NOW Methyl B-12 5000 mcg, 120 Lozenges

• 5000 mcg with Folic Acid
• A Dietary Supplement
• Vegetarian/Vegan

Vitamin B-12 is a water soluble vitamin necessary for the maintenance of a healthy nervous system and for the metabolic utilization of fats and proteins. Vitamin B-12 is also essential for the synthesis of DNA during cell division and therefore is especially important for rapidly multiplying cells, such as blood cells. In addition, adequate intake of Vitamin B-12, along with Folic Acid and Vitamin B-6, encourages healthy serum homocysteine levels, thereby supporting cardiovascular health. Because Vitamin B-12 is found predominantly in animal products, strict vegetarians are at risk of developing Vitamin B-12 deficiency and may benefit from supplementation. 

Methylcobalamin is better absorbed and retained in higher amounts within your tissues. In general, methylcobalamin is used primarily in your liver, brain and nervous system. It is the specific form of B12 needed for nervous system health. Because of this it should be the first form of this vitamin thought of when interested in attempting to optimize the health of the nervous system with vitamin supplementation. Indications of a potential deficiency of B12 in the nervous system might include numbness, tingling, loss of feeling sensation, burning sensations, muscle cramps, nerve pain and slowness of reflexes.

Because of methylcobalamin's importance in nervous system health, it is also an important nutrient for vision. In fact, continued visual work (like work on a computer) often leads to a reduction in something called "visual accommodation". Methylcobalamin can significantly improve visual accommodation, while cyanocobalamin appears to be ineffective.

An elevated level of homocysteine is a metabolic indication of decreased levels of the coenzyme forms of vitamin B12, especially methylcobalamin. Homocysteine has received a tremendous amount of emphasis in the scientific literature because of its associations with heart disease and a variety of other specific health conditions. I have even seen advertisements on television promoting folic acid, as a vitamin needed to lower homocysteine. While this is true, and folic acid does lower homocysteine levels, the combination of methylcobalamin and folic acid appears to work much better.

NOW Foods was founded in 1968 under the belief that good health was not a luxury available only to the wealthy. For the past forty-five years, they have made it their life's work to offer health food and nutritional supplements of the highest quality, at prices that are fair and affordable to all those who seek them.

Today, NOW Foods is one of the top-selling brands in health foods stores, an award-winning manufacturer, a respected advocate of the natural product industry, and a leader in the fields of nutritional science and methods development. And while they have grown considerably over the past four decades, one thing has never changed – their commitment to providing products and services that empower people to lead healthier lives.

Caution:  For adults only. Consult physician if pregnant/nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition. Keep out of reach of children.