Are supplements just as effective as shots if you don’t have absorption problems?

[Meblue]

Would high dose supplements be just as effective as shots if you don’t have absorption problems? If so, what dosage?

[JanD236]

If you don’t have an absorption problem you shouldn’t even need supplements as B12 is plentiful in our diet (unless you’re vegan).

[fbirder]

If you don't have absorption problems then small dose oral B12 is probably more effective than injections. Injections every month give you massive swings between very high serum levels and lower serum levels. But oral B12, taken every day or so will give you the same average serum level, but without the extremes.

If you're not getting enough B12 from food (and most non-vegetarians should do) then just 50 mcg every few days should be enough.

[Meblue]

I had read somewhere that milk is one of the highest absorbable forms of b12. Does anyone know if that is true?

[fbirder in reply to Meblue]

No, it is far from true.

[Meblue in reply to fbirder]

Then what is

[fbirder in reply to Meblue]

All B12 in foods is, to all intents and purposes, equally absorbable. But milk, although it does contain B12, doesn't contain much, about 1 mcg in a 250 mL glass. So you'd need to drink a pint of milk to get your recommended daily amount of 2.5 mcg.

Compare that to other foods - 40 g of beef, 2 mussels, 13 g of mackerel or 12 g of All Bran - all will give you your recommended daily amount.