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 had blood levels below 350 pg/ml, the level at which neurological signs of B12 deficiency or high homocysteine levels sometimes occur.”

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.

As beneficial as regular exercise can be to your health, the body does go through added wear and tear in the process. Under these conditions, additional nutritional support becomes necessary for two reasons: to avoid injury and to support the body’s repair and rebuilding processes. The best vitamins for your workout affect the bodily processes most in need of additional support, such as those responsible for energy production and cell growth. Vitamins, in general, strengthen the body’s systems on a cellular level by regulating the metabolic or chemical processes that keep the body’s cells working as they should. When it comes to quality vitamins, the bio-identical vitamins are the clear choice. Bio-active vitamins are in the exact form required by the body without undergoing enzymatic transformations before they can be used. The human body is designed to absorb and utilize the natural ingredients in bio-active vitamins much like it’s able to derive nutritional value from natural, whole foods. Read on to see which bio-active vitamins offer the best health benefits for your workout routines.

Best Vitamins for Workouts

Probiotics

Working out, in and of itself, has a positive impact on gut health by increasing the number of good vs. bad bacteria in the digestive tract. Good bacteria produce a range of health benefits, including:

• Anti-inflammatory effects
• Strengthening the immune system
• Supporting healthy digestion and nutrient absorption

Probiotics are made up of living microorganisms that help increase the number of good bacteria in your gut. Taking a probiotic supplement provides additional support for a body that works out on a regular basis. As one of the best dietary supplements, probiotics can help reduce muscle inflammation, which enables muscles to benefit more from your workouts.

Coenzyme Q10

Coenzyme Q10 or CoQ10 plays a critical role in energy production within every cell of the body. Found in the mitochondria, CoQ10 assists in the manufacture of ATP, the energy molecule that fuels cells. This means you’ll have more available energy for your workout routine. What makes CoQ10 one of the best vitamins is its ability to impact cell health in more ways than one. CoQ10 helps regulate inflammation on a cell-by-cell basis, which bodes well for muscles engaging in strenuous activity. It also delivers antioxidant effects, protecting cells from free radical damage while clearing out waste materials.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C offers an all-around grab-bag of health benefits, making it one of the best vitamins for workout enthusiasts. Vitamin C has antioxidant properties that prevent free radical materials from damaging the body’s cells. Free radicals are by-products that form when cells convert food into energy. Since muscle exertion during workouts burns energy, healthy levels of vitamin C can prevent these harmful materials from building up in the cells. Vitamin C also assists in the repair and rebuilding of cells and tissues, such as muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Repair and rebuilding processes are necessary for improved strength and performance. In effect, healthy levels of vitamin C allow the body to reap the full benefits from exercise.

B-Vitamins

Like vitamin C, the B-vitamins take part in a number of essential bodily functions on both a cellular and system level. B-vitamins also play a central role in helping the body convert food to energy. If you’re feeling low on energy when working out, or in general, there’s a good chance you’re deficient in one or more B-vitamins. While there are, in fact, eight B vitamins in total, three, in particular, can supercharge your workout routines. These three B-vitamins are B12, B6, and folate , also known as B9. Some people have a genetic disposition that makes it harder for them to utilize B vitamins. These people especially benefit from bio-active methylated forms of B12, B6, and folate. Vitamin B12

• Promotes cell building processes, including those for the cells that line the digestive tract, blood cells, and skin cells
• Aids in eliminating toxins from the body
• Helps prevent chronic inflammation
• Supports neurotransmitter production, which helps enhance your mood and energy levels

Vitamin B6

• Plays a crucial role within the Methyl Cycle, which is where cells extract nutrients from food to make energy
• Promotes fat and protein metabolism processes
• Supports immune system functioning, especially for older adults

Vitamin B9 or Folate

• Plays an active role in helping cells manufacture DNA materials
• Ensures the Methyl Cycle (responsible for energy production) runs efficiently
• Supports cell-building processes

Eat Healthy

As crucial as vitamins can be in supporting your workout routine, a healthy diet is the foundation for good health and vitality. Like the natural whole-food ingredients that make up organic vitamins, a natural plant-based diet provides the quality of nutrients the body needs for optimal health. If you combine a plant-based diet plan with the best vitamins for working out, the body has all the tools it needs to function at its best for many years to come.

Who’s heard of vitamin B? Most people will only learn about the B vitamins after a blood test when their doctor informs them that they have a deficiency. Vitamins B-6 and B-12 are key members of the B vitamin family, with all eight of them—thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine (B6), biotin (B7), B12 and folic acid (folate)—often found in the same foods. The most abundant sources of vitamin B are fish, poultry, meat, eggs, and dairy products. Leafy green vegetables, lentils, beans, peas, and whole grains also have B vitamins, while breakfast cereals and some breads may have B vitamins artificially added. Nutritional yeast and brewer’s yeast (but not baker’s yeast) are other B sources.

What if I Am Vitamin B Deficient?

Those eating a varied diet are probably getting enough vitamin B. However, B12 is found only in animal products, which means vegans need a B12 supplement or foods fortified with B12. Low levels of vitamin B6 can lead to numerous signs of deficiency, one of which is tiredness and low energy. Similarly, weakness and fatigue are the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency.

Expert Advice to Follow

Vegans and vegetarians cannot ignore the opinions of experts such as lead researcher Wolfgang Herrmann, MD, Ph.D. who says, "we have a particular concern over vitamin B12 status being regularly monitored in vegetarians—most importantly, in pregnant women, nursing mothers, children of vegetarian mothers and on macrobiotic diets, elderly vegetarians, and people who already have atherosclerosis."

Dr. Anthony Komaroff, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and a senior physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston states that, when it comes to fatigue, after iron comes a lack of magnesium, potassium, vitamin B12, and folic acid. "All of them can be corrected by giving supplements of the missing minerals or the missing vitamins," he says, or through improving one’s diet. He goes on to state that a “vitamin B12 deficiency, if it goes on long enough, undiagnosed and untreated, can lead to permanent damage of the brain and the spinal cord that can affect people's ability to move, walk and think clearly."

Brain Fog

Now, if that’s not enough of a wakeup call, our national obsession with restrictive fad diets results in us cutting out essential food groups, and this could cause nutrient deficiencies. Jessica Crandall, a Denver-based registered dietitian nutritionist and a spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has seen a serious rise in people cutting out carbohydrates from their diets. She goes on to say that, when we do this, we “essentially are restricting a lot of the B vitamins as well as essential nutrients to provide your brain the energy it needs to function."

What’s more, Crandall believes that low-carb consumption, and the resulting deficiencies— including in vitamin B12, which is already not absorbed well by women over age 50—can cause brain fog or mental fatigue as well as physical exhaustion. Many of us will be most surprised to learn this!

What’s in the Hallelujah Diet’s Supplement?

Vitamins B12 and B6 and folate are all critical elements of what is known as the methylation cycle and work best in their activated forms as provided in this supplement. Vitamin B12 is especially important for rapidly dividing cells like blood cells, skin, the lining of the digestive tract, and more. It also helps the liver to effectively detoxify chemicals present in the bloodstream. Vitamin B6 is essential for recycling homocysteine and folate is central to the production of DNA, especially in the case of pregnant women.

This is where the Hallelujah Diet HD B12, B6, Folate dietary supplement could play a significant role in dealing with these deficiencies and should be considered, especially by those following a plant-based diet.