When it comes to strong bones, you’re probably aware that you need calcium and vitamin D. Some may even know that vitamin K plays an equally important role.
And as far as joint health is concerned, you’ve probably heard about chondroitin, glucosamine and maybe even MSM — all of which are important for healthy joints.
Few are aware, however, that vitamin B12 is also a key player for strong bones and joints — and consequently many may be completely lacking in this water-soluble vitamin.
Vitamin B12: THE Vitamin for Strong Bones and Joints
Vitamin B12 is often touted as an energy booster, but it does far more for your health than that. Vitamin B12 is a key player in your body’s nerve and blood cell health, and it also helps to make DNA and prevent a certain type of anemia that can make you very weak.
Vitamin B12 is also known to help lower homocysteine, high levels of which are linked to dementia, heart attack and stroke. What is often overlooked? Vitamin B12 is also crucial for your bones and joints. Consider:
- Vitamin B12 deficiency is linked to low bone mineral density in men and women, and has been called an “important modifiable risk factor for osteoporosis”[i]
- Supplementing with vitamin B12 and folate may reduce the risk of hip fractures in elderly people[ii]
- A case report from Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital concluded that a 62-year-old man’s severe joint pain and other symptoms, including trouble walking, were due to lack of vitamin B12[iii]
Vitamin B12 is Difficult to Absorb: Are You Getting Enough?
Vitamin B12 is found in animal foods like meat, poultry, eggs, fish and dairy products, which is why vegetarians and vegans are at a high risk of deficiency. However, vitamin B12 also requires a two-step process to be absorbed by your body, and some people have difficulty absorbing. This includes people over 50, many of whom don’t have adequate hydrochloric acid in their stomach, which is necessary for proper absorption of vitamin B12 from foods.
Those with digestive disorders (celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, etc.) or who have had weight loss surgery or other gastrointestinal surgery may also have trouble with absorption.[iv] Certain medications, including proton pump inhibitors, certain antibiotics, and the diabetes drug Metformin may also interfere with your body’s absorption or use of vitamin B12.
The end result is that, even though animal products are commonly consumed in the United States, many Americans are deficient in vitamin B12, putting their bones and joints at risk. It’s estimated that anywhere from 1.5 percent to 15 percent of U.S. adults suffer from vitamin B12 deficiency, many without knowing.
As reported in the journal Nutrients:[v]
“Vitamin B(12) deficiency is common, mainly due to limited dietary intake of animal foods or malabsorption of the vitamin. Vegetarians are at risk of vitamin B(12) deficiency as are other groups with low intakes of animal foods or those with restrictive dietary patterns.
Malabsorption of vitamin B(12) is most commonly seen in the elderly, secondary to gastric achlorhydria. The symptoms of sub-clinical deficiency are subtle and often not recognized. The long-term consequences of sub-clinical deficiency are not fully known but may include adverse effects on pregnancy outcomes, vascular, cognitive, bone and eye health.”
As for how much is recommended, adults are advised to get 2.4 micrograms of vitamin B12 daily. According to Harvard Health Publications:[vi]
“If you are over age 50, the Institute of Medicine recommends that you get extra B12 from a supplement, since you may not be able to absorb enough of the vitamin through foods.”
Exceed Your Daily Requirement of B12 PLUS 10 Other Key Nutrients for Bone and Joint Health
The beauty of getting your nutrients from whole foods is that they are combined with other key nutrients that work synergistically to optimize your health. So, too, is the case with Super Joint Support®, a brand new, all-natural formula that spent nearly a year in development alone.
Super Joint Support® contains 250 mcg of vitamin B12, useful for correcting low levels, along with other natural ingredients proven to support your bones and joint health. This includes vitamins D and K2 for optimal bone health plus:
Hydrolyzed collagen type II, which improves joint comfort and mobility- Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), which contains a naturally occurring form of sulfur in the human body, which helps provide the raw material for cell creation and repair
- Chondroitin sulfate, which is essential for the structure and healthy function of your connective tissue, and is naturally found in the cartilage around your joints
- Glucosamine, which is found naturally throughout your body, but especially in your cartilage
… and much, much more. If you want relief from joint pain or you want to be proactive in supporting your bone and joint health, you want to cover all of your bases. Vitamin B12 is a great start, but Super Joint Support gives you B12 plus 10 other supportive nutrients for the ultimate in bone and joint care.
Learn More about Super Joint Support® Right Now!
