Each tablet contains: Vitamin B12 500 mcg. Other Ingredients: Calcium Phosphate Dibasic Dihydrate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Croscarmellose Sodium, Magnesium Stearate, Mannitol, Silicon Dioxide, Stearic Acid.
Brand name products often contain multiple ingredients. To read detailed information about each ingredient, click on the link for the individual ingredient shown above.
In 2004, Canada began regulating natural medicines as a category of products separate from foods or drugs. These products are officially recognized as "Natural Health Products." These products include vitamins, minerals, herbal preparations, homeopathic products, probiotics, fatty acids, amino acids, and other naturally derived supplements.
In order to be marketed in Canada, natural health products must be licensed. In order to be licensed in Canada, manufacturers must submit applications to Health Canada including information about uses, formulation, dosing, safety, and efficacy.
Products can be licensed based on several criteria. Some products are licensed based on historical or traditional uses. For example, if an herbal product has a history of traditional use, then that product may be acceptable for licensure. In this case, no reliable scientific evidence is required for approval.
For products with non-traditional uses, some level of scientific evidence may be required to support claimed uses. However, a high level of evidence is not necessarily required. Acceptable sources of evidence include at least one well-designed, randomized, controlled trial; well-designed, non-randomized trials; cohort and case control studies; or expert opinion reports.
Finished products licensed by Health Canada must be manufactured according to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) as outlined by Health Canada.
Below is general information about the effectiveness of the known ingredients contained in the product Vitamin B12 500 mcg. Some ingredients may not be listed. This information does NOT represent a recommendation for or a test of this specific product as a whole.
INSUFFICIENT RELIABLE EVIDENCE to RATE
Below is general information about the safety of the known ingredients contained in the product Vitamin B12 500 mcg. Some ingredients may not be listed. This information does NOT represent a recommendation for or a test of this specific product as a whole.
LIKELY SAFE ...when used orally, topically, intravenously, intramuscularly, or intranasally and appropriately. Vitamin B12 is generally considered safe, even in large doses (15,1344,1345,1346,1347,1348,2909,6243,7289,7881)(9414,9416,10126,14392,15765,82832,82949,82860,82864,90386)(111334,111551).
PREGNANCY: LIKELY SAFE
when used orally in amounts that do not exceed the recommended dietary allowance (RDA).
The RDA for vitamin B12 during pregnancy is 2.6 mcg daily (6243). There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of larger amounts of vitamin B12 during pregnancy.
LACTATION: LIKELY SAFE
when used orally in amounts that do not exceed the recommended dietary allowance (RDA).
The RDA of vitamin B12 during lactation is 2.8 mcg daily (6243). There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of larger amounts of vitamin B12 while breastfeeding.
Below is general information about the interactions of the known ingredients contained in the product Vitamin B12 500 mcg. Some ingredients may not be listed. This information does NOT represent a recommendation for or a test of this specific product as a whole.
Below is general information about the adverse effects of the known ingredients contained in the product Vitamin B12 500 mcg. Some ingredients may not be listed. This information does NOT represent a recommendation for or a test of this specific product as a whole.
General
...Orally, intramuscularly, and topically, vitamin B12 is generally well-tolerated.
Most Common Adverse Effects:
Intramuscular: Injection site reactions.
Serious Adverse Effects (Rare):
Intramuscularly: Severe hypokalemia has been rarely linked with correction of megaloblastic anemia with vitamin B12.
Cardiovascular ...In human clinical research, an intravenous loading dose of folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12, followed by daily oral administration after coronary stenting, increased restenosis rates (12150). Hypertension following intravenous administration of hydroxocobalamin has been reported in human research (82870,82864).
Dermatologic
...Orally or intramuscularly, vitamin B12 can cause allergic reactions such as rash, pruritus, erythema, and urticaria.
Theoretically, allergic reactions might be caused by the cobalt within the vitamin B12 molecule (82864,90373,90381,103974). In one case report, oral methylcobalamin resulted in contact dermatitis in a 59-year-old Japanese female with a cobalt allergy (103974). In another case report, a 69-year-old female developed a symmetrical erythematous-squamous rash for 5 years after oral vitamin B12 supplementation for 10 years. A patch test confirmed that the systemic allergic dermatitis was due to vitamin B12 supplementation, which resolved 3 months after discontinuation (114578).
Vitamin B12 (intramuscular or oral) has also been associated with at least 19 cases of acneiform eruptions which resolved upon discontinuation of vitamin B12 (90365,90369,90388). High-dose vitamin B12 (20 mcg daily) and vitamin B6 (80 mg daily) have been associated with cases of rosacea fulminans characterized by intense erythema with nodules, papules, and pustules. Symptoms may last up to four months after the supplement is stopped and can be treated with systemic corticosteroids and topical therapy (10998,82870,82871).
Gastrointestinal ...Intravenously, vitamin B12 (hydroxocobalamin) 2. 5-10 grams can cause nausea and dysphagia (82864).
Genitourinary ...Intravenously, vitamin B12 (hydroxocobalamin) 5-15 grams has been associated with chromaturia in clinical research (82870,82871,112282,112264).
Hematologic ...According to case report data, the correction of megaloblastic anemia with vitamin B12 may result in fatal hypokalemia (82914).
Musculoskeletal ...According to case report data, correction of megaloblastic anemia with vitamin B12 has precipitated gout in susceptible individuals (82879).
Neurologic/CNS ...Treatment with vitamin B12 has been rarely associated with involuntary movements in infants with vitamin B12 deficiency (90370,90385,90397). In some cases these adverse reactions were misdiagnosed as seizures or infantile tremor syndrome (90370,90385). These adverse reactions presented 2-5 days after treatment with vitamin B12 and resolved once vitamin B12 was discontinued (90370,90385,90397).
Oncologic ...Although some epidemiological research disagrees (9454), most research has found that elevated plasma levels of vitamin B12 are associated with an increased risk of various types of cancer, including lung and prostate cancers and solid tumors (50411,102383,107743). One study found, when compared with blood levels of vitamin B12 less than 1000 ng/mL, plasma vitamin B12 levels of at least 1000 ng/mL was strongly associated with the occurrence of solid cancer (107743). It is unclear if increased intake of vitamin B12, either through the diet or supplementation, directly affects the risk of cancer. It is possible that having cancer increases the risk of vitamin B12 elevation. However, one observational study has found that the highest quintile of dietary intake of vitamin B12 is associated with a 75% increased incidence of developing esophageal cancer when compared with the lowest quintile in never drinkers, but not drinkers (107147).
Renal ...There is a case report of oxalate nephropathy in a 54-year-old male which was determined to be related to the use of intravenous hydroxocobalamin as treatment for cyanide poisoning. Intermittent hemodialysis was started 5 days after admission, along with a low-oxalate diet, oral calcium acetate, and pyridoxine 5 mg/kg daily (107148). A review of the use of intravenous hydroxocobalamin for suspected cyanide poisoning in 21 intensive care units in France between 2011 and 2017 resulted in a 60% increased odds of acute kidney injury and a 77% increased odds of severe acute kidney injury in the first week. However, biopsies were not conducted and a direct link with use of hydroxocobalamin could not be made (107139).
Other ...Several studies have found that higher vitamin B12 levels may be associated with increased mortality or decreased survival rates in hospitalized elderly patients (82889,82812,82857,82895). Human research has also found a positive correlation between vitamin B12 status and all-cause mortality in Pima Indians with diabetes (82863).
