A study found that eating 5 g of nori per day for 4 weeks significantly improved vitamin B12 levels in vegetarians.

Vitamin B12 is an important nutrient found in eggs and dairy products, including cheese and yogurt, fermented tofu, kimchi and mushrooms, among other plant foods. Many plant-based milks are also fortified with B12.

Vegetarian diets may be deficient in this vitamin. A recent report on European Journal of Nutrition examined how dietary nori (from purple laver) can improve B12 levels in vegetarians.

Vegetarian diets and B12 deficiency

Meat only contributes 25% of the greenhouse gases (GHG) produced by meat-based diets. However, plant-based foods must be modified to ensure they contain all the necessary nutrients, including B12. In a recent Taiwanese study, vitamin B12 deficiency was present in 26% of vegetarians versus 1% of omnivores.

Sea vegetables and B12

Edible plants from the sea, including algae, form part of the East Asian diet. They contain B12 but also inactive analogues that competitively block B12 absorption.

Purple laver is a sea vegetable (family Neopyropia). It can provide the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of 2.4 µg. However, Western nutritionists do not support seaweed, including nori, as a source of B12.

In Taiwan, fried nori is widely used. Its bioavailability of vitamin B12 has not been measured in a well-designed controlled trial (RCT), leading to the present study.

The aim was to evaluate whether nori is a bioavailable source of B12 and whether its consumption can sufficiently improve the levels of B12 in the RDA in vegetarians.

About education

The researchers designed an open-label RCT. Participants were between the ages of 20 and 60, had been vegetarian for at least a year, and had not taken supplements containing B12, folate, or fortified yeast. Other confounding factors were also excluded.

Those who were already consuming eggs, milk, or fortified plant milk were specifically instructed to continue the same diet, as the B12 dose would be adjusted to basically.

The participants were assigned to one of three groups: controls (no nori), low dose (5 g nori or 2.4 μg vitamin B12 per day), and high dose (8 g nori, or 4 μg vitamin B12 per day Recommended values ​​in the USA and Taiwan’s adequate intake (AI) recommended by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), respectively.

The intervention was carried out for four weeks. However, due to the low content of B12 in the nori used during the trial, the intake values ​​were adjusted to 1.9 µg and 3.1 µg for 5 g and 8 g of nori, respectively.

A panel of serum B12 markers was used to overcome the limitations of a single marker. These included serum vitamin B12, holotranscobalamin (holoTC), homocysteine ​​(Hcy), and methylmalonic acid (MMA), and a composite score, the 4cB12 score.

Dietary B12 content was measured at baseline and after four weeks using standard dietary questionnaires. Baseline measures were used to arrive at least square means (LSM) of changes in B12 levels across the study period.

Nori improves B12 levels

During the study, B12 intake increased from an average of 0.3 µg/day to 2.0 µg/day and from 0.5 µg/day to 3.5 µg/day in groups with low levels and higher, respectively. Overall, the contribution of nori was 1.9 µg and 3.1 µg, respectively.

In both groups of nori, all biomarkers of vitamin B12 improved, indicating a steady reduction in the prevalence of B12 deficiency in the study, in contrast to different changes in the control biomarkers.

Nori consumption increased serum B12, holoTC, Hcy, and 4cB12 levels. Serum MMA levels remained constant across the three groups but improved in the low-dose group.

In the low dose group, the B12 level increased to a stable level compared to the control. LSM was +59 pmol/L, while holoTC increased by 28.2 pmol/L and Hcy decreased by 3.7 µmol/L. 4cB12 score increased by 0.67.

Similar changes without a dose-dependent increase occurred in the high-dose group of B12, Hcy, and 4cB12. No significant changes were observed in serum folate levels in either group.

The lack of a dose-response effect may be due to the saturation of intrinsic factor (IF), which is responsible for the absorption of B12. Variations in B12 content per pack of nori may also contribute, as they ranged from 23.1 to 52.8 µg/100 g of nori in year-round samples. However, all major types of nori contained at least 50% of the B12 RDA, indicating that this is a reliable source of B12.

It is clear that Nori produces B12, whereas fermented products or composted vegetables obtain B12 from microorganisms that will produce B12 or unintended contamination.

Conflicting findings in other studies may be due to the inclusion of other B12-analog sea vegetables and algae. Errors in the dietary questionnaire, confounding different types of sea vegetables, may have contributed. Different working methods and fatigue of consuming more than 8 g nori per day (the maximum of this study) are other sources of error.

The end

Consumption of 5 g nori per day for four weeks was associated with a significant improvement in serum vitamin B12 levels, with no further increase seen at higher doses. These findings indicate that nori contains bioavailable B12 and not an inhibitory analog of B12. Other seaweeds, such as Wolffia globosa duckweed and Taiwan laver, should be tried individually.

The increase in B12 is comparable to that achieved by adding milk, whey powder, or toothpaste containing B12 fortifications or oral B12 supplements to a vegetarian or vegan diet. However, the only previous study showing normal levels of B12 in vegetarians is the Adventist Health Study-2, due to their consumption of fortified foods and supplements.

Multiple intake of Nori combined with food containing B12 can improve the absorption of B12 and avoid consumption fatigue.

Are electrolytes on your mind? Due to the recent increase in products such as Liquid IV and LMNT, in 2023, electrolyte compounds made $36.56 billion, according to research – and 2024 estimates have a market that is growing more 10% to $40.32 billion. And there are influencers who promote them, like TikTok nutritionists who say adding electrolytes to your water every morning is “non-negotiable” for “a laundry list of health benefits.” health,” or healthy electrolytes improve mental clarity and focus. With all these indications, getting into the electrolyte supplement game can be tempting. But do you really need them to work properly? The answer is complicated.

