Comparison of Sublingual B12 Supplements for Gastric Bypass Patients

The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) recommends all gastric bypass patients take vitamin B12 supplements. They no longer absorb B12 properly due to their altered digestive systems, so supplements become necessary. Some patients choose to use B12 injections but others prefer to use sublingual tablets that dissolve under the tongue. The ASMBS recommends patients take 350 to 500 mcg B12 sublingually daily.

Bariatric Advantage Sublingual B-12

Bariatric Advantage sublingual B12 supplements contain 1000 mcg B12 along with 200 mcg folic acid. Since they contain double the daily amount recommended by the ASMBS, they can be taken every other day instead of daily. They are lactose-free which is helpful since some gastric bypass patients develop lactose intolerance after surgery. I’ve heard a few complaints about the length of time these sublinguals take to dissolve, however.

Celebrate Bariatric Supplements B-12 Sublingual Quick-Melts

Celebrate sublingual B12 supplements also contain 1000 mcg B12 and 200 mcg folic acid. They dissolve faster than the Bariatric Advantage B12 supplements, though, typically dissolving in less than one minute. I personally like ordering from Celebrate because they have great customer service; I’ve had some problems with products not arriving in a timely manner when ordering from Bariatric Advantage.

Twin Labs B-12 Sublingual Dots

Twin Labs B12 sublingual dots contain 500 mcg B12, the amount recommended daily by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. They don’t contain any folic acid, though gastric bypass patients should be getting sufficient folic acid from their multivitamins if they are taking multivitamins that meet the ASMBS guidelines. These sublinguals can sometimes be found in local stores, which is a plus if you prefer not to order supplements online.

Vitalady Tender B-12 Sublingual Tablets

Vitalady Tender B12 sublingual tablets contain 1000 mcg B12 as methylcobalamin. Most B12 supplements contain cyanocobalamin, which is cheaper but not absorbed as well. The Vitalady websites states that this is a vegetarian supplement, but I have questions about that since methylcobalamin is not found in plants or plant-substances; it is found in liver, fish, milk and other animal products. If you prefer a vegetarian B12 supplement, you might want to investigate this further.

A Note on Sublingual B12

Note that gastric bypass patients need sublingual B12 supplements as opposed to tablets meant to be swallowed whole because they lack intrinsic factor in their new surgically created stomach pouches and a certain amount of intrinsic factor is needed in order to absorb B12 from the stomach.

Sources:

Bariatric Nutrition. http://nutrition.otago.ac.nz/__data/assets/file/0005/4784/BariatricNutritionReading.pdf. Suggestions for the Surgical Weight Loss Patient.

Health 101. http://health101.org/art_methylcobalamin.htm. Methylcobalamin and the New Story of Vitamin B12.

Bariatric Advantage. https://www1.bariatricadvantage.com/catalog/list/4/B_Vitamins. B Vitamins.

Celebrate Bariatric Supplements. https://www.celebratevitamins.com/shop/other-supplements/b-vitamins/b-12-sublingual-cherry-90-day.html. B-12 Sublingual Quick-Melt.

Vitalady. http://www.vitalady.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?search=action&keywords=vtmnb&template=Templates/Vitamin_B.html. B Vitamins.


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