Optimal Dose of Vitamin B12 for Vegetarians

What is the optimal dose of oral methylcobalamin to treat subclinical(asymptomatic) vitamin B12 deficiency occuring secondary to reduced dietary intake, as in vegetarians (i.e. vitamin B12 levels between 200 and 400 pg/mL but raised serum homocysteine or serum methylmalonic acid levels)?

I know that there are no guidelines to treat subclinical vitamin B12 deficiency.

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No Guidelines
by: Kerri Knox, Registered Nurse

Unfortunately, there are no guidelines. If you want to prevent Vitamin B12 Deficiency, you could just use the guidelines from my pages on Vitamin B12 Deficiency Treatment and just treat yourself for a few days or even just a day a month.

You store B12 in your liver, so you can take high dose B12 at random intervals throughout your life and build up reduced levels in your liver again. How much should you take to build up these levels? I have no idea. Get a bottle once a year and finish it, or just take some high dose for a week and see how you feel. You might be surprised that maybe you even ARE aysmptomatic and that some high dose Vitamin B12 makes you feel better.

There is no 'downside' to taking B12 when you don't need it except for the cost. And Methylcobalamin B12 is a great detoxifying agent, so it could help to eliminate some toxins as well.

Kerri Knox, RN

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