Product description
Our vitamin B12 is in the form of methylcobalamin, the most bioavailable form of vitamin B12, with added co-factors to maximize absorption. Vitamin B12 is a part of the B-vitamin complex. It is also known as cobalamin and is important for good health. There are two types of commercial vitamin B12: cyanocobalamin and methylcobalamin.
New Roots Herbal exclusively uses the methyl form since it is the coenzyme form and the only type that can directly participate in homocysteine metabolism. Furthermore, the conversion of homocysteine to methionine through methyl B12 generates an increased supply of S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe), the most important methyl donor in the body. In fact, some of the benefits of methyl B12, such as protection against neurotoxicity, appear to stem from increased SAMe production.
It assists in maintaining the health of nerve cells and red blood cells, and is also necessary for DNA production, the genetic material in all cells. Vitamin B12 is bound to proteins in food. Hydrochloric acid in the stomach releases vitamin B12 from proteins during digestion. Once released, vitamin B12 binds to a substance called intrinsic factor (IF) before being absorbed into the bloodstream. Bacteria exclusively synthesize vitamin B12, and common sources are primarily meats, eggs, and dairy products.
Vitamin B12 is necessary for red blood cell synthesis and maintaining the nervous system, making it crucial for children's growth and development. Deficiency can cause anemia and degeneration of nerve fibers; irreversible neurological damage can also occur. Vitamin B12 is also necessary for rapid DNA synthesis during cell division. This is particularly important in tissues where cells divide rapidly, especially in the bone marrow, which is responsible for red blood cell formation. If a failure occurs, DNA production is disturbed, and abnormal cells called megaloblasts form, resulting in anemia.
Symptoms include excessive fatigue, shortness of breath, apathy, pallor, and weak resistance to infections; other symptoms may include a smooth and painful tongue and menstrual disorders. Anemia can also be due to a deficiency in folic acid, which is also necessary for DNA synthesis.
A fatty insulating sheath, composed of a complex protein called myelin, lines our nerves. Vitamin B12 plays an essential role in the metabolism of essential fatty acids required for maintaining myelin. Prolonged B12 deficiency can lead to nerve degeneration and irreversible neurological damage. Deficiency cases are most often linked to an inability to efficiently absorb vitamin B12 in the intestine, rather than dietary deficiency.
B12 absorption requires the secretion, by stomach cells, of a glycoprotein called intrinsic factor. The B12-intrinsic factor complex is then absorbed in the ileum (part of the small intestine) in the presence of calcium. Some people are unable to produce intrinsic factor, and subsequent pernicious anemia is treated with vitamin B12 injections.
Vitamin B12 can only be stored in small amounts by the body. The total stored is 2 to 5 mg in adults, with around 80% of this amount stored in the liver. Vitamin B12 is excreted in bile and is efficiently reabsorbed; this process is called enterohepatic circulation. The amount of vitamin B12 excreted in bile can vary from 1 to 10 µg per day. Reabsorption is why it can take over 20 years to develop a deficiency disease in individuals who adopt a B12-deficient diet. In comparison, if B12 deficiency is due to a lack of absorption, it can take three years for the disease to manifest.
USAGE GUIDELINES
Adults: Take 1 capsule daily with food or as directed by your healthcare practitioner.
Duration of use: Consult a healthcare practitioner for prolonged use.
Each vegetable capsule contains: Red beetroot (Beta vulgaris) 300 mg, inner bark of pau d'arco (Tabebuia heptaphylla) 50 mg, Dandelion root extract (Taraxacum officinale), 3% flavonoids 40 mg, Vitamin B12 (methylcobalamin) 500 mcg, Plant-based digestive enzymes: alpha-Amylase 157.5 DU FCC, Bromelain (from pineapple stem [Ananas comosus var. comosus]) 9600 PU FCC, Cellulase 16.8 CU FCC, Dipeptidyl peptidase IV 27.33 FCC HUT, alpha-Galactosidase 0.2533 UGal FCC, Glucoamylase 0.666 UAG FCC, Hemicellulase 0.453 UHC FCC, Invertase 1.05 UINV FCC, Lactase 7.253 ULA FCC, Lipase 40 UL FCC, Maltase 1.73 PD FCC, Papain (from papaya fruit [Carica papaya]) 4000 PU FCC, Pectinase 0.8 endo-UPG FCC, Phytase 0.0333 UFT FCC, Fungal Protease 552.5 UHT FCC, Acid Protease 0.76 SAP FCC, Neutral Protease 60 UHT FCC. Other ingredients: Vegetable magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, and silicon dioxide in a non-GMO vegetable capsule composed of vegetable carbohydrate gum and purified water.
