What is the difference between methylcobalamin and hydroxocobalamin

Hydroxocobalamin is a highly bioavailable form of Vitamin B12 that is used to treat people with a serious deficiency. Methylcobalamin is the most bio-available type of Vitamin B12 which means the body absorbs it more easily. It is the most active form of Vitamin B12 and is used mainly in the liver, brain and nervous system. Adenosylcobalamin is also a naturally occurring, co-enzyme form of Vitamin B Additionally, Adenosylcobalamin is a key component of the myelin sheath which protects the nerve cells in the body and brain and enables them to respond very quickly to stimuli.

Hydroxocobalamin is naturally produced by bacteria in the digestive tract when food sources are broken down. It can also be developed in a laboratory by extracting it from micro-organisms. This form of Vitamin B12 is readily converted by the body into Adenosylcobalamin and Methylcobalamin ready for the cells to absorb and use it. Cyanocobalamin is an artificial form of Vitamin B12 which the body converts into the active forms of Methylcobalamin and Adenosylcobalamin, ready for use.

It contains a cyanide molecule that gives it stability in products and the body. This article…. This is a detailed article about the health benefits of fish. Fish is high in omega-3 fatty acids, and can help protect against many diseases. Vitamin B12 is an important water-soluble vitamin, and deficiency is common.

Here are 9 signs and symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency. This article examines the benefits of B-complex vitamins, as well as dosage and…. Though all 20 amino acids are vital for your health, only nine are classified as essential. Here are important facts about these essential amino acids,. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Nutrition Evidence Based Methylcobalamin vs. Synthetic vs. May be absorbed and retained differently.

Both methylcobalamin and cyanocobalamin can be converted to other forms of vitamin B Both forms have health benefits. In one study , methyl B12 at daily doses of 6,mcg for four months improved sperm count by This is incredible.

One study reported a case of a 48 year old woman with motor weakness, dementia, sensory disturbances, and widespread coarse hair. Classic B12 deficiency symptoms. In response to methyl B12 shots mcg every other day , her weird sensations resolved, dementia was reduced, hand grip strengthened, hair texture normalized, and she was now able to walk on tiptoe. Results like this are not by any means rare. In one study , high homocysteine levels went from Because of this effect, methyl B12 is useful in children with autism, and in reducing cognitive decline and cardiovascular outcomes in older patients.

The science on methyl B12 and sleep is really promising. Eight young males were subjected to a single blind cross-over test to see the effects of vitamin B12 methylcobalamin on the phase-response of the circadian melatonin rhythm to a single bright light exposure. VB12 0. A serial blood sampling was performed under dim light condition less than lx and plasma melatonin rhythm was determined before and after a single bright light exposure lx for 3 h at h.

The melatonin rhythm before the light exposure showed a smaller amplitude in the VB12 trial than in the placebo. The light exposure phase-advanced the melatonin rhythm significantly in the VB12 trail, but not in the placebo. These findings indicate that VB12 enhances the light-induced phase-shift in the human circadian rhythm. It makes sense, because the formation of melatonin requires a methyl group. Another study reported that methyl B12 shots improved alertness and increased rectal temp in later daytime hours.

This suggests that B12 indeed affects the circadian clock. One study tested the effects of methyl and cyano B12 on circadian rhythms, well-being, alertness, and concentration in healthy subjects. Sleep time was significantly lower in the methyl B12 group, who reported better sleep quality, focus and a refreshed feel. His sleep-wake cycle had been 25 hours, but normalized after taking methyl B12, which caused his plasma melatonin and beta-endorphin levels to more or less match those of healthy volunteers.

His peak cortisol time shifted backwards. We also saw a case where methyl B12 successfully treated a 32 year old man suffering from recurrent hypersomnia for 12 years. Two adolescent patients suffering from persistent sleep-wake schedule disorders appear to have responded to treatment with vitamin B12 methylcobalamin. A year-old girl with delayed sleep phase syndrome DSPS and a year-old boy with hypernychthemeral syndrome complained of not being able to attend school despite many trials of medication.

