Here is a full list of B vitamins: thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine (B6), biotin (B7), folate/folacin or folic acid (B9) and cobalamins (B12)
Contaminant Testing: Look for reports on heavy metals, microbial load, and solvent residues (e.g., residual trifluoroacetic acid, or TFA)
Sufficient intakes of vitamin B12 help you stay energized, and are also necessary for your baby accumulate sufficient amounts of this vitamin during pregnancy (1, 2)
Unlike most vitamins, B12 has a uniquely complex absorption pathway: Stomach acid and pepsin release B12 from food proteins B12 binds to R-proteins (haptocorrins) in saliva and stomach Pancreatic enzymes release B12 from R-proteins in the small intestine B12 binds to intrinsic factor (produced by gastric parietal cells) The B12-intrinsic factor complex is absorbed in the terminal ileum A breakdown at any of these five steps causes deficiency which is why B12 deficiency is far more common than dietary intake alone would predict
The Best Way to Test for Vitamin B12 Deficiency A diagnosis of B12 deficiency should not be dismissed based solely on a single measurement of B12 levels in the blood
