Some people use the terms cyanocobalamin and vitamin B12 synonymously. Technically, cyanocobalamin is only one of the B12 vitamins, or cobalamins, albeit the most abundant one. The other B12 vitamins that human beings can use are methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin and hydrocobalamin.
There are also other variants of vitamin B12 that are found in a few vegan foods, such as fermented soy and brewer's yeast. It was believed that vegans could avoid vitamin B12 deficiency by supplementing with these products. However, we now know that these vitamin B12 variants are not usable by humans.
Cyanocobalamin is the form of vitamin B12 that we usually get. Cyanocobalamin is the vitamin B12 that is found in most meat and meat products, and in most vitamin B12 supplements. We convert cyanocobalamin to methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin, which are the vitamin B12 forms we can use in metabolic processes. Some people believe that it might be better to supplement with methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin instead of cyanocobalamin.
The cobalamins are organic enzymes with cobalt in them. Cyanocobalamin is a cyanide compound. One interesting use of hydrocobalamin is to treat cyanide poisoning. Cyanide reacts with hydrocobalamin to form cyanocobalamin and water, which are harmless.
Cyanocobalamin cannot be synthesized by either plants or animals. Only bacteria and some algae-type microorganisms can synthesize cyanocobalamin and other usable forms of vitamin B12. We must get cyanocobalamin in our diets or by taking some form of cyanocobalamin supplement. We do not excrete functional cyanocobalamin, but store it in the liver.
After conversion to methyl- and adenosylcobalamin, cyanocobalamin is necessary for DNA synthesis, red blood cell production and maintenance of the myelin sheath around nerves. There may be other metabolic uses for cyanocobalamin that haven't been identified yet.
Cyanocobalamin deficiency usually takes years to develop. When it does develop, the symptoms of cyanocobalamin deficiency are related to its functions; namely nervous system dysfunction and anemia (lack of red blood cells and red blood cells which are abnormal). People with cyanocobalamin deficiency complain of numbness and tingling in the legs and arms, fatigue, weakness, confusion and memory problems. The neurological signs are often seen before signs of anemia.
Sometimes people have cyanocobalamin deficiency even with normal serum vitamin B12 levels. People who have symptoms of cyanocobalamin deficiency may benefit from adding vitamin B12 to their health regimen. Many times cyanocobalamin is poorly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. In order to reliably get the amount of cyanocobalamin you need, using the new B12 Patch may be preferable to cyanocobalamin pills.
