Vitamin B 12

Synonyms

B 12, Vitamin

B12, Vitamin

Cobalamin

Cobalamins

Cyanocobalamin

Eritron

Vitamin B12

A cobalt-containing coordination compound produced by intestinal micro-organisms and found also in soil and water. Higher plants do not concentrate vitamin B 12 from the soil and so are a poor source of the substance as compared with animal tissues. INTRINSIC FACTOR is important for the assimilation of vitamin B 12.