What is methylcobalamin derived from?
Welcome to this Eureka! moment of discovering the origin of methylcobalamin. This article will give you a detailed account of where methylcobalamin comes from and its importance.
The Introduction
Methylcobalamin sounds like some crazy science fiction term that only Sheldon Cooper would understand. But actually, it’s the most active form of Vitamin B12. If you’re asking what Vitamin B12 is? Look no further; I’m here to enlighten you!
Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient for our body as it helps in producing red blood cells, maintaining brain functions, and keeping our nerves healthy. It promotes DNA synthesis for hundreds of enzymes that are important for metabolism. In other words, we need this vitamin like plants need sunlight!
Although the primary source for humans to get enough Vitamin B12 will always be food sources or supplements but still ‘Where does Methylcobalamine come from?’
Part One: Unveiling Methylcobalamine
Before diving into specifics about what the compound methyl cobalamine originates from, let’s take a glance at this mysterious molecule itself.
- Structure: Methlycoblamine has a unique structure consisting of cobalt metal nested within a bigger ring made up by four nitrogen atoms attached through Co-N bonds (aka corrin ring), surrounded by more complex molecular structures [^4].
2.Conversion: Our liver extracts Cobalt ion out from dietary Vitamins-B series compounds such as ethanolamide group-connected adenosyl-cobyrinic acid amide (AdoCbl) and cyanocobalmin [8]; which later on converted into so-called “active” coenzyme forms including methylocblinamie[CMB] used usually used nutraceuticals supplementation mostly as lozenges[5].
Now that we have skimmed the surface area, let’s jump in and learn more about its source.
Part Two: Lucky for Us-Less So for Bacteria
- Bacterias’ role: In their natural environment that includes ruminants and several microflora living within our intestines inclusive of archaea and bateria primarily synthesize methylcobalamin through multi-step biosynthesis involving around thirty genes 1.
2.Fossil Findings: Ancient organisms had functioning Cobalamine structures found in fossils from ancient Sulfur bacteria ([^1]), indicating a considerable period since it has been generated on Earth by cells forms[4] .These notes speak to how methylcobalamin comes into existence normally, but what about creating this compound artificially?
Part Three- Synthetic Vs Natural
Here are some amazing parts where science steps back into genetic engineering to produce Methylcobalamine:
- Cyanocobalmin Claim: Cyanocobalmin is an artificially synthesized non-coenzyme analog with unmethylated cobalt chelate comprising a cyano molecule added at its bottom flange bearing no direct physiological uses other than as a substance typically given orally or injected[citation needed].
However, contrastingly; while expensive strictly bio-engineering modified machinery using synthetic gene expression compounding strategies may create effective supplements like cis-methylyl (natural) rather than cyano-corrinoids(CNCbl) due to convenient manipulating futuristic bacterial genomes[^2][3]
Now we know that methycobalamine can occur naturally inside various microbes including bacteria or created synthetically by Genetic Engineering techniques depending on quantity
Conclusion- A Lesson Learnt
In conclusion, vitamin B12 metabolizes efficiently only when certain enzymes convert cyanocobamalin present in our diet into coenzymes described before such as CMB []; allowing us firstly locally high concentrations of methylated forms in circulation up-taking into tissues, secondly only including small synthetically supplemented dosages to maintain its healthy metabolism
It’s important for us to understand our dietary needs correctly and provide the right amounts. So keep yourself well informed with such matters and remain Healthy!!!
[^4]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC14851/
[^1]Pearson, Vanselow [^2]: https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms3250
[8]. Babu U Ravi RN; Madhavan Nair K (1995). “Vitamin B12: biosynthesis and microbial production”. The Canadian Journal of Microbiology.
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Shiraiwa et al. ↩