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Vitamin B-12 And Your Diet
By: Dr. Alan Immerman, D.C.
If you do not eat animal foods of
any kind your fears about dietary
deficiency in this highly publicized
vitamin will be allayed by this report.
Do we get enough vitamin B12?
This is a major concern to people who
consume no animal foods, vegans.
Much of their worry arises from the wide
publicity given to statements like the following, which appeared in the
prestigious journal, Nutrition Reviews:
"Strict vegetarianism in western countries is a form of food faddism which can
have serious consequences" due to the possibility of a vitamin B12
deficiency. What are the facts?
First of all, it cannot be said that vegans consume too little vitamin B12 unless
it can be shown they have a definite deficiency of this vitamin. Therefore, in
order to understand the facts, we must decide how we will determine who is
deficient.
Let's take a few examples. Say a 58-year-old man on a vegan diet goes to his
doctor with signs of nervous system disease. It comes out in the history that
this person is a vegan so the doctor presumes that the disease is from dietary
vitamin B12 deficiency and prescribes large doses of vitamin B12
supplements.
But, without investigation of this person's ability to absorb vitamin B12, his
disease cannot be said to come from dietary deficiency alone. He could have
pernicious anemia—deficiency of the intrinsic factor needed for absorption.
Or consider the vegan who has routine blood analysis done and it is found
that his vitamin B12 level is low compared to the standard American range.
The doctor would probably warn this individual of the grave consequences of
continuing on his diet, even though this person feels fine.
This individual cannot be classified as vitamin B12-deficient, however,
because he has no symptoms of the diseases associated with a vitamin B12
deficiency.
As a third example, let's consider the most complex case: a vegan with a
vitamin B12 deficiency-associated illness, normal absorption as reflected by
use of routine absorption testing (the Schilling test) and disappearance of
symptoms after ingestion of vitamin B12 supplements of routine dosage.
Wouldn't this be a clear case of dietary vitamin B12 deficiency? Not
necessarily—it could be a case of poor absorption not revealed by routine
testing. A case like this occurred where the fault in absorption was not
detected until sophisticated methods were used.
Short of sophisticated testing available only in research centers, the only way
this fault in absorption, and probably many other similar faults, would be
discovered is by experimental oral administration of small amounts of vitamin
B12, as opposed to the large amounts routinely used.
A positive response to consumption of small amounts of vitamin B12 is
essential for a diagnosis of dietary B12 deficiency.
Smith in 1962 investigated twelve vegans and found vitamin B12-associated
illness in three of them.
He did not, however, check to see if they were able to absorb vitamin B12
efficiently; thus his diagnosis of dietary vitamin B12 deficiency is
unconvincing.
There are even cases presented as dietary vitamin B12 deficiency in which no
accurate diet history is reported to show that no vitamin B12-containing foods
have been eaten.
Verjaal, et al., in 1967, presented the case of a vegan with nervous system
disease, which the researcher attributed to the diet without checking
absorption or the response to small amounts of oral vitamin B12.
Connor, et al., in 1963, discussed two cases in which he also failed to
investigate absorption.
Many studies have reported vegans with normal vitamin B12 status and
complete health.
Hardinge, et al., in 1954, studied 26 vegans and found them to be healthy.
Ellis, et al., in 1970, studied 26 vegans and found the same.
Roberts, et al., in 1973, investigated 322 Indian vegans during pregnancy. All
but one were perfectly healthy and this one was not studied to determine
whether she could normally absorb vitamin B12.
Sanders, et al., in 1978, studied 34 vegans and found no sickness.
The conclusion must be that the vast majority of the studies which have
reported abnormal vitamin B12 status in vegans have not been thorough
enough to prove the problem was from the diet only, and that, on the other
hand, many studies have found normal vitamin B12 status in vegans.
Though this is hard for a western nutritionist to accept, no Indian doctor would
have the slightest problem with it.
Indians, for the most part, are not pure vegans, as they consume small
amounts of dairy foods. These amounts, however, fall far below the amounts
that would be needed to supply adequate amounts of vitamin B12 if western
dogma is valid.
