Cyanocobalamin

Cyanocobalamin

Supplements Over the counter ATC code: B03BA01

What it is

Cyanocobalamin is a synthetic form of vitamin B12, sold over the counter. B12 is a cofactor in the conversion of homocysteine to methionine and in the maturation of red blood cells, so a shortage shows up as a macrocytic anaemia and as neurological symptoms. It is used to correct or prevent documented deficiency, and is often taken for fatigue attributed to low levels.

Typical dose
250–1000 mcg
1× a day
Times
Any time
Morning

Used for

  • Deficiency
  • Energy

What to know while taking it

It is absorbed with or without food, and the morning is the conventional time. The relevant follow-up is in the laboratory rather than in how it feels: serum vitamin B12 rises, homocysteine falls when it was elevated by deficiency, and haemoglobin and mean cell volume drift back toward normal over weeks to months as the marrow recovers. Because levels can look adequate while stores are not, repeat testing rather than symptoms is what shows whether it is working.

When to see a doctor

See a doctor if numbness, tingling, unsteadiness, or memory trouble appear or persist, since neurological deficiency needs assessment rather than a higher supermarket dose, and if anaemia does not improve on repeat blood counts.

Markers to watch

Reference information, not medical advice. Discuss any change with your doctor.