Sources of B12 for lactose intolerant patient receiving injections

[Opal19]

I am vegan because I am lactose intolerant, what sources of B12 are there if I cannot take dairy? I also have Hashimotos and I am also iron deficient, folate deficient and take B12 injections every 3 months

Thank you

[blogsy2]

Liver would give you all these. It’s incredibly nutritious. But you should only eat once a week because of its high vitamin a content.

You didn’t say you were vegetarian. But if you are, would you consider making an exception for liver? I think it would do you a lot of good.

[Gambit62 Administrator in reply to blogsy2]

the poster says they are vegan.

[pvanderaa]

Eggs, meat, fish, milk and B12 supplements, energy drinks.

If you have issues with dairy, do you also have similar issues with gluten?

[wedgewood]

If you are 100% vegan , then there are no food sources of B12 for you . Active B12 is only obtainable from animal sources . It is sometimes said that some B12 is obtainable from some sort of seaweed , but it is not the active sort . If you have only been vegan for a short while , you have been obtaining your B12 from stores in your liver , which will become depleted over time . This depletion takes a various number of years up to 3-4. We are all different ,so an exact depletion time cannot be given . You should have read somewhere that 100% vegans MUST supplement with manufactured B12 ( made without any animal content ) I have heard that vegans can survive by eating their home grown root vegetables which have been grown using animal fertiliser , which they do not wash thoroughly , thus obtaining enough B12 that is found in the animal fertiliser . As long as you have no problem with absorption , you should take tablets to supplement B12.with tablets ( Amazon or Health food shops , Holland and Barret ). If you have absorption problems ( Pernicious Anaemia or other causes which you can look up for on Google ) you will have to supplement by way of injecting B12 . Injections of B12 can be given by doctors . B12 ampoules are only obtainable by prescription in the U.K. , as are any injectables . PAS is a Society for patients with Pernicious Anaemia . (Google that ) Many of us are unable to obtain enough B12 injections to keep us well . So we have to obtain supplies of B12 ampoules from online chemists in Germany ,( where they can be obtained “over the counter”) This is how we keep going . Luckily B12 ampoules are cheap .Self injection can be easy and painless . I’ve done it weekly for nearly 3 years ( I have PA , but it is difficult to get a diagnosis as the test for it is so unreliable . )

I hope that you are helped by this information . Best wishes . 👍🍀

[clivealive Forum Support]

Hi Opal19

A 5 gram serve of Marmite gives 0.5μg (25% RDI) of Vitamin B12.

So four sluices (sic) of Marmite on toast a day and you are sorted...

I love it.

Oh! and All Bran per 31 gram serve is fortified with Vitamin B12 @ 5.8μg (97% RDI) so that could "keep you going"....

[Gambit62 Administrator]

Opal19,

I think you are just going to have to look at the ingredients on suitable supplements carefully - there should be ones out there that are suitable for vegans - and there are probably loads of really high dose ones that are suitable as they are going to be targetting vegan markets.

As you are on B12 injections you will need to take doses that are 1000mcg + to stand a chance of absorbing enough - but avoid supplements that contain other vitamins just to make sure that you don't overdose.

The other thing you could do is look at nasal sprays - the only reason B12 tablets would contain lactose is if it is being used as a filler - and there aren't any fillers in nasal sprays.

[Sleepybunny]

Hi,

Are you getting treatment for iron and folate deficiencies?

Some people on the forum use oral B12 sprays. These are unlikely to contain lactose. in UK, a popular chain of high street health food shops stocks these.

B12 Deficiency Info website

b12deficiency.info/

PAS (Pernicious Anaemia Society)

Based in Wales, UK.

pernicious-anaemia-society....

PAS tel no [phone] answerphone

B12 books I found useful

"What You Need to Know About Pernicious Anaemia and B12 Deficiency" by Martyn Hooper

Martyn Hooper is the chair of PAS (Pernicious Anaemia Society). Book is up to date with UK b12 guidelines.

"Living with Pernicious Anaemia and Vitamin B12 Deficiency" by Martyn Hooper

Has several case studies.

"Could it Be B12?: An Epidemic of Misdiagnoses" by Sally Pacholok and JJ. Stuart (USA authors)

Very comprehensive with lots of case studies.

UK B12 documents

BSH Cobalamin and Folate Guidelines

b-s-h.org.uk/guidelines/gui...

BMJ B12 article

bmj.com/content/349/bmj.g5226

BNF

bnf.nice.org.uk/drug/hydrox...

NICE CKS

cks.nice.org.uk/anaemia-b12...

I am not medically trained.

[addie18]

Shellfish like have a lot of b12, like shrimp, oysters, etc. I realize these things aren't vegan but might be 'more' vegan than say beef liver.

[GGourmet]

Many breakfast cereals contain added B12. Not all, so worth checking and you could have these with orange juice. My sister does but not sure how she gets on with the taste.