Vitamin B12 Deficiency and Bone Health

About 40% of Americans have suboptimal B12 blood serum levels. This is important to be aware of and to correct if it applies to you.

Normal ranges of B12 are 200-1,100 pg/ml. Even though the lower level of “normal” is 200, if you are below 600, you might be suffering from B12 deficiency. There is one problem with supplementation however and its related to the poor absorbability of oral vitamin B12 supplements.

Vitamin B12 is the largest vitamin molecule known. Because of its large size, it is not easily absorbed passively like most supplements. This is why many, if not most, oral B12 supplements are ineffective. The only effective form of B12 supplementation are injections or sublingual administration.
Vitamin B12 is important for the formation of red blood cells, the maintenance of your central nervous system and plays a role in the production of DNA and RNA.

Vitamin B12 is also fittingly known as the energy vitamin. Your body requires it for a number of vital functions, including energy production.

Much less is known about the role of B12 in bone health, although it’s emerging as an important player.

Even though vitamin B12 is water-soluble, it doesn’t exit your body quickly in your urine like other water-soluble vitamins. Instead, B12 is stored in your liver, kidneys and other body tissues.

Vitamin B12 Deficiency May Harm Your Bones:

Research published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) revealed that mice deficient in vitamin B12 have growth retardation and fewer osteoblasts (cells responsible for bone formation).

Recent research also suggests low vitamin B12 status may increase the risk for bone fractures in older men. Older women with low levels of vitamin B12 (below 208 pg/ml) also experienced significantly more rapid hip bone loss , a sign of osteoporosis, than women with higher levels of B12 in a separate study.

If you’re a vegan who does not eat animal products, you are at high risk of deficiency, as B12 is readily bioavailable in its natural form only in animal food sources. This doesn’t necessarily have to be meat -- eggs and dairy are options also.

Top B12 foods are:

• Wild-caught Alaskan salmon
• Raw milk
• Pastured free-range eggs
• Grass-fed beef and beef liver
• Pastured organic free-range chicken

The Best ‘Recipe’ for Bone Health:

One of the important strategies for healthy bones is to eat the right kind of foods. A diet full of processed foods will produce biochemical and metabolic conditions in your body that will decrease your bone density, so avoiding processed foods is definitely the first step in the right direction. This goes far beyond calcium, which is the first nutrient many people think of concerning their bones. Your bones are actually composed of several different minerals and if you focus on calcium alone, you will likely weaken your bones and increase your risk of osteoporosis.

Calcium, vitamins D and K2 and magnesium work synergistically together to promote strong, healthy bones and your sodium to potassium ratio also plays an important role in maintaining your bone mass (larger amounts of potassium in relation to sodium is optimal for your bone health and your overall health). Ideally, you’d get all or most of these nutrients, including vitamin B12, from your diet (with the exception of vitamin D).

According To Dr. Joseph Mercola, This includes:

• Plant-derived calcium: Raw milk from pasture-raised cows (who eat the plants), leafy green vegetables, the pith of citrus fruits, carob, and sesame seeds

• Magnesium: Raw organic cacao and supplemental magnesium threonate if need be

• Vitamin K2: Grass-fed organic animal products (i.e. eggs, butter, and dairy), certain fermented foods such as natto, or vegetables fermented using a starter culture of vitamin K2-producing bacteria, and certain cheeses such as Brie and Gouda

• Trace minerals: Himalayan Crystal Salt, which contains all 84 elements found in your body, or other natural, unprocessed salt (NOT regular table salt!)

• Vitamin D: Ideally from appropriate sun exposure (or a safe tanning bed), as it’s virtually impossible to get sufficient amounts from food. As a last resort, you could use a supplement, but if you do, you may also need to supplement with vitamin K2 to maintain ideal ratios.

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