Choosing a B Vitamin Supplement: Things to Consider & What I’m Currently Taking
When I went on my blog trip to New Hampshire, I was excited to learn more about the MegaFood product line because I was admittedly a little overwhelmed when I first browsed the selection. There were so many options, some of which seemed very similar to each other, and having minimal knowledge of supplements I didn’t know how to choose the right one(s) for me. This was especially true of their line of B Vitamins. I eat very little meat so it’s important to supplement my diet with B12, but what’s best? A B Complex that has B12 and other B Vitamins or just a B12? And Methyl B12–what’s that? Balanced B or Adult B-Centered? Or should I just take a multivitamin that has B12 in it?
By the end of our trip to MegaFood, I had a much deeper understanding of their products and supplements in general, and want to share what I learned with you all. That being said, this post is not meant to be prescriptive. The most precise way to know what’s best for your body would be to get bloodwork done to see what, if any, deficiencies you have. And as you’ve probably gathered by now, I’m not your doctor.
Choosing a B Vitamin Supplement
Methyl B12–What the What?
MegaFood has two B12 options: Vegan B12 and Methyl B12. “Vegan” I understand; “Methyl” not so much. If you’re like me and unfamiliar with this, here’s the simple explanation: Think of Methyl B12 as the active or usable form of B12. Now some people can take a regular, non-methylated B12 supplement and convert it into that useable form without an issue. Other people’s bodies, however, can’t. And if you can’t methylate the B12 than a regular B12 supplement would essentially be wasted (your body wouldn’t be able to use it). If you fall into this category than Methyl B12 is for you.
Good to know: MegaFood’s Multi for Women contains methylated folate and B12.
Balanced B Complex vs. Adult B-Centered
My next question for MegaFood was the difference between the Balanced B Complex and Adult B-Centered–the ingredient list looked pretty similar so why make two? And which to choose? After learning about methylation, the first difference became clear to me: Adult B-Centered has methylated forms of folate and B12 as well as the active form of B6; Balanced B Complex does not.
The other major difference is that while Balanced B is a multivitamin supplement, Adult B-Centered is a multivitamin and herbal supplement. It contains Lemon Balm, which is traditionally used to help restlessness, and Bacopa, which supports healthy cognitive function.*
My B Vitamin Supplement Picks
I mentioned Blood Builder in a previous post, an Iron-B12-Folate-Vitamin C-Beet Root product that I’ve found to support better energy levels during my period.* It has the non-methylated form of B12 in it which leads me to believe my body can carry out that conversion (that’s my uneducated guess). That being said, I don’t know for sure so the methylated form can’t hurt. During the rest of the month I’ve been doing the Multi for Women with the addition of Adult B-Centered.
I wouldn’t necessarily feel the need to supplement my multi with more B12 since it already contains it but … you’re supposed to take two throughout the day and I literally have never remembered to take the second one. Ever.
Did you know about the methylated difference between supplements?
Disclosure: This post was created in partnership with MegaFood. I’m a paid ambassador but all opinions–as always!–are my own. I appreciate your support of the brands that make this blog possible!
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, and this product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
