According to the National Institutes of Health, vitamin B12 is found naturally in a variety of animal foods. Since vegetarians and vegans consume few, if any, animal products, they are encouraged to take vitamin B12 supplements. Additionally, people over 50 often don't have enough hydrochloric acid in their stomachs to absorb vitamin B12 from food. People who have undergone gastrointestinal surgery (e.g. bariatric surgery) or suffer from digestive disorders (e.g. celiac disease or Crohn's disease) also have a limited ability to absorb vitamin B12. For these people, foods fortified with vitamin B12 or vitamin B12 supplements provide vitamin B12 in crystalline form, which makes the vitamin easier to digest (“Questions”; “Vitamin B12”). People with pernicious anemia are also unable to absorb vitamin B12. For these patients, doctors usually prescribe vitamin B12 injections or high oral doses of vitamin B12 (“Vitamin B12”). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay If individuals are at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency due to the reasons listed above, consumption of dietary supplements from certified brands should be safe and effective in improving health. Although vitamin B12 supplements have no known side effects, the National Institutes of Health warns that vitamin B12 supplements have not been shown to be effective in reducing the risk of heart disease, countering the onset of dementia, or increasing energy or endurance in athletes and people without vitamin B12. deficiencies. Instead, healthy individuals should get the recommended amounts of vitamin B12 through a well-balanced diet (“Vitamin B12”). Contrary to credible information from credible websites cited above (the National Institutes of Health and the United States Department of Agriculture), many of the uncertified websites promote vitamin B12 supplements and benefits. excessive for health. For example, Vita Sciences sells a B12 patch that claims to use "bioactive absorption technology in an easy-to-use dime-sized patch." A one-month supply costs $20 before shipping and taxes, which is considerably more expensive than vitamin B12 supplements available at neighborhood pharmacies, such as Walgreens. Users are promised that they will "feel energetic all day long" if the patch is applied to the neck behind the earlobe or the inner part of the wrist for up to 24 hours. The supplement is also claimed to increase overall metabolic rate, regulate sleep, mood, appetite and energy, contribute to body detoxification and liver health, increase red blood cell production, maintain healthy nerves and help produce serotonin. While some of these claims may be true, the company fails to list quality certifications, doctor recommendations, or scientific references for its claims, nor are the ingredients or production processes of the vitamin B12 patches. disclosed. Additionally, credible recommendations for vitamin B12 supplements, such as those on the two government websites mentioned above, do not list vitamin B12 patches as recommended sources of supplementation. In fact, the National Institutes of Health..