Eating a healthy plant-based (vegan) diet can be very beneficial in helping to heal the body, however it is important to bear in mind that plants in general do not contain vitamin B12. Therefore, vegans are at greater risk of developing a vitamin B12 deficiency. So, if you are already a vegan or intend to start following a vegan diet it is important to try to regularly include vegan sources of vitamin B12 into your diet, such as:
- portobello and crimini mushrooms
- spirulina
- kefir
- brewer's yeast
- tempeh and miso
- nori, kombu and kelp
- alfalfa
And good bacteria that colonise a healthy digestive system also produce B vitamins including B12, but it is uncertain how much B12 is absorbed from this source into the body. A good probiotic supplement is recommended to ensure that a wide range of beneficial microbes are present in the digestive system.
Vitamin B12 can be stored in the body for a number of years but if stores are not maintained over the long-term eventually signs of vitamin B12 deficiency will occur, and furthermore, B12 deficiency tends to be more prevalent in aged people.
Vegans and vegetarians may need to take a vitamin B12 supplement if sufficient food sources of B12 are not consumed. However, it is recommended that all the B vitamins are taken together as they work better as a team. It is best to use a natural food-state B vitamin complex such as MaxB-ND for better absorption and bioavailability once in the body.