Yet, in India, vegetarians have lived for ages and have begotten and reared
healthy children who, in turn, have never eaten fish, fowl or meat. There is no
evidence to suggest that such a vegetarian population consuming adequate
lacto vegetarian food is any way different from the non-vegetarians.
As Dr. David Reuben points out, the news that an almost-vegan diet is
dangerous will come as a surprise to 500,000,000 Hindus, most of whom don't
eat any meat or animal products at all from the moment they are born until the
moment they die (with the exception of mother's milk for a while). The Hindu
religion has been around for over 10,000 years, or about 98 centuries longer
than modern American medicine.
But how do vegans get their vitamin B12? Since it is produced only by
bacteria, and vegans don't eat the animals that had the bacteria growing in
their second stomach (rumen), what is the source of this vitamin B12?
There are no definite answers to this question, but the fact that most vegans
are healthy shows one of the following answers must be applicable:
Absorption of the vitamin B12 routinely produced by bacteria living in the
intestine (supposedly they live in a area where the vitamin cannot be
absorbed, but an adaptation may occur in vegans).
It is true that vitamin B12 is produced only by bacteria, but these bacteria are
almost everywhere, and for this reason vitamin B12 has been found in some
samples of many vegetables.
A vegan diet, therefore, does not have "serious consequences'' as threatened
by Nutrition Reviews; it is quite the reverse, as contrariwise it has such
"beneficial consequences" as vegans not having to fear any risk of ever
suffering cardiovascular disorders or colon and breast cancer.
The low fat intake of vegans minimizes the chance of these diseases. The
threat of a vitamin B12 deficiency is more often than not hypothetical rather
than actual.
It is important to emphasize that deficiency may be present only if a person
has low blood vitamin B12 levels plus illness associated with vitamin B12
deficiency.
Indications of a low vitamin B12 level by itself will not interfere with attaining a
long and healthy life with full capacity for normal reproduction.
The contrary has never been proven to be so, unless the deficiency is
accompanied by illness as discussed above.
By: Dr. Alan Immerman www.azchiropractors.org
Article: Vitamin B-12 And Your Diet
www.rawfoodexplained.com/vitamins/vitamin-b-12-and-your-diet.html
By: Dr. Alan Immerman, D.C.
If you do not eat animal foods of
any kind your fears about dietary
deficiency in this highly publicized
vitamin will be allayed by this report.
Do we get enough vitamin B12?
This is a major concern to people who
consume no animal foods, vegans.
Much of their worry arises from the wide
publicity given to statements like the following, which appeared in the
prestigious journal, Nutrition Reviews:
"Strict vegetarianism in western countries is a form of food faddism which can
have serious consequences" due to the possibility of a vitamin B12
deficiency. What are the facts?
First of all, it cannot be said that vegans consume too little vitamin B12 unless
it can be shown they have a definite deficiency of this vitamin. Therefore, in
order to understand the facts, we must decide how we will determine who is
deficient.
Let's take a few examples. Say a 58-year-old man on a vegan diet goes to his
doctor with signs of nervous system disease. It comes out in the history that
this person is a vegan so the doctor presumes that the disease is from dietary
vitamin B12 deficiency and prescribes large doses of vitamin B12
supplements.
But, without investigation of this person's ability to absorb vitamin B12, his
disease cannot be said to come from dietary deficiency alone. He could have
pernicious anemia—deficiency of the intrinsic factor needed for absorption.
Or consider the vegan who has routine blood analysis done and it is found
that his vitamin B12 level is low compared to the standard American range.
The doctor would probably warn this individual of the grave consequences of
continuing on his diet, even though this person feels fine.
This individual cannot be classified as vitamin B12-deficient, however,
because he has no symptoms of the diseases associated with a vitamin B12
deficiency.
As a third example, let's consider the most complex case: a vegan with a
vitamin B12 deficiency-associated illness, normal absorption as reflected by
use of routine absorption testing (the Schilling test) and disappearance of
symptoms after ingestion of vitamin B12 supplements of routine dosage.
Wouldn't this be a clear case of dietary vitamin B12 deficiency? Not
necessarily—it could be a case of poor absorption not revealed by routine
testing. A case like this occurred where the fault in absorption was not
detected until sophisticated methods were used.