Neither patient showed any laboratory or clinical evidence of vitamin B12 deficiency or hypothyroidism which can cause B12 deficiency. Serum concentrations of vitamin B12 during treatment were in the high range of normal or above normal.

Then methyl B12 may help modulate your melatonin secretion, enhance your light sensitivity, and normalize your circadian and sleep-wake rhythm. In a randomized study , 67 stroke patients received daily doses of mcg methyl B12, while 68 remained untreated. After two years, sensory nerve in the treated group improved significantly compared to the untreated group.

Speaking of stroke, combining methyl B12 with folate is effective in reducing the risk of hip fractures in elderly patients following stroke. Add clonidine and moxonidine to the mix, and you improve baroreflex function in stroke-prone, hypertensive rats. Some Chinese studies found methyl B12 helpful in lumbar disc herniation , thalamic pain , glaucoma , cervical spondylosis , and cubital tunnel syndrome.

They also found methyl B12 shots with acupuncture to help against intractable facial paralysis. Now, how does methylcobalamin compare to cyanocobalamin, the previous form we examined, when it comes to absorption rate and bio-availability? Because of the effort needed to reduce cyano B12 to an active form, its absorption rate varies greatly between people.

In contrast, methyl B12 absorbs and retains in the body much better. It is so potent even orally it may help treating pernicious anemia :. Blood tests indicated macrocytic anemia. The laboratory data demonstrated a normal folic acid level with a low vitamin B12 level. An endoscopic examination indicated no signs of gastric or intestinal bleeding. Positive results for anti-intrinsic factor antibodies were strongly suggestive of pernicious anemia.

The patient refused cobalamin injections to treat the anemia. However, the oral administration of mecobalamin for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy was simultaneously initiated.

Subsequently, the anemia gradually improved. Oral mecobalamin was presumably effective for pernicious anemia management. But it still goes to show you the power of methyl B12 among all vitamin B12 forms. Hydroxocobalamin, a predominant form in B12 rich foods , is an inactive type of B Compared to cyano B12, it has a higher affinity to plasma protein and a longer half life, retaining longer in the blood.

Cyanocobalamin is the inactive form of vitamin B12 that is FDA-approved for the treatment of vitamin B12 deficiency. This version is considered the poorest and therefore cheapest version of vitamin B It is created in a lab and makes it one of the most stable forms of B It also requires the presence of a cyanide molecule and while the amount of cyanide is not dangerous, it does require the body to expend energy to convert and remove it.

The process used to detoxify cyanocobalamin could deplete glutathione reserves, a compound necessary for this detoxification. Once used up, cyanocobalamin could theoretically cause cyanide toxicity particularly in those with kidney failure. High-dose cyanocobalamin leads to accumulation of cyanide in patients with renal failure. B vitamin therapy is beneficial in patients with good renal function, but harmful in patients with significantly impaired renal function.

Compared to cyanocobalamin, hydroxocobalamin has a higher affinity to plasma protein and has a longer half life. This makes hydroxocobalamin last longer in the blood stream and therefore result to fewer injections. Although it is not an FDA-approved formulation, hydroxocobalamin is recommended worldwide by the World Health Organization WHO as a drug of choice for the treatment of vitamin B12 deficiency. The nasal absorption of hydroxocobalamin is so high that weekly application could prove a good alternative for monthly injections.

Hydroxycobalamin is also an approved effective agent against cyanide poisoning. It binds with the cyanide molecules to convert it into cyanocobalamin which is then excreted via urination resulting in cyanide detoxification.

Limited data on human poisonings with cyanide salts suggest that hydroxocobalamin is an effective antidote. Read more about the Functional Benefits of Hydrocobalamin.

Methylcobalamin helps reduce homocystein concentration by converting homocysteine to methionine through a methylation process. This function makes methylcobalamin effective in treating autism in children.