What is the Best Vitamin B12? Our Advice and Opinions (2024)

And more concretely, which vitamin B12 to buy among the plethora of offers available on the market?

Let's take a look at the three main selection criteria.

A first criterion for choosing the best source of vitamin B12 is its form .

Indeed, although it is known as vitamin B12, this B group vitamin exists in four very similar chemical forms, three of natural origin and one synthetic:

• - Methylcobalamin;
• - Adenosylcobalamin;
• - Hydroxocobalamin;
• - Cyanocobalamin.

Often, the attractive price of a food supplement hides such a low dosage of active ingredient that one is forced to swallow numerous capsules or tablets to arrive at the optimal dosage.

However, you should know that in the case of vitamin B12, the limited absorption capacity of the body implies the need to provide it much more than the recommended daily dose.

This is the reason why, in order to ensure the 4 µg/day that ANSES recommends for adults aged 18 and over, it is advisable to opt for a dosage between 500 and 1000 µg.

This is confirmed by a study conducted by the Dutch Wageningen University, which found that a slight deficiency of vitamin B12 in older people should be compensated with a dosage of 500 mcg to 1000 mcg to ensure effective supplementation.

This is good: our vitamin B12 is highly dosed at 1,000 mcg and you only need to take one capsule per day to cover your needs! Practical, isn't it?

Traditionally, the best known and used way to supplement with vitamin B12 was the intramuscular route and the chemical form chosen was synthetic vitamin B12, cyanocobalamin.

On this subject, the less young among us will probably keep the unpleasant memory of B12 injections , administered in cases of iron deficiency!

To sweep away preconceived ideas, a study carried out in Turkey among children deficient in vitamin B12 concludes that “ sublingual treatment with methylcobalamin, which is a new treatment method, has proven to be as effective as treatments with cyanocobalamin by route. oral and intramuscular .

But how to distinguish between the four forms of vitamin B12?

Long story short, methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin are two natural coenzymes found in foods. They work synergistically in slightly different ways to cover most of our vitamin B12 needs. As for hydroxocobalamin , it is a highly bioavailable form of vitamin B12, used for people with a significant nutritional deficiency. Finally, cyanocobalamin is a synthetic form of vitamin B12, which the body converts into adenosylcobalamin and in methylcobalamin before you can use it.

Now let's take a closer look at the four types of vitamin B12, with their pros and cons.

Natural vitamin B12 comes in three types: methylcobalamin, adenosylcobalamin, hydroxocobalamin.

Methylcobalamin is found naturally in animal foods such as meat, fish, milk and eggs.

It is the most active form of vitamin B12, used primarily in the liver, brain and nervous system. It's not for nothing that we chose it to make our Vitamin B12 !

✅ Advantages : It is the most bioavailable type of vitamin B12, which means that the body absorbs it more easily .

⛔ Disadvantages : it can be a little more expensive compared to the synthetic form, cyanocobalamin, for obvious reasons of manufacturing costs.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 For whom : for everyone, in particular to compensate for a lack of iron or a lack of vitamin B12. It may also be recommended for regular smokers and for people with liver or kidney problems.

Adenosylcobalamin is also a natural coenzyme form of vitamin B12. We can consider it as an ally of methylcobalamin , because they work in synergy to provide our body with optimal coverage.

Adenosylcobalamin is particularly important for supporting and protecting the mitochondria in our cells. These are like power plants in every cell and adenosylcobalamin helps them efficiently metabolize food to produce energy and activate metabolism .

Additionally, adenosylcobalamin is a key component of the myelin sheath that protects nerve cells , allowing them to respond very quickly to stimuli.

✅ Benefits : Adenosylcobalamin plays many vital roles in the body, including the metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins. Without this form of vitamin B12, the combustion of these food substances becomes ineffective and causes fatigue, pain, increased lactic acid and other metabolic disorders.

⛔ Disadvantage : as with methylcobalamin, the price is a little higher compared to the synthetic form.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 For whom : for everyone, in particular for all those affected by neurological or cognitive disorders , thanks to its role in the proper transmission of nervous signals.

Hydroxocobalamin is naturally produced by bacteria in the digestive tract during the breakdown of food sources. It can also be produced in the laboratory, by extracting it from microorganisms.

This form of vitamin B12 is easily converted by the body to adenosylcobalamin and methylcobalamin, allowing cells to absorb and use it.

✅ Advantages : hydroxycobalamin is stored longer in the body and then slowly excreted by the kidneys. Because of this, it is often used in intramuscular injections of vitamin B12.

⛔ Cons : Let's be honest, who among us likes injections? Generally, oral intake is more popular and is more practical for most people!

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 For whom : hydroxocobalamin is particularly useful in cases of mild vitamin B12 deficiency.

For the final word on the question of which vitamin B12 to buy, know that the choice is usually between methylcobalamin or cyanocobalamin. That is to say, between a natural form and a synthetic form .

Although the body absorbs cyanocobalamin very well, methylcobalamin is considered to be retained better and longer among the different types of vitamin B12.

This is why we prefer this form of vitamin B12, which is natural and safe .

Made in France, our vitamin B12 contains 120 capsules, which have the considerable advantage of being highly dosed and guarantee you a supply of quality vitamin B12 for 4 months. Enough to take care of your body for a while!