What are electrolytes? What are electrolyte powders?

First of all: It is important to distinguish between electrolytes and electrolyte supplements (usually powders that you dissolve in your drink) that are currently popular.

Electrolyte powders contain different electrolytes, which are substances that have a positive or negative electrical charge when dissolved in water. These electrolytes are “important chemicals that serve many important functions in our bodies,” North Carolina-based nutritionist Christine Byrne tells Yahoo Life.

Electrolytes help regulate blood pressure and heart function, maintain fluid balance (ie, keep us hydrated) and support muscles and nerves, Byrne says.

The main electrolytes that serve these functions are sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride and calcium, as well as phosphate and bicarbonate. Your body produces bicarbonate, Byrne says, but you get all the other electrolytes from food, drinks and supplements.

That’s where electrolyte powders come in. Typically, electrolyte powder contains three main ingredients: sodium, magnesium and potassium. They may contain sugar-sugar-substitutes, as well as added flavors or vitamins.

Why are electrolytes so important? What happens if I don’t fit?

Your body needs electrolytes — there’s no way to maintain hydration and function properly without them, says nutritionist Alex Larson.

When you drink fluids that contain water and electrolytes, they pass through your digestive system and into your bloodstream, helping to hydrate your cells better, increasing the rate of water absorption.

If you lack electrolytes, you may experience muscle cramps or feel tired or dizzy. In more severe cases, you may experience headaches, confusion, irregular heartbeats or nausea.

If you lose too many electrolytes (such as through sweating) or drink too much water without replenishing it, it can dilute the sodium in your blood, leading to a condition known as hyponatremia. which can cause serious health problems, such as. frustration, if not resolved.

On the other hand, too much sodium (an important electrolyte that is one of the three main components of most electrolyte powders on the market) can make you feel bloated or bloated. This is especially important for people with kidney or heart problems, who may have difficulty managing sodium levels effectively, putting them at greater risk of conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease and failure. when the kidneys. An excess of electrolyte potassium, meanwhile, can cause hyperkalemia and cardiac arrhythmias and confusion.

Should I replenish electrolytes?

Electrolytes are important – but that doesn’t mean we all need to fill them up with powder. While Larson notes that “everyone loses fluid and electrolytes through daily bodily processes such as breathing, digesting food and sweating,” he says that “many people replenish them with fluids what they drink and the food they eat without much thought.”

Foods rich in electrolytes include:

• Bananas (potassium)

• Watermelon (potassium, magnesium)

• Spinach (magnesium, potassium)

• Avocado (potassium, magnesium)

• Coconut water (potassium, sodium)

• Potatoes (potassium, magnesium)

• Yoghurt (calcium, potassium)

• Oranges (potassium, magnesium)

• Almonds (magnesium)

• Pickles (sodium)

• Chia seeds (magnesium, calcium, potassium)

However, there are times when you may want to add electrolyte powder to your water for a boost.

“Electrolyte replacement needs vary greatly depending on how much and how long a person sweats,” says nutritionist Sterling Weaver. For example, a marathon runner who trains for four hours a day can lose six liters of fluid through sweat as well as 6,000 mg of sodium – meaning they may need a faster way to replace those electrolytes. stat.

Larson says a good rule of thumb is to consider an electrolyte pack if you’re working out longer than 90 minutes, but there are other factors to consider as well. If you exercise in a hot room (like, say, for a warm vinyasa yoga class) or out in the sun, you’ll sweat more in a short amount of time, so you can benefit from the extra electrolytes. .

In general, it’s a good idea to have an electrolyte pack when you spend a lot of time sweating, whether you’re exercising or not. For example, a long day in a hot park can cause you to lose more water than you might think, despite the fact that you are not using much energy.

What makes electrolyte powder special?

The idea of ​​getting extra electrolytes is not new. For example, the popular sports drink Gatorade was developed in 1965 as a way for student athletes to replenish electrolytes. Powerade hit the market in 1988 when Coca-Cola was entering this new market.

On top of that, Gatorade and electrolyte powders are no different from each other – both are meant to replace your electrolytes lost through sweat. But electrolyte powders contain more electrolytes than sports drinks like Gatorade. For example, a packet of strawberry flavored Liquid IV has 530 mg of sodium and 380 mg of potassium, while Gatorade has about 160 mg of sodium and 50 mg of potassium per 12-ounce serving.

Although electrolyte powders vary, they may include vitamins that Gatorade does not: IV fluid, for example, contains vitamins B3, B5, B6, B12, and vitamin C. (LMNT, however , adheres only to electrolytes.)

Another reason why Gatorade may not be acceptable to some people is that it is high in sugar. While some electrolyte powders contain sugar (the original Liquid IV flavors have 11 grams of sugar per serving; LMNT has no sugar at all) the original Gatorade brand has 21 grams per 12 -ounce, about half a cup of soda.

Important point

No, you don’t need to add an electrolyte pack to your water if, say, you’re sitting behind your desk at work. Instead, focus on drinking water and getting electrolytes from your food sources – eating a variety of foods including fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds can help you get all your hydrating electrolytes.

Instead, aim to save your electrolyte packs for when you’re sweating profusely, whether it’s a long day at the beach in the sun or a half marathon. In those cases, your body will love to absorb the extra electrolytes – and you’ll stay happy and hydrated.