Side-by-Side Comparison
Essential Vitamins & Minerals
Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) vs. Vitamin B9 (Folate & Folic Acid)
Comparing 2 standards across 9 specifications. 9 key differences identified.
Comparing:
Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)
Vitamin B9 (Folate & Folic Acid)
Vitamin B12 is a cobalt-containing water-soluble corrinoid synthesized exclusively by microorganisms. Adult RDA is 2.4µg/day (no Upper Limit established), required for DNA synthesis, methionine synthase homocysteine conversion, and myelin sheath maintenance.
Vitamin B9 comprises natural dietary folates (polyglutamates) and synthetic folic acid (monoglutamate). Adult RDA is 400 µg DFE, with a Tolerable Upper Limit of 1,000 µg/day synthetic folic acid, essential as a single-carbon donor in thymidylate DNA synthesis and neural tube closure.
Specification Comparison Table
9 Parameters| Parameter / Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Nutrient Type
|
Water-Soluble Corrinoid Vitamin | Water-Soluble Pteroylglutamate Vitamin |
|
Adult RDA / RDI
|
2.4 µg / day (2.6µg pregnancy, 2.8µg lactation) | 400 µg DFE / day (600 µg DFE pregnancy / prevents neural tube defects) |
|
Tolerable Upper Limit (UL)
|
None Established (Extremely low toxicity) | 1,000 µg / day (Synthetic folic acid only; masks B12 deficiency neuropathy) |
|
Chemical Forms
|
Methylcobalamin (Active), Adenosylcobalamin (Active), Cyanocobalamin (Stable synthetic) | (6S)-5-Methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF, active circulating form), Tetrahydrofolate (THF), Folic Acid (Pteroylmonoglutamic acid, synthetic) |
|
Primary Biological Function
|
Methionine synthase cofactor, Methylmalonyl-CoA mutase cofactor, Myelin integrity, Erythropoiesis | 1-Carbon transfer reactions, dUMP -> dTMP methylation (Thymidine DNA synthesis), Methionine-Homocysteine cycle, Erythropoiesis |
|
Deficiency Condition
|
Pernicious / Megaloblastic Anemia, Irreversible Neurological Peripheral Neuropathy | Neural Tube Defects (Spina bifida, anencephaly in fetuses), Megaloblastic Macrocytic Anemia, Elevated Homocysteine |
|
Top Whole Food Sources
|
Oysters, Beef Liver, Sardines, Salmon, Beef, Dairy, Eggs (Absent in unfortified plant foods) | Beef Liver, Spinach, Asparagus, Brussels Sprouts, Roman Lentils, Chickpeas, Fortified Flours |
|
Absorption Mechanism
|
Requires Gastric Acid, R-Protein, and Intrinsic Factor (IF) via Ileal Cubam receptors | — |
|
MTHFR Genetic Polymorphism
|
— | Homozygous MTHFR C677T variant reduces folate reduction activity by ~70%, benefiting from direct 5-MTHF supplementation |
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