Vitamin B12 Intake From Animal Foods, Biomarkers, and Health Aspects

Abstract

The EAT-Lancet commission recently suggested that transformation to healthy diets by 2050 will require a reduction of at least 50% in consumption of foods such as red meat and sugar, and a doubling in the global consumption of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes. A diet rich in plant-based foods and with fewer animal source foods confers both improved health and environmental benefits. Notably, the risk of vitamin B12 deficiency increases when consuming a diet low in animal products. Humans are dependent on animal foods such as dairy products, meat, fish and eggs. Vitamin B12 deficiency is common worldwide, especially in populations with low consumption of animal foods because of low socioeconomic status, ethical reasons, or because of their lifestyle (i.e., vegans). According to the European Food Safety Authoroty, the recommended adequate intake of vitamin B12 is 4.0 μg/d for adults, and vitamin B12 requirements are higher during pregnancy and lactation. Infants and children from deficient mothers and elderly people are at risk for vitamin B12 deficiency. Diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency is hampered by low specificity of available biomarkers, and there is no consensus yet regarding the optimal definition of low vitamin B12 status. In general, a combination of at least two biomarkers is recommended. Therefore, this review presents an overview of vitamin B12 biochemistry and its biomarkers. We further summarize current recommendations of vitamin B12 intake, and evidence on the associations of vitamin B12 intake from different nutrient-dense animal foods with vitamin B12 status markers. Finally, potential consequences of low vitamin B12 status on different health outcomes for pregnant women, infants and elderly are presented.

Development of Next-Generation Nutritionally Fortified Plant-Based Milk Substitutes: Structural Design Principles

“…There are, however, some nutritional concerns associated with reducing the levels of animal products in the human diet [59]. In particular, plant-based diets are often deficient in important macronutrients and micronutrients, including high-quality proteins, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B 12 , vitamin D, iron, calcium, and iodine [60,61]. Over time, deficiencies in these nutrients could lead to health problems, particularly in infants and the elderly [60,62].…”

Wolffia globosa–Mankai Plant-Based Protein Contains Bioactive Vitamin B12 and Is Well Absorbed in Humans

“…Reducing red meat consumption, especially processed meat products, has been a focus of attention in recent years, due to increasing evidence of the association between meat consumption and health risks [ 44 ]. However, reducing red meat, as vegan or some vegetarian eating patterns suggest, might put one at risk of vitamin B 12 deficiency, which could result in megaloblastic anemia and neurological damage [ 45 , 46 ]. Vegetarians and vegans in particular are at risk of developing vitamin B 12 deficiency and infants born to mothers who follow such diets run a risk of neurodevelopmental abnormalities and feeding difficulties [ 47 ].…”

Sensorial and Nutritional Aspects of Cultured Meat in Comparison to Traditional Meat: Much to Be Inferred

“…The latter vitamin is synthesized exclusively by microorganisms (bacteria and archea) and then absorbed and utilized by animals, while plants rarely contain considerable amounts of B12 (54). Hence, people following plantbased diets need to take vitamin B12 supplements in order to fulfill their dietary demands (55). If cultured meat is to be regarded as a substitute for traditional meat, it is vital that it contains vitamin B12.…”

“…With regard to tissue engineering, vitamins are necessary in the media for optimal cell proliferation (56), but it is not clear whether the uptake from media results in levels of vitamins in cultured meat comparable to traditional meat. Furthermore, uptake of B12 requires a binding protein (transcobalamin II) enabling transport across the cell membrane (55,57,58). This can potentially present an additional challenge to achieving adequate levels of B12 in cultured muscle tissue.…”