Health benefits at a glance:

First of all, what is B12 (also called cobalamin)? It’s a water-soluble vitamin that plays a vital role in the health of your nervous system, blood cells, and your DNA (B12 helps protect delicate parts of your chromosomes).

Life Extension B12 Elite can deliver 500 mcg each of adenosylcobalamin and methylcobalamin: two neurologically active forms of B12 that can help protect your brain at the cellular level.

Why it works:

What causes B12 deficiency since many people don’t get sufficient amounts of this crucial vitamin? Reasons range from age-related insufficiency to dietary intake. B12 comes primarily from animal sources, so those following a vegetarian diet may not get enough.

The formula B12 Elite combines two bioactive forms of cobalamin, and they are both essential for proper bodily and neurological function.

These “active” forms make it possible for the body to use them right away, in other words; they make it easier for your body to absorb and access the health benefits of vitamin B12.

The science behind the product:

The combination of methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin in B12 Elite can offer optimal cognitive support and promote brain health and function. The benefits of these two bioactive forms of B12 are:

• Adenosylcobalamin  
  

This active form of cobalamin B12 helps preserve neuronal function.

Leucine-Rich Repeat Kinase 2 (LRRK2) is a type of enzyme that modifies other proteins by adding phosphate groups. (1) Inhibiting the activity of this enzyme has been associated with helping to preserve neuronal tissue. (2)

A series of preclinical studies indicate that the adenosylcobalamin form of B12 can inhibit the activity of multiple LRRK2 variants in neurons by decreasing phosphorylation (the addition of phosphate groups to amino acids). (3)

These studies found that adenosylcobalamin helped regulate the healthy release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that plays an important role in cognitive functions such as motor control, arousal, reinforcement, and reward. (3-6)

Adenosylcobalamin is also a cofactor for energy metabolism. It’s active in the mitochondria, the powerhouses of your cells. It’s required as a cofactor for the synthesis of succinyl-CoA, a compound that supports cellular energy metabolism. (7-9)

• Methylcobalamin  
  

This is another neurologically active form of B12 (though in different ways than adenosylcobalamin) that is important for cellular health and much more.

Methylcobalamin supports the central nervous system, and it’s essential for the replication and growth of cells. (10)

It also helps to maintain already healthy homocysteine levels. (11-14) A key to maintaining healthy cardiovascular and neurological function is inhibiting excess levels of homocysteine.  

Please note, that Life Extension also offers BioActive Complete B-Complex formula: a wide spectrum of B vitamins for whole-body health.

How to use:

Please take according to the dosage and use guidelines under supplement facts, or as recommended by a healthcare practitioner.