Do you have a vitamin B12 deficiency? Let me put it another way: Are you (or is someone you know) suffering from asthma, depression, multiple sclerosis, ringing ears, diabetic neuropathy, or even Alzheimer’s? All of these conditions are linked to a deficiency of vitamin B12. When I first discovered the need for vitamin B12 supplementation on The Hallelujah Diet, it was very troubling to me. I was under the impression that a 100% plant-based diet had to contain sufficient B12 because Adam and Eve consumed a 100% plant-based diet. The first question that had to be resolved to my satisfaction was: “Could God have made a mistake when he gave mankind that original 100% plant based (vegan) diet in Genesis 1:29? And could it be that the reason God allowed animal flesh to be added in Genesis 9:3 was because of a vitamin B12 deficiency in God’s original diet?” Modern science answered that question for me with a definite “no, God did not make a mistake.” The truth is that nearly everyone needs vitamin B12 supplementation, whether vegan or consuming animal foods daily. In 2000, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition revealed that “…contrary to current wisdom, meat, poultry, and seafood may not be a good source of the vitamin… A surprising 39 percent of participants
Vitamin B Supplementation
So, if God did not make a mistake, and B12 is not supplied as a nutrient in either plant-based or animal-based foods, where does it come from, and why are so many people deficient?
The answer to these questions came through research by Dr. Michael Donaldson, Hallelujah Acres Research Director. Dr. Donaldson’s research on this subject revealed that B12 does not come from something we consciously consume as food; rather it is manufactured within the body of all God’s animal creations, including humans, by bacteria and microbes.
This means that B12 comes from the microflora in the gut. This is why some people on a plant-based diet (who have proper gut flora) show no signs of B12 deficiency while others (who have an intestinal imbalance) are deficient. Vitamin B12 is a critical nutrient that maintains healthy nerve cells and blood cells, makes DNA, aids nutrient absorption, helps synthesize protein and metabolize carbs and fats, and helps extend the life of your cells.
So what is the solution? The simple answer is supplementation. Methylocobalamin, the type of B12 used in the Hallelujah Acres B12, B6 & Folate, is the preferred form of B12 as it is active immediately upon absorption.
The other form of B12, cyanocobalamin, must be converted to an active form before the body can use it. The primary issue here is that consuming animal source foods daily does not guarantee that a person is receiving adequate B12 in their diet. In addition, there are considerable health risk potentials for a person consuming animal source foods. Dr. T. Colin Campbell writes in his book The China Project – “Only a small intake of animal products was associated with significant increases in chronic degenerative diseases.” For those following a vegan or vegetarian diet, including The Hallelujah Diet, it is vital to use a B12 supplement or take a sufficient amount of probiotic supplements to provide adequate bacteria for the body to manufacture it.
