B Vitamin Supplementation

I supplement with a B Vitamin Complex daily. It's never been a question of whether I should or shouldn't. It's a matter of being smart about known facts. And one hard core fact of being vegan and raising vegetarian children is that it is impossible to get enough Vitamin B5, B6, and B12 through only fruits and vegetables to be sufficient and deficiency can be disastrous. This concession to my diet is seen by some as a sell out because it reinforces the idea that we are "meant" to be carnivores. I disagree.

Here's an article about "how healthy a raw food diet is".. I don't exactly applaud the use of some of their sources, but there are some interesting thoughts...

The truth is (research it if you want) Vitamin B12 specifically comes from a bacteria produced in the guts of animals and then absorbed into their tissues. Once upon a time this bacteria was readily available in our soil and water supplies, and humans couldn't avoid it if they tried, but pollution and over chemical sterilization of our water has eliminated the availability of naturally occurring Vitamin B12.

Naysayers can argue that we can get adequate B absorption through vegetables, seaweed, etc... but live in the vegan community long enough and you will begin to see how rampant a problem deficiency is. So why chance it? I know for a fact that I will never consume 7-8 cups of kale or other dark leafy green in a single day to even come close to getting enough Vitamin B...

Here's a nifty article of Vitamin B in the vegan diet

Not to scare anyone, but there are an entire host of health problems that occur from B vitamin deficiency, including anemia, mental deterioration, schizophrenia, and in severe cases paralysis... so do your research, measure your risk level, and hopefully opt for supplementation...

I use a liquid B Complex sublingual, which is absorbed through the mucous membrane under my tongue. I like this option because I don't have to worry about malabsorption through my intestine. I also don't have to arrange for injections...