B12 Methylcobalamin vs. Cyanocobalamin: What’s the Difference?
Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) itself is an important water soluble vitamin that helps keep your body’s blood and nerve cells healthy and helps make DNA, the genetic material in all of your cells. There is a large list of symptoms that arise from B12 deficiencey, but most important are the effects on the nervous system. Numbness, muscle weakness, psychological problems, which can range from mild depression or anxiety, to confusion and dementia, problems with balance and coordination, pins and needles, Incontinence are some of the many neurological symptoms from short term to long term B12 deficiency. Having a daily balanced B12 level will also add energy, help vision and can modulate melatonin secretion, enhance light-sensitivity, and normalize circadian rhythm.
Methylcobalamin:
It is a naturally occurring nutrient, the most bio-available form of B12 and it is most readily absorbed. It can be found in meat, salmon and cod, milk and other dairy products and eggs. So if you are vegan or Vegetarian supplementing with B12 will be key in balancing the body.
Cyanocobalamin: It is a synthetic supplement that does contain a cyanide molecule that is very small and not harmful but your body will have to eliminate the cyano-compound as it has no use for it. The body will then start to convert the cyanocobalamin into the methylcobalamin which is the true compound it needs for the human body to function properly.
Pill vs Injection
B12 injections are absorbed much better by the body because they are administered intramuscularly (into the muscle), and therefore directly into the blood. B12 tablets must pass through the digestive system, which leads to much poorer absorption rates. Research (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2532799/) has shown that oral B12 has an absorption rate of 16%(at 10mcg) while the IM injection rate 97% (at 10mcg). This means that you would be taking oral B12 daily at higher doses because most of it is eliminated, while B12 IM injections can be taken less often at lower doses for same results.
Remember the importance of B12 in your body for proper function of the nervous system, sleep regulation, vision, energy levels and healthy blood.