Methylcobalamin is a form of vitamin B12 that the human body can metabolize. Humans must consume animal products to obtain B12, which is essential for proper nervous system function, blood formation, and DNA synthesis. Lack of B12 can cause pernicious anemia and other symptoms.
Methylcobalamin is a form of vitamin B12, and is also written as MeCBl or MeB12. It is one of the four cobalamin compounds that the human body can metabolize. A cobalamin compound contains a central cobalt ion, with one of four particular groups attached to its parent ligand. These can be cyanide, hydroxide, adenosine, or a methyl group.
All vitamin B12 compounds are soluble in water, and bacteria produce the natural forms of B12, such as methylcobalamin. These bacteria are present in the human liver, but the cobalamin compounds produced there are not usable by the body and are eliminated with feces. To obtain the required amount of vitamin B12 from dietary sources, humans must consume animal products. Plants produce a compound similar in structure to B12, but actually inhibits B12 activity in humans.
In addition to the natural forms of vitamin B12, humans can also use a synthetic version, cyanocobalamin. This form of the vitamin also occurs in nature, but very rarely. It is much cheaper to synthetically produce this version of the vitamin for supplements than it is to isolate any of the natural forms. Once in the body, cyanocobalamin is converted to methylcobalamin.
Vitamin B12 is essential in humans to ensure proper function of the nervous system. It also plays a role in blood formation. In addition, this vitamin helps in the production of fatty acids and has an active role in the metabolism of all cells in the body. It is especially important for DNA synthesis. Methylcobalamin has been used medically to treat sleep rhythm disorders, but with limited success.
Lack of vitamin B12 in the body leads to pernicious anemia, a condition that inhibits DNA replication. It also causes low blood pressure, minor cognitive impairment, and jaundice. Pernicious anemia is also known as Addison-Biermer anemia.
There is also a rare genetic disorder known as Arakawa II syndrome, which causes a deficiency in the enzyme needed to metabolize methylcobalamin. This disorder leads to the same symptoms as pernicious anemia. Arakawa syndrome II is an autosomal dominant disorder, which means that only one copy of the faulty gene is needed in a body for the methylcobalamin-metabolizing enzyme to stop working.
Humans require between one and two micrograms (mcg) of vitamin B12 per day. A typical North American diet will easily provide this amount. The liver is capable of accumulating this vitamin, and because of this it can take up to two years for a deficiency to become apparent.
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