I am a healthy senior of 73 yrs young. Your web cite is excellent. I have learned quite a bit. Thank You! Nancy
O.K., what am I doing wrong? I have been taking a chondroitin, glucosamine and MSM supplement for, at least, the last five years. Daily I take a D2 supplement (2000 iu) and a B-Complex supplement which includes, among other things, B-12 at a level that s 250% of the RDA, and a supplement with additional C, plus K and Lutein for vision care. So it seems to me I am talking all of the supplements you indicated in the article that people take or should take. What am I doing wrong? Because I have been struggling for the last 8 week or so with an incredible sciatica issue which, despite doing physical therapy — which included a number of the exercises listed and defined both on the web-site and in the book — has only grown worse to the point where I can’t even do the exercises anymore.
“Hydrolyzed collagen type II” ??? — is that the same as “un-denatured collagen type II,” which is what I have been reading about as most highly recommended ?
William, let me help you understand the difference, between the two…
Un-denatured, the term simple mean in its raw state…
Un-denatured collagen type II, is raw chicken sternum, put in to a vat of hydrogen peroxide for a set amount of time, dried and then grounded into power. The dosing for this is between 10 and 40mg, and please follow manufactures suggestion as it can be extremely harmful if you use more then that…
The difference in its action is that it has a substance called “epitopes” and they help in the persons immune response to RA and OA… BUT un-denatured does not help in the production of additional collagen for the joint.
Hydrolyzed, the term mean water and enzymes are used to pre-digest
Hydrolyzed Collagen type II, in it raw state, is put in to 180 degree water, with proper pH and enzymes are used to breakdown the collagen into Amino Acids for a set amount of time, then dried and grounded into power for encapsulation… With that done it is now a food that is safe to take up to 10 grams and unlike un-denatured it can provide many different nutrients and in turn help rebuild joint cartilage….
Hope that helps, and for the recorded the HBI supports the use of Hydrolyzed Collagen type II, for it many benefits over un-denatured collagen…
Does it also help symptoms of RA and OA or is the un-denatured better?
Sarah
Sarah, We do not suggest or support undenatured collagen, as any more then 40mg can be quite dangerous, and there is no support for the idea that undenatured helps regenerate collagen… Now the attraction to undenatured collagen is that it contains and active immune modulator that reduces the secretion of enzymes that break down collagen, so there is a benefit, we just prefer Hydrolyzed Collagen…
Thanks
Steve
Tim, you many not be doing anything wrong, you just may have some missing links, but before I can help you can you tell use what is your specific diagnosis in other words what is causing your Sciatica, as the pain running down your leg called Sciatica is not a condition but rather a symptom of a condition, what is that condition?
Steve
G8 there’s a lot of tightness running down both sides of my buttocks towards my tailbone up towards the top of my legs in my hips also right up above my knees and in my calves sometimes it’s excruciating to try to straighten up I’ve been taking your supplements and it’s a little bit better but not a whole lot
Tim… It’s been a while since you posted but in case you
revisit for replies….. let me suggest that the D vitamin we
all ‘NEED’ is D3.. and you could double that dose quoted
for an improved result. D2 not so much but D3 absolutely
is essential/vital/critical to our health in so many ways.
Always check the vitamins you are paying for are natural.
Natural vitamins have a ‘life factor’ or ‘living aura’ which is
where the health quality comes from.
Synthetic ‘vitamins’ are exactly that… well named… as they
are simply wannabe’s or lookalikes with maybe a remarkable
‘resemblance’ to the real thing but no matter how exact the
chemical formula copy… synthetic ‘vitamins’ have no / zero
‘life factor’ or ‘living aura’… they’re just ‘dead chemical copies’…
fakes… unable to provide any true health quality… but a great
money spinner for those ‘pharming you’ for their unbelievably
megapriced ‘pills’ made out of cheap nano-priced chemicals.
Lots of good study info and data on the search engines….
just type in the word ‘vitamins’ to get started… and it will open
up all manner of sites with both good and bad info… some of
them with good philosophy and protocols… others as usual in
it to game you and relieve you of your money. After you’ve
been a student for a while though you can spot the difference
and end up wiser.. healthier.. (and richer.. LOL). All the best.
I take vitamin D3 in super joint supplement I also take heal n soothe 15mg hemp extract
I have been taking Viactiv for D3 2000 IUs a day for bone and immune health because I have Osteoporosis and I still have pain in my bones and joints, what do you recommend that I might be able to do to solve this problem? My Drs. only seem to be able to find so much, but have had this problem sinse 2014 after breast cancer surgery. I did not have chemo just radiation and it has been one surgery after another since then. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, Thanks ! Debbie.