Short of sophisticated testing available only in research centers, the only way
this fault in absorption, and probably many other similar faults, would be
discovered is by experimental oral administration of small amounts of vitamin
B12, as opposed to the large amounts routinely used.
A positive response to consumption of small amounts of vitamin B12 is
essential for a diagnosis of dietary B12 deficiency.
Smith in 1962 investigated twelve vegans and found vitamin B12-associated
illness in three of them.
He did not, however, check to see if they were able to absorb vitamin B12
efficiently; thus his diagnosis of dietary vitamin B12 deficiency is
unconvincing.
There are even cases presented as dietary vitamin B12 deficiency in which no
accurate diet history is reported to show that no vitamin B12-containing foods
have been eaten.
Verjaal, et al., in 1967, presented the case of a vegan with nervous system
disease, which the researcher attributed to the diet without checking
absorption or the response to small amounts of oral vitamin B12.
Connor, et al., in 1963, discussed two cases in which he also failed to
investigate absorption.
Many studies have reported vegans with normal vitamin B12 status and
complete health.
Hardinge, et al., in 1954, studied 26 vegans and found them to be healthy.
Ellis, et al., in 1970, studied 26 vegans and found the same.
Roberts, et al., in 1973, investigated 322 Indian vegans during pregnancy. All
but one were perfectly healthy and this one was not studied to determine
whether she could normally absorb vitamin B12.
Sanders, et al., in 1978, studied 34 vegans and found no sickness.
The conclusion must be that the vast majority of the studies which have
reported abnormal vitamin B12 status in vegans have not been thorough
enough to prove the problem was from the diet only, and that, on the other
hand, many studies have found normal vitamin B12 status in vegans.
Though this is hard for a western nutritionist to accept, no Indian doctor would
have the slightest problem with it.
Indians, for the most part, are not pure vegans, as they consume small
amounts of dairy foods. These amounts, however, fall far below the amounts
that would be needed to supply adequate amounts of vitamin B12 if western
dogma is valid.
Yet, in India, vegetarians have lived for ages and have begotten and reared
healthy children who, in turn, have never eaten fish, fowl or meat. There is no
evidence to suggest that such a vegetarian population consuming adequate
lacto vegetarian food is any way different from the non-vegetarians.
As Dr. David Reuben points out, the news that an almost-vegan diet is
dangerous will come as a surprise to 500,000,000 Hindus, most of whom don't
eat any meat or animal products at all from the moment they are born until the
moment they die (with the exception of mother's milk for a while). The Hindu
religion has been around for over 10,000 years, or about 98 centuries longer
than modern American medicine.
But how do vegans get their vitamin B12? Since it is produced only by
bacteria, and vegans don't eat the animals that had the bacteria growing in
their second stomach (rumen), what is the source of this vitamin B12?
There are no definite answers to this question, but the fact that most vegans
are healthy shows one of the following answers must be applicable:
Absorption of the vitamin B12 routinely produced by bacteria living in the
intestine (supposedly they live in a area where the vitamin cannot be
absorbed, but an adaptation may occur in vegans).
It is true that vitamin B12 is produced only by bacteria, but these bacteria are
almost everywhere, and for this reason vitamin B12 has been found in some
samples of many vegetables.
A vegan diet, therefore, does not have "serious consequences'' as threatened
by Nutrition Reviews; it is quite the reverse, as contrariwise it has such
"beneficial consequences" as vegans not having to fear any risk of ever
suffering cardiovascular disorders or colon and breast cancer.
The low fat intake of vegans minimizes the chance of these diseases. The
threat of a vitamin B12 deficiency is more often than not hypothetical rather
than actual.
It is important to emphasize that deficiency may be present only if a person
has low blood vitamin B12 levels plus illness associated with vitamin B12
deficiency.
Indications of a low vitamin B12 level by itself will not interfere with attaining a
long and healthy life with full capacity for normal reproduction.
The contrary has never been proven to be so, unless the deficiency is
accompanied by illness as discussed above.
By: Dr. Alan Immerman www.azchiropractors.org
Article: Vitamin B-12 And Your Diet
www.rawfoodexplained.com/vitamins/vitamin-b-12-and-your-diet.html
