasons, not for their health, but I'm just trying to say that, if you choose to eat a standard plant based diet, then you shouldn't be surprised if you get deficiencies or diseases - obviously not as much as meat eaters, but, still...

I myself chose to go vegan for ethical reasons, after watching the video Farm To Fridge, and I didn't care about my health at first. However, after doing more and more research on nutrition and health, as well as other subjects, I have come to the conclusion that it's very important to care about your own health, as well. I mean, really, just think about it as a way to stay healthy, strong and young, and be able to fight against animal cruelty and exploitation for many years. And caring about your health is also important because we need more healthy vegans, as great examples, that could be an

inspiration to non-vegans. Do you really think that a non-vegan would be inspired by a sick or unhealthy looking vegan? Obviously not! Meat eaters would just use it as an ''argument'' against veganism.

MEDS AND B12 DEFICIENCY -- Antibiotics and other meds are among the main causes of B12 deficiency. Antibiotics can seriously damage a human's digestive system, so if you take too many antibiotics or other meds, you may get B12 deficiency, and in many cases, most common B12 supplements (such as tablets or capsules) are basically useless, because they will simply not get absorbed. In those serious cases, B12 injections are the best options, just like in those cases of people who have pernicious anemia, or other conditions like that.

Many medications, like the ones listed below, can strongly inhibit B12 absorption and cause B12 deficiency.

- Proton pump inhibitors, such as omeprazole (Prilosec®) and lansoprazole (Prevacid®), which are used to treat gastric or peptic ulcer disease, can inhibit absorption of vitamin B12.- Metformin, often used for type II diabetes, may interfere with vitamin B12 absorption in certain people.- Histamine antagonists, such as cimetidine (Tagamet®), famotidine (Pepcid®), and ranitidine (Zantac®), used to treat peptic ulcer disease, can reduce absorption of vitamin B12 by slowing the release of hydrochloric acid into the stomach.- Bacteriostatic Antibiotics, like Chloramphenicol (Chloromycetin®), can interfere with the red blood cell response to vitamin B12 supplements.- Anticonvulsants have been shown to interfere with vitamin B12 and vitamin B9 (folate) metabolism. 19-21 One study found that people taking folate supplements and anticonvulsants experienced a 50% decline in vitamin B12 blood levels.

PLANT FOODS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT CONTAIN B12 (DEPENDING ON ''CONTAMINANTS'' AND SOIL) -- Even though plant foods are not considered reliable sources of B12, I highly recommend you to eat a lot of wheat grass / wheat grass juice (contains B12), Hawthorn berries / Hawthorn berry juice, organic mushrooms and yeast, raspberries, stinging nettles, aloe vera, and other wild and organic veggies - unwashed or washed only with water, on a regular basis, as they may contain good amounts of B12 from ''contaminants'' and / or soil. You have nothing to lose if you eat those foods, anyway, as they also contain many other essential nutrients, and are great for your overall health!

Since B12 deficiency is caused by digestive problems, in most cases, Hawthorn Berries and / or Hawthorn Berry Juice are highly recommended, as they are known to aid digestion, in general - the Chinese used them for both digestion and circulatory problems. They are also great for high cholesterol and heart problems. They contain vitamin C, B complex, bioflavonoids, etc.

Aloe Vera is also very good for healing digestive problems.

http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-aloe-vera.html

Goji Berries are also highly recommended, as they are among the most alkaline foods ever, along with Wheatgrass and lemons.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40mvty0EM2o

B12 fortified cereals and B12 fortified yeast are considered reliable sources of B12.

http://nutritionfacts.org/video/daily-source-of-vitamin-b12/http://nutritionfacts.org/video/safest-source-of-b12/

Studies show that some algae / seaweeds contain active B12, but I don't think that it's a good idea to rely on these foods as sources of B12, as it is believed that they also contain B12 analogues, which may interfere with the absorption of active B12. However, I do recommend algae, in general, as they are rich in many other nutrients, including Omega 3 fatty acids and Calcium, among others.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19256490

http://www.mendeley.com/research/dried-green-purple-lavers-nori-contain-substantial-amounts-biologically-active-vitamin-b12-less-dietary-iodine-relative-other-edible-seaweeds/

There are some studies that show that vegans who ate algae had higher B12 levels in their blood than other vegans. Some studies also show that there's no real sign that B12 deficiency is more prevalent in vegans, even though vegans usually have less of it in their systems.

Avoid animal products, processed foods, sodas, smoking, alcohol, antibiotics, pills, etc. - and if you can't completely avoid them, at least try decreasing the intake, while increasing the intake of healthy and whole plant foods. You should also eat less garlic, onions and radishes, as they contain strong antibiotics, which may also destroy the intestinal flora. Funny thing, Shaolin / Buddhists Monks don't eat garlic and onions, as far as I know, so I really wonder if garlic and onions have a negative effect on B12 production and absorption or not... They also don't drink alcohol and don't smoke. Well, when you think about how healthy their lifestyles are, it's not that surprising that they don't get deficiencies or diseases.

WHY GO VEGAN? -- Because there's absolutely no reason to use animal products for any reason. B12 deficiency was the only ''decent argument'' that meat eaters had against plant based diets, or at least that's what they thought, but it has been proven that meat eaters are at risk of developing B12 deficiency, just as much as anyone else. Meat eaters have even higher B12 requirements than plant eating humans. Studies have shown that most B12 deficiencies are among meat eaters, and B12 deficiency was first discovered in meat eaters. And even if it wasn't, do you honestly think that killing the cow for the B12 found in her meat is a better option than taking a B12 supplement? It is not! But, as I said, you don't even have to take supplements, unless you really need them. Some people may decide to take B12 supplements, anyway. After all, it's your choice, if you want to take them or not. So... WHY NOT GO VEGAN?

GO VEGAN! (http://vegankit.com/)