Page 121
The Willner Window Product Reference Catalog, Autumn, 2013
since 1911
• Willner Chemists •
the nutritional supplement professionals
Planetary Herbals
intranasal route has been found to be well
absorbed. Hydroxocobalamin given
intranasally produced higher peak plasma
vitamin B12 concentrations than those
achieved with oral administration, but lower
concentrations than those obtained with
intramuscular injections. However, the long
term safety of intranasal vitamin B12 has not
been demonstrated, and it is possible that it
could damage the nasal mucosa.
Administration of cyanocobalamin by inhala-
tion resulted in a rapid increase in serum
vitamin B12 levels, indicating that the vita-
min was absorbed through pulmonary alve-
oli. However, pulmonary damage could
result from this route of administration, since
pulmonary fibrosis has occurred in dogs
exposed to prolonged inhalation of cobalt.
Because of the lack of long term safety data,
I have avoided the use of these forms of vita-
min B12. Vitamin B12 for sublingual admin-
istration is also commercially available, but it
is not absorbed more efficiently than oral
vitamin B12.” (Gaby, Alan R., MD.
Nutritional Medicine. 2011. Available from
Willner Chemists, Product Code: 59437, List:
$295.00, Discount: $266.50)
In summary, there may be medical condi-
tions requiring vitamin B12 dosing obtainable
only through injectable or prescription med-
ication modes. But, by definition, that is a
medical application, and should be deter-
mined by a medical professional. What is
important is that they recognize that oral
dosage forms of vitamin B12 are no longer
considered ineffective.
Don Goldberg
Addendum #1: Excerpt from original blog
entry, Oct 11, 2010, www.dongoldberg.com
Question:
Dear Sir
I have been advised to purchase Jarrow
sublingual methyl B12 (1000m)
My questions are:
1) Is a lozenge classed as sublingual? I
understand that a lozenge slowly absorbed
under tongue is better than swallowing B12
in pill form. But with a lozenge are you not
also swallowing a lot of the product with
your saliva and wasting it? As I have been
advised sublingual is best do you recommend
I purchase your methyl B12 lozenge? would
that be correct?
2) Is it necessary to take other supplements
with it for it to work properly for eg. folic
acid and b6? and if so what doses do I need
with daily B12 (1000) lozenge?
Thank you for any advice . . .kind regards,
[DP]
Answer:
Your question highlights one of the more
common misconceptions in the nutritional
supplement field, i.e. that sublingual vitamin
B12 is superior to other oral dosage forms.
It’s amazing how so many health food store
clerks and so-called nutritionists continue to
perpetuate this idea.
Here is how it started. One of the major
causes of vitamin B12 deficiency is malab-
sorption, and one of the most notorious
forms of vitamin B12 malabsorption is perni-
cious anemia. A substance secreted by cells
in the stomach, intrinsic factor, is needed for
the normal absorption of vitamin B12. When
this substance is not present, as is the case in
pernicious anemia, a vitamin B12 deficiency
occurs. At one time, the only way to over-
come this was thought to be the administra-
tion of vitamin B12 by injection, which, of
course, bypasses the need for “intrinsic fac-
tor,” and absorption from the gut.
Well, you cannot sell injectable vitamin
B12 in the health food store, so some clever
marketing guy came up with another idea for
getting around the absorption problem–sub-
lingual absorption! What a great idea. You
can bypass the malabsorption problem by
having the substance be absorbed directly
from under the tongue. Sublingual vitamin
B12 was thus born, and has become a very
popular type of nutritional supplement.
There is only one problem. Vitamin B12 is
not absorbed sublingually.
Sublingual absorption works for small mole-
cules, not large ones, and vitamin B12 is a
very large molecule.
It turns out, however, that subsequent
research revealed that even people with per-
nicious anemia can, in fact, benefit from oral
vitamin B12. The trick is that they need to
take very high dosages. If they do this,
enough will be absorbed in spite of the mal-
absorption problems. Since B12 is inexpen-
sive, and “high dosage” is still very small
compared to other vitamins (micrograms vs
milligrams), this is easy to accomplish.
So what about sublingual, or lozenge-forms
of vitamin B12? It turns out that they work,
but only because you end up swallowing the
vitamin B12 as the lozenge dissolves, allow-
ing it to be absorbed in the gut just as if it
was a normal tablet or capsule.
You were concerned that swallowing the
vitamin B12 was “wasting it.” Ironically, the
opposite is true.
Buy a lozenge if you wish, but don’t be
misled into thinking it will result in sublingual
absorption. What is important is that it is a
high dose.
The methyl cobalamin (Methyl B12) form is
thought to be better absorbed than the regu-
lar form of B12, and I see no reason not to
use it. Jarrow (and others) makes a 5,000
mcg dosage, however, as well as a 1,000 mcg
dose, and I would opt for the higher dose. . .
Addendum #2
Excerpt from package insert: Nascobal Nasal
Spray (Par Pharmaceutical Companies, Inc.
Spring Valley, NY, 10977)
“PHARMACOKINETICS
Absorption
A three way crossover study in 25 fasting
healthy subjects was conducted to compare
the bioavailability of the B12 nasal spray to
the B12 nasal gel and to evaluate the relative
bioavailability of the nasal formulations as
compared to the intramuscular injection. The
peak concentrations after administration of
intranasal spray were reached in 1.25 +/-
1.9 hours. The average peak concentration of
B12 obtained after baseline correction fol-
lowing administration of intranasal spray was
757.96 +/- 532.17 pg/mL. The bioavailability
of the nasal spray relative to the intramuscu-
lar injection was found to be 6.1%. The
bioavailability of the B12 nasal spray was
found to be 10% less than the B12 nasal gel.
The 90% confidence intervals for the loge -
transformed AUC(0-t) and Cmax was 71.71%
- 114.19% and 71.6% - 118.66% respective-
ly.
In pernicious anemia patients, once weekly
intranasal dosing with 500 mcg B12 gel
resulted in a consistent increase in pre-dose
serum B12 levels during one month of treat-
ment (p < 0.003) above that seen one
month after 100 mcg intramuscular dose
(Figure).”
"My patients
have been
getting results
with Planetary
Herbals for more
than 30 years!"
Michael Tierra, L.Ac. OMD, RH, Planetary Herbals
Chief Formulator and renowned clinical herbalist.
For over 30 years, Planetary Herbals has been integrating the wisdom
and principles of the planet’s three major herbal traditions—Ayurveda,
Traditional Chinese and Western herbalism—into every product. Each
of our formulas reflects the extraordinary knowledge of our expert
herbalists, decades of human clinical experience, and our extensive
knowledge of modern pharmacological science.*
Herbs are a vital part
of any healthcare plan
© 2013 Planetary Herbals
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
35% Savings Everyday On Entire Line