Best Vitamin B12 Supplement in the UK

September 23, 2021

Vitamin B12, also referred to as cobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin. It’s the only nutrient that contains cobalt, a trace mineral necessary to produce red blood cells. Vitamin B12 is essential in the body’s many crucial processes for peak cardiovascular, brain, and nervous system health. In particular, the body relies on Vitamin B12 for the following:

conversion of food to energy
formation of red blood cells
production of haemoglobin, the substance which allows red blood cells to transport oxygen throughout the body
creation and regulation of DNA
regulation of an amino acid called homocysteine

High amounts of homocysteine in the body cause blood clots, blood vessel damages, and heart attack. Vitamin B12’s work of metabolizing homocysteine is crucial. This task is shared with Folic acid and Vitamin B6 to expend homocysteine in the bloodstream. Our body can’t synthesize Vitamin B12, but we can get it from diet and supplements.

But what’s the best Vitamin B12 supplement and its best natural source?

Fun fact, animals don’t make Vitamin B12. Certain anaerobic bacteria produce it. Through contaminated food and water, these bacteria get into the gastrointestinal tract of animals and grow there, which explains the misconception.For this reason, animal meat and organs are abundant in Vitamin B12, including poultry. Seafood’s top sources include clams, sardines, trout, and salmon. There are plenty of Vitamin B12 sources for vegetarians and vegans too. Dried green and purple seaweed (nori), Nooch nutritional yeast, shiitake mushrooms, various fermented food, fortified soy/plant milk and cereals, and vegetables grown in experimental settings using Vitamin B12 enriched soil would provide sufficient boost.

If our body can absorb Vitamin B12 well, we’d need only about 2.4 mcg daily. If our stomach is in prime condition, then the gastric intrinsic factor (GIF), the glycoprotein necessary for proper absorption of Vitamin B12, would be up to the task as well. It’s worth mentioning that this isn’t always the case, particularly with too much meat consumption. Our stomach produces more acid to digest all those proteins, which is harmful to the stomach lining and the gastric intrinsic factor (GIF). All that high-acidity secretion destroys them both. Sticking to a healthy diet may help avoid this issue. Reversing it entails treatment but will ensure that supplementation doesn’t go to waste. In some instances, even with proper diet and regular exercise, deficiency may still be a problem. To rule this out, have your blood work done. Doctors recommend checking for serum B12 and homocysteine levels as a more foolproof way of ascertaining your levels.

Here are symptoms to watch out for:

Brain fog
Shortness of breath
Tiredness
Dizziness
Jaundice
Tingling sensation in the hands and feet

Best Vitamin B12 supplement in the UK

Many are unaware of the threat that a deficiency in this little-known vitamin poses to the heart, brain, and nerve health. A problem easier dealt with when caught in its early stages. For an effective fix, the answer may be two-fold. Commit to a healthy diet and get the best vitamin B12 supplement in the UK.

Some of the commonly observed health improvements from supplementation of ample amount of high-quality Vitamin B12 in the system includes:

Reduce anxiety, depression, and mood swings. Vitamin B12 is involved in the production of serotonin, the brain’s mood regulator hormone.
Mental clarity and acuity.
Boost in energy levels.
Better sleep quality. Vitamin B12 helps make the “sleep” hormone melatonin.

Medical studies have identified Vitamin B12 as the prime contributor in achieving improved blood flow among heart patients. It has also shown efficacy in neuroprotection in people susceptible to dementia, Alzheimer’s, and other cognitive disorders. Supplementing with Vitamin B12 among pregnant women is recognized by doctors as having equal importance as maintaining optimum levels of Folic Acid and Iron in preventing neonatal defects.

These are just some of the many health benefits to be gained from supplementing with Vitamin B12. For the best vitamin B12 supplement in the UK, we recommend no less than The Gold Standard, Solgar Vitamin B12 100mcg. Solgar offers only the finest when it comes to natural supplements.

Every amber bottle is a product of decades of tireless research in pursuit of excellence. From then until now, Solgar’s aim has remained the same – to make a difference in the health and wellbeing of generations by crafting above-par products. When you say yes to Solgar, you’re saying yes to one of the few remaining good companies with rare business practices such as:

Sourcing the highest quality raw materials wherever part of the world they grow best
Avoiding artificial ingredients, unnecessary fillers, binders, or colourings
Crafting products in small batches
Production is done in own facility by own people

So, you could keep looking out there for other makers of high-quality supplements, or you could go for Gold. As a precautionary measure, consult your doctor before supplementing on Vitamin B12, especially if pregnant or taking other medications to avoid:

Drug interaction

Colchicine, Metformin, extended-release potassium, certain antibiotics, and anti-seizure medicines are known to affect the efficacy of Vitamin B12

Allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) – very rare
Side effects
mild itching, rashes
headache, dizziness, nausea
vomiting
swelling
congestive heart failure
thrombosis
polycythemia

Around 6% of people under 60 years in the UK are Vitamin B12 deficient. The numbers rise to as much as 20% for those over 60 years. One of the concerning factors contributing to this problem is the general lack of information about Vitamin B12’s importance. The good news is it takes only a minor ripple to create a movement of change. If you’re reading this, you have the power to inspire that change.