Best Bioidentical Active B12 Forms and Supplement Options banner

Best Bioidentical Active B12 Forms and Supplement Options

Methyl-Life® Product Help Guide

Challenges with B12 blood serum testing

B12 blood serum tests can only measure the amount of B12 circulating in the bloodstream and do not reflect the vitamin's levels within the body's cells. But where you actually need the B12 is IN YOUR CELLS! So measuring the serum for B12 is really only telling you how much B12 is available but NOT getting into the cells. 


If you checked the spinal fluid for B12 levels, then you’d have some valuable information about your B12 levels. However, this is not realistic, insurance won’t cover it and it's a painful procedure.

Note about B12

Consider taking bioidentical B12 forms in conjunction with L-Methylfolate because they work synergistically together in the body on the methylation pathway and can amplify its benefits. Stay AWAY from cyanocobalamin in supplements and fortified foods! Methyl-Life® carries affordable, vegan versions of active B12 in a tasty sublingual tablet (some products even include L-Methylfolate).


Bioidentical Active B12 Forms:

  • Hydroxocobalamin - harder to find, expensive, typically well-tolerated and used for pernicious anemia among other things
  • Methylcobalamin - fairly available and found in some supplements. Note: it's not always well tolerated
  • Adenosylcobalamin - harder to find, expensive, the most well-tolerated and often used in muscle recovery


B12 does NOT absorb well via the gut, so be sure to get a product that allows you to dissolve the B12 under your tongue. Sublingual transport is the best way to get B12 absorption (research has proven it's even better than B12 injections for increasing B12 sufficiency). If B12 blood serum levels test "high", consider Methyl-Life®'s Non-Methylated Multivitamin.


Learn more about the best bioidentical B12 forms to take.

Quick Personal Note from Methyl-Life® Founder, Jamie Hope

"I had my serotonin level tested before starting a methylfolate and active B12 regimen. My result was 85, significantly low (normal range for the test was 125-185).


3 months later after taking 5 mg of L-Methylfolate and 5 mg of active B12 each day, I had my level tested again and it came back at 136 (significantly improved and within normal range).


Not only did I feel so much better (my mood was lifted), but my IBS symptoms began to melt away (much to my surprise). As I continued taking the nutrients over the next 6-9 months many things just got so much better. It really was quite an amazing transformation for me, a slow but steady healing. So don't underestimate the power of bioidentical methylfolate and B12 nutrients for not only mood improvement, but also repairing the gut.


Find your own sweet spot, where the amount of methylfolate you take makes you feel better.


It is worth noting that some people may never feel a big change like I did right away. Dr. Neil Rawlins says it may take some as many as 4 months (at a therapeutic dose - for some that is as much as 15 mg) to notice that they are actually feeling better.


Some people may just take methylfolate because it is recommended for them and reduces their homocysteine as well as disease risks (i.e. heart attack, miscarriage etc.) and helps clear toxins/metals/BPAs out of their system via glutathione boosting. These folks may not notice as much of a difference in how they 'feel', everyone's experience is unique."

Best tests to determine B12 deficiency

  • Methylmalonic Acid (MMA)
  • Homocysteine
  • Active B12 (Holotranscobalamin - holoTC)


If both the MMA and Homocysteine test results are high, then you may not be getting enough B12 intracellularly (even if your blood serum tests show B12 as high)

Sublingual B12 Beats Intramuscular Shots for B12 Sufficiency

Recent research has been done across thousands of cases, comparing the results from intramuscular B12 injections vs. sublingual B12 treatment. The findings clearly indicated that the sublingual B12 treatment plans provided better sufficiency than the shots did.1 What's more ... taking a sublingual tablet is much faster, more convenient and less costly on both your wallet and time.


So if someone tells you a shot would be better, point them to the research findings, it's clear and conclusive: Sublingual B12 wins over the B12 injection treatment in the battle of B12 sufficiency.

Additional Resources

Review Methylfolate Dosage Details
Icon for Review Methylfolate Dosage Details
New to MTHFR?
Helpful Next Steps
Icon for New to MTHFR? <br> Helpful Next Steps
Potential Methylfolate Side Effects
Icon for Potential Methylfolate Side Effects

I know my specific COMT & VDR Taq gene details. Display the best suggested B12 form(s) for me based on that information.

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What to do if B12 is needed?

1

Stay away from cyanocobalamin, it’s the cheap, synthetic version that has cyanide in it. Cyanocobalamin goes through a complex set of conversions within the body before it's absorbed and used (many can’t do these conversions well because of genetics i.e. MTR, MTRR, etc.). Spoiler ALERT: it's in many supplements and fortified foods.

2

Consider trying an active bioidentical form of B12. We recommend (along with many naturopaths and nutritionists who understand B12) you start with hydroxocobalamin. It’s generally well tolerated by most people. It’s more rare and expensive, but it works EXTREMELY well. For a full spectrum approach, consider all 3 active forms (hydroxocobalamin, methylcobalamin & adenosylcobalamin).

3

Be sure you are taking your B12 sublingually (dissolve it under your tongue). Recent studies prove sublingual B12 is more effective for improving B12 levels than intramuscular B12 shots. It turns out B12 does NOT absorb well via the gut, so don't buy a product you swallow thinking you're getting B12. Research says only 1-4% of B12 is absorbed via the gut.

4

Be Aware: a high B12 blood test does NOT mean you don't need B12. In fact, this is called a “paradoxical B12 deficiency”. Learn more about what to do if you have high B12 blood results.2

Jamie Hope - Founder of Methyl-Life

Written By:

Jamie Hope - Founder of Methyl-Life
Kari Asadorian - Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Medical Reviewer:

Kari Asadorian - Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Kari Asadorian - Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Edited By:

Kari Asadorian - Bachelor of Science in Nursing

References

  1. Advait Vasavada, Preeti Patel, Devang K. Sanghavi; "Cyanocobalamin"; StatPearls [Internet]; 2024 Jan

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555964/

  2. Cristiana Paul, David M Brady; "Comparative Bioavailability and Utilization of Particular Forms of B12 Supplements With Potential to Mitigate B12-related Genetic Polymorphisms"; Integrative medicine; 2017 Feb

    https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5312744/

  3. Cristiana Paul, David M Brady; "Comparative Bioavailability and Utilization of Particular Forms of B12 Supplements With Potential to Mitigate B12-related Genetic Polymorphisms"; Integrative medicine; 2017 Feb

    https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5312744/

  4. Cristiana Paul, David M Brady; "Comparative Bioavailability and Utilization of Particular Forms of B12 Supplements With Potential to Mitigate B12-related Genetic Polymorphisms"; Integrative medicine; 2017 Feb

    https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5312744/

  5. Merav Jacobson Bensky, Irit Ayalon-Dangur, Roi Ayalon-Dangur, Eviatar Naamany, Anat Gafter-Gvili, Gideon Koren, Shachaf Shiber; "Comparison of sublingual vs. intramuscular administration of vitamin B12 for the treatment of patients with vitamin B12 deficiency"; Drug delivery and translational research; 2019 Jun

    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30632091

  6. Gregory Russell-Jones, Mentor Pharmaceutical Consulting Pvt Ltd, Sydney, NSW, Australia; “Paradoxical Vitamin B12 Deficiency: Normal to Elevated Serum B12, With Metabolic Vitamin B12 Deficiency”; IOMC, Journal of Biology and Today’s World; ISSN - 2322-3308; 2022, Volume 11, Issue 3.

    https://www.iomcworld.org/articles/paradoxical-vitamin-b12-deficiency-normal-to-elevated-serum-b12-with-metabolic-vitamin-b12-deficiency-91903.html

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