Question: For those of us without access to vitamin B12 injections, can we add eating beef or chicken liver to our diets to improve our usable levels of vitamin B12? Or take desiccated liver supplements, available where I buy my other supplements?

Dr. Brownstein's Answer:

Yes, eating good sources of liver (from organically raised, free-range animals) is an adequate source of absorbable vitamin B12. However, you need to be careful about liver supplements and eating liver. The liver is the body’s main organ responsible for filtering out toxins and other unwanted substances in the diet. If you eat liver or take liver supplements from animals that have been fed or exposed to toxic chemicals, you inadvertently might ingest parts of these chemicals, which does your body no good. If you are unsure of the source, it is best to avoid it.

Having said that, I still feel that you can’t beat vitamin B12 shots. I received an unbelievable amount of mail and e-mails about vitamin B12 after my newsletter on that subject. I still assert that vitamin B12 injections are worth trying for many chronic conditions where fatigue is a complaint. B12 injections are inexpensive and safe. Unfortunately, you can’t get this over the counter. A doctor who is knowledgeable about natural therapies can prescribe natural, injectable vitamin B12 — methyl- or hydroxycobalamin. It must be prescribed. I have trained many of my patients to self-inject vitamin B12 at home. Finally, don’t use the synthetic form of vitamin B12, cyanocobalamin. It can be toxic to the body.