Sometimes referred to as cyanocobalamin

Also, although vitamin B-12 is water soluble, it is stored in the liver, a characteristic of fat-soluble vitamins. Vitamin B-12 is found in good supply in animal foods such as meat, fish, poultry, cheese, eggs and milk. It is also present in small

quantities in specific fermented foods, such as tempeh, but only if it has been fermented with Klebsiella bacteria.

Because of the extensive hepatic storage of cobalamin, deficiency occurs in vegetarians after avoidance of animal products for many months. The usual treatment has been 1,000 ug of cobalamin injected once every one to three months, with 2% to 30% being absorbed.

Although oral B-12 is available over-the-counter, people at risk of B-12 deficiency should be diagnosed and monitored by a physician.

Because B-12 is originated from micro organisms and is not, therefore, supplied in high quantity by plant foods, vitamin B-12 is considered a crucial element in vegan or macrobiotic diets. A severe deficiency of B-12 can cause extremely serious problems, including damage to the spinal cord.

A shortage of vitamin B-12 may go unnoticed for a long time slowly causing irreversible damage to the body. Also, those taking B-12 with folic acid, may have a false B-12 level reading.

The results of a new study points out to the fact that many patients with deficiencies first show neurological or psychiatric symptoms. Problems once thought to be the late symptoms of a B-12 deficiency, such as personality changes and dementia, turned up in 28% of patients with B-12 deficiencies who had no signs of anemia.

Most recently in the U.K., ten reported cases on unusual B-12 deficiency were associated with multiple sclerosis (MS). Despite the fact that studies carried out over the past decades did not establish a relationship between MS and low levels of B-12, the authors of the English study have concluded that there may be an association between vitamin B-12 deficiency and MS.

In addition, William G. Crook, M.D., author of the The Yeast Connection also reports on the beneficial effects of oral B-12 therapy in the treatment of many types of illnesses such as tension, fatigue, backache, depression and poor memory.

The risks involved in vitamin B-12 deficiency are so serious, and preventive measures so simple, that it seems unwise to disregard them. The easiest and most reliable way to prevent deficiencies is to take a supplement. Vitamin B-12 has no known toxic effects.

B-12 deficiencies used to be treated mainly by intramuscular injections. However, this practice has several draw backs. Injections can be painful, sometimes are difficult to provide for elderly patients and can be costly, when given by a professional.

A prominent study conducted in Sweden reports the treatment of 64 patients with pernicious anemia and other B-12 related deficiencies. The patients were treated with 1,000 mcg of oral B-12 daily. 61 of the patients showed clinical and haematological remissions, normalization of serum levels and full replenishment of hepatic stores, this research was conducted over a three year period.

They also found that when trying to treat patients with B-12 combined with co-enzyme factors and/or intrinsic factors that antibody production caused some patients to become refractory and relapse. By increasing the dosage of oral B-12 without co-enzymes and/or IF to 1,000mcg daily, absorption was adequate and B-12 stores were replaced within 30 days.

In Sweden, oral B-12 therapy is used by 41% of patients with B-12 deficiency. It has proved to be a completely safe alternative to B-12 injections.