Peer-reviewed studies going back over half a century indicate that inhalation is an extremely effective way of absorbing vitamin B12 [4] [5] [6]. After only one dose they indicate immediate absorption [4]:
There are a couple of key reasons that vitamin B12 works so well for inhalation. One reason is that your body only needs a small amount of vitamin B12 everyday [1], so you can inhale it in 10-20 puffs. That’s not true with a lot of other vitamins, like vitamin C, which would take thousands of puffs. Another reason is that vitamin B12 is NOT sensitive to the heat associated with vaporizing [3].
Ultimately, however, the existing data speaks for itself when it comes to the efficacy of B12 inhalation. It is many times more efficient than pill absorption, and comparable only to injections (though injections are still the most efficient).
This key quote from one of the studies implies that various B12 inhalation methods are orders of magnitude more effectively absorbed than oral forms:
“To further evaluate the efficacy of pulmonary absorption of the inhaled B-12 over and above the evidence afforded by the clinical and hematological response previously described, urinary excretion studies were performed… Upon oral administration of B-12 at dosages as high as 10,000 mcgm B-12 activity in urine has been shown to be less than 0.05 millimicrograms/ml. After inhalation of only 200 mcgm of B-12 in saline, B-12 activity in the urine reached the level of 0.26 millimicrograms/ml and following inhalation of approximately 500 mcgm of B-12 in a lactose powder B-12 activity in the urine rose to 0.134 millimicrograms /ml. Direct pulmonary instillation of 100 micrograms of crystalline vitamin B-12 by means of the bronchoscope resulted in a urinary excretion (9.76 millimicrograms/ml.) pattern equivalent to the intramuscular injection of 60-80 mcgm.”
Several customers and many of us have measured our B12 levels using VitaminVape and seen it work very effectively, but we are in the process of reinforcing these results with formal studies using VitaminVape and will publish the results when available. We believe that given technological progress in inhalation since the studies were published, we should expect similar if not better results.
The Science Behind Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is an extremely important part of your dietary intake.
According to the National Institute of Health: “Vitamin B12 is a nutrient that helps keep the body’s nerve and blood cells healthy and helps make DNA, the genetic material in all cells. Vitamin B12 also helps prevent a type of anemia called megaloblastic anemia that makes people tired and weak [1].”
The UK Vegan Society, the Vegetarian Resource Group, and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, among others, recommend that vegans either consistently eat B12-fortified foods or take a daily or weekly B12 supplement to meet the recommended intake.
In other words, it’s very important you get enough vitamin B12 in your body.