Life Extension Launches B12 Elite

Fort Lauderdale, FL — To support overall brain health at the cellular level, Life Extension has launched B12 Elite, which delivers two absorbable forms of vitamin B12. This formula is especially good news for vegans—since this vitamin primarily comes from animal sources in your diet—as well as the elderly, whose vitamin B levels naturally decline over time. Age-related vitamin B12 deficiencies can affect cognitive and overall health.

As Life Extension's Director of Education Dr. Michael Smith explained, "Vitamin B12 plays a vital role in the health of your nervous system, dopamine levels in the brain, blood cells and even your DNA." But because it's water-soluble, it's not easy for the body to absorb or store. "That's why we use two active forms of vitamin B12 so that the body can make use of them right away," he added.

Life Extension's new formula uses two forms of vitamin B12, both chosen for their absorbability: adenosylcobalamin and methylcobalamin. A 2013 study published in Nutrient showed that adenosylcobalamin is an important participant in cellular energy metabolism. And in a 2019 article in Cell Research, the adenosylcobalamin form of vitamin B12 helped preserve brain function by preventing an enzyme, Leucine-Rich Repeat Kinase 2 (LRRK2), from depleting dopamine levels (a "feel good" neurotransmitter) available to the brain.

The methylcobalamin form of vitamin B12, on the other hand, helps inhibit excess levels of homocysteine. This is key for cognitive health and performance, because high homocysteine levels can affect the inner lining of blood vessels, where they may eventually affect brain tissue and overall well-being. "We chose these two forms of cobalamin to provide a comprehensive vitamin B12 supplement and support neuroprotection and overall whole-body health," said Dr. Andrew G. Swick, Life Extension's Chief Scientific Officer. "This represents another innovative addition to our brain and overall health supplement line."

Life Extension's B12 Elite comes in a gluten-free, vegetarian lozenge.