title: Vitamin B-12 from algae appears not to be bioavailable.
abstract: The effect of algae (nori and spirulina) and fermented plant foods on the hematological status of vitamin B-12-deficient children was evaluated. Although rising plasma vitamin B-12 concentrations in children consuming only plant foods (0.1-2.7 micrograms vitamin B-12/d) indicated that the vitamin B-12 was absorbed, elevated baseline values of mean corpuscular volume (MCV) further deteriorated. In contrast, MCV improved in children receiving fish containing 0.15-0.5 microgram vitamin B-12/d or a vitamin B-12 supplement. Further studies on the specificity of current vitamin B-12 assays are warranted. It seems unjustified to advocate algae and other plant foods as a safe source of vitamin B-12 because its bioavailability is questionable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Nutrition, Wageningen Agricultural University, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Dagnelie
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: van Staveren
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: van den Berg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001682:Biological Availability; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D056890:Eukaryota; D005285:Fermentation; D005399:Fishes; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D010945:Plants, Edible; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
chemical_list: D014805:Vitamin B 12