title: Bioavailability of vitamin B₁₂ in cows' milk.
abstract: The natural source of vitamin B₁₂ in human diets comes from animal products. For example, one glass (250 ml) of milk provides approximately 50 % of the RDA (2·4 μg/d). It was hypothesised that the provision of vitamin B₁₂ from milk is more efficiently absorbed than the synthetic form used in vitamin supplements. Pigs (n 10) were used as a model for intestinal absorption of vitamin B₁₂ in humans to compare the net fluxes of vitamin B₁₂ across the portal-drained viscera (PDV; an indicator of intestinal absorption) after ingestion of meals complemented with conventional and vitamin B₁₂-enriched (via injections to cows) milk (raw, pasteurised or microfiltrated) or with equivalent amounts of cyanocobalamin, the synthetic form used in supplements or unsupplemented. Net flux of vitamin B₁₂ across PDV after the ingestion of milk was positive, though not influenced by milk enrichment (P>0·3) or technological processes (P = 0·8) and was greater than after ingestion of equivalent amounts of cyanocobalamin (cyanocobalamin v. all milk, P ≤ 0·003). In fact, net fluxes of this vitamin were not different from 0 after either cyanocobalamin or the meal devoid of vitamin B₁₂ (unsupplemented v. cyanocobalamin, P = 0·7). The cumulative PDV fluxes during the 24 h following ingestion of meals complemented with milk varied from 5·5 to 6·8 μg. These values correspond to an efficiency of intestinal absorption of vitamin B₁₂ from milk varying between 8 and 10 %. Therefore, vitamin B₁₂, which is abundant in cows' milk, is also substantially more available than the most commonly used synthetic form of this vitamin.
authors: Dairy and Swine Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 2000 College Street, PO Box 90, Lennoxville STN, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada J1M 1Z3. Jacques.Matte@agr.gc.ca
authors: J Jacques
authors: JJ
authors: Matte
authors: Frédéric
authors: F
authors: Guay
authors: Christiane L
authors: CL
authors: Girard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001682:Biological Availability; D002417:Cattle; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005519:Food Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D005527:Food, Fortified / Q000032:analysis; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D009753:Nutritive Value; D011168:Portal System / Q000378:metabolism; D034421:Sus scrofa; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D014806:Vitamin B 12 Deficiency / Q000517:prevention & control; D014886:Weaning
chemical_list: D014805:Vitamin B 12