There is a widespread belief that plant foods like nutritional yeast, spirulina, and fermented soy products (such as tempeh and miso) supply adequate vitamin B12… this is FALSE!
These foods contain cobamide, a B12 analogue, not the true B12 (cobalamin or methylcobalamin). B12, also known as cobalamin, is made in the gut of animals by colonic bacteria. Cobamide, the plant form of B12, blocks absorption and increases the need for true B12. Plants don’t use B12 as a cofactor for their enzymes, so they don’t produce it.YOU, however, NEED vitamin B12 to make DNA. It is crucial for the synthesis of the myelin sheath that insulates your neurons, as well as the maturation of red blood cells in your bone marrow. Without adequate levels of true B12, you become fatigued, lethargic, weak, and may even experience memory loss!
Seaweed is often touted as a reliable source of true B12, but this may only be true for RAW seaweed, and not the dried supplements that many vegans will take. The common supplemental form of B12 known as cyanocobalamin less bioavailable and is converted into CYANIDE in your body… not to mention cyanocobalamin has been shown to be INEFFECTIVE for nervous system health, despite raising blood levels of methylcobalamin.
Ruminants like cows can make AND absorb B12 in their guts. Primates that eat mostly plants as well as other hindgut fermenters like rodents however, must recover the nutrition produced by the colon microbiome by eating feces. This is because the place where true B12 is synthesized in the colon is DOWNSTREAM of where you can absorb it… I don’t know about you, but I think I’ll take the meat!
When I was on the Joe Rogan podcast, I was looking up the source for this and wasn't able to find it as we were talking, but here they are:
Sources: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10552882/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12011576/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12816782/
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