What is Vitamin B12 and why do I need it?
Vitamin B12 is a micronutrient necessary for red blood cell production and proper formation of nerves. It is typically found in great abundance in foods such as red meat. Vitamin B12 is liberated from food in the stomach, bound to another molecule called “Intrinsic Factor” which is produced in the stomach, and that complex is absorbed from the last portion of the small intestine. Very little of the vitamin is used up on a daily basis, and the vitamin actually stays in the body for a long time after it is absorbed, thus we really only need it in tiny amounts. Gastric bypass surgery impedes the ability of patients to absorb vitamin B12 somewhat, but not entirely. Most patients require a supplement. Vitamin B12 can be supplemented easily either through periodic injections, an oral pill, a sublingual form which dissolves under the tongue, or a nasal spray.
