Comments on: Vitamin B12 and Nonhuman Animals

By: JackNorrisRD

JackNorrisRD — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 05:04:06 +0000

In reply to Joe. > So can humans be supplimented cobalt instead of B12, and produce B12 from our intestines like the animals? Interesting idea, but the B12-producing bacteria in human digestive tracts live below the part of our intestines where B12 can be absorbed.

By: Joe

Joe — Sun, 28 Feb 2021 05:40:28 +0000

So can humans be supplimented cobalt instead of B12, and produce B12 from our intestines like the animals?

By: Matthew

Matthew — Fri, 31 Jul 2020 19:21:11 +0000

In reply to Chris. Vitamin B12 is synthesised in their stomachs. Cobalt is needed for this. It's an essential element that if severely lacking in their diets they will get sick and die at a young age, when they especially need it. Farmers don't chance that, atleast not in NZ. Cobalt is regularly supplemented to pastures and animals.

By: Taylor Wolfram

Taylor Wolfram — Tue, 24 Sep 2019 21:33:51 +0000

In reply to natural vegan. The suggestion that humans have ever relied on uncleaned, organic produce for vitamin B12 doesn’t have any reliable evidence at this time. Only until organic foods are chosen randomly from markets and grocery stores throughout the world and are consistently shown to decrease MMA levels will someone not be taking a considerable risk in relying on organic foods for B12. For now, the only reliable [vegan] ways to get the vitamin B12 we need are through fortified foods and supplements.

By: natural vegan

natural vegan — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 21:38:42 +0000

so how are humans supposed to get b12 in nature? is my kindness to animals or my fear of parasites not natural?

By: Taylor Wolfram

Taylor Wolfram — Fri, 24 May 2019 23:56:25 +0000

In reply to Shaun Williams. No. Most plants used for food in the U.S. are grown in soil that contains cobalt and most do not contain vitamin B12.

By: Shaun Williams

Shaun Williams — Sun, 07 Apr 2019 02:37:09 +0000

So if a plant is grown in soil containing cobalt does the plant absorb or get covered with the bacteria that produce B12?

By: Chris

Chris — Sat, 29 Dec 2018 20:50:46 +0000

I have a question. Right under the last subheading, it reads: “The availability of B12 for animals who rely on bacterial synthesis of B12 (rather than getting it from animal foods) is dependent on cobalt levels in the soil.” Given that both ruminant and non-ruminant herbivores get B12 via bacterial synthesis with the help of cobalt in the diet, doesn’t that mean that the meat taken from any animals reared on those cobalt-lacking soils would lack sufficient B12? Very little cobalt means very little bacterial synthesis of B12, which means very little B12 in the meat. Can anyone confirm / clarify this?