Bio B12 + Folic Acid

High-dose B₁₂ formula with folic acid
• Helps to prevent vitamin B₁₂ deficiency
• Helps to form red blood cells
• Helps the body to metabolize carbohydrates, fats, and proteins
• Helps reduce the risk of neural tube defects when taken daily prior to becoming pregnant and during early pregnancy
• Provides 1000 mcg of vitamin B₁₂ and 400 mcg of folic acid per dose

Bio B₁₂ + Folic Acid includes a high-dose of vitamin B₁₂ to help support macronutrient metabolism and prevent vitamin B₁₂ deficiency.¹ Vitamin B₁₂ is an important cofactor for two enzymatic reactions: 1) methylmalonyl-CoA mutase, which helps break down branch chain amino acids and odd numbered fatty acids; 2) methionine synthase, which is needed for methyl transfer reactions, including the folic acid dependent conversion of homocysteine to methionine for protein production.² Daily supplementation with 400 mcg of folic acid during the first trimester helps decrease neural tube defects by approximately 50%.³ As folic acid is a methyl group donor, research indicates that neural tube defects may result from impaired methylation.⁴ Similarly, decreases in the availability of vitamin B₁₂ or folic acid lead to the accumulation of homocysteine, which may inhibit methyl transfer reactions.⁴ Vitamin B₁₂ helps enhance methionine synthesis and increases the ability of folic acid to lower homocysteine levels for normal methyl metabolism.^5,6  The vitamin is also required for the methylation of proteins involved in the synthesis and maintenance of myelin, and vitamin deficiencies can result in decreased production of myelin sheath, material needed for normal nervous system function.^7,8 As methionine synthase is needed to form red blood cells, deficiencies in vitamin B₁₂ have been associated with the production of abnormally large and irregularly shaped blood cells.⁷

References
1. Allen, LH. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009; 89(suppl): 693S-696S.
2. Nielsen, MJ, Rasmussen, MR, Andersen, CBF, Nexo, E, Moestrup, SK. Nat. Rev. Gastroenterol. Hepatol. 2012; 9: 345-354.
3. Osterhues, A, Ali, NS, Michels, KB. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 2013; 53: 1180-1190.
4. Imbard, A, Benoist, JF, Blom, HJ. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health. 2013; 10: 4352-4389.
5. Fenech, M. Mutation Research. 2012; 733: 21- 33.
6. Czeizel, AE, Dudàs, I, Vereczkey, A, Bànhidy, F. Nutrients. 2013; 5: 4760-4775.
7. Briani, C, Dalla Torre, C, Citton, V, Manara, R, Pompanin, S, Binotto, G, Adami, F. Nutrients. 2013; 5: 4521-4539.
8. Rush, EC, Katre, P, CS Yajnik, CS. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2014; 68: 2-7.