“And the LORD God formed man of the DUST of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (Genesis 2:7 KJV)

Vitamin B12 Overview

….There once was a time, long before sanitization was mandatory in all of our food facilities, that dirt was a common ingredient ingested by our ancestors.  In fact, almost all of our vegetables, especially root vegetables, would have contained some degree of dirt that it had accumulated from the soil. And, Before the fear of germs and disease ruled over us, earlier humans would have simply brushed this dirt off the vegetable and ate it raw or cooked.  The intake of dirt into the daily diet of our ancestors would have been a frequent, if not daily, occurrence.  Now, at this point your probably asking yourself, “what is so special about dirt?”  And the answer is: A LOT!

B12, Dirt, and Gut Bacteria

Dirt is an amazing substance when looked at more closely.  It contains numerous amount of minerals and also organic matter that has accumulated on the earth for thousands of years.  Scientist are just beginning to realize just how important this substance is to man.  In fact, new studies are beginning to show that healthy soil contains a whole host of bacterial strains beneficial to the human body.

Also, unlike most store bought probiotics which are mostly dead or are killed by your body upon ingestion, the bacteria found in soil can survive in stomach acid and also heat.  There are numerous testimonials of people all over the world healing gut conditions by ingesting more dirt; leaky gut being one of the most prominent conditions being healed.  Remember, gut health is extremely important and plays a huge role in a persons overall well being.  If we were all growing our own food and eating what the land offered up, it makes sense that one would ingest small amounts of dirt each day.

Vitamin B12 Production and Soil Microbes

It is said that B-12 is the most chemically complex of all the vitamins.  In fact, this vitamin is actually produced by anaerobic microorganisms.  The word “anaerobic” means that the bacteria or microorganism can survive without oxygen.  These types of bacteria can be found in the gastrointestinal tract of all animals. For this reason, It is said to be the only vitamin that a vegetarian or vegan can not obtain from plant sources alone.

Now, if your unaware, B-12 is essential for humans.  It can not be manufactured by the body and must be obtained from outside sources.  However, through extensive research, scientists are beginning to find that microbes are actually producing this essential vitamin in the soil. Unfortunately, the amount of B-12 being produced by these microorganisms is minuscule; Hardly enough to meet the requirements needed for human health.  However, if your looking to supplement B12, Check out the link below.

Superior Source No Shot Methylcobalamin B12 Multivitamin, 1,000 mcg

Cobalt and B-12 Production in Soil

B-12 producing microorganisms relies heavily on a trace element Cobalt. Cobalt is the central atom of vitamin B-12; hence where vitamin B-12 gets its scientific name, “cobalamin”. Research has shown that Cobalt levels in soil have declined heavily throughout the years.  Modern agricultural practices has destroyed this essential trace element. As a result, B-12 producing microorganisms are very low when tested for in an agricultural type setting.

In fact, farmers have begun to observe that cows grazing on grass that is growing on cobalt deficient soil can not survive.  Calves will survive the first few months by tapping into B-12 stores found in their liver, but eventually die after a few months.  Simply put, they can not obtain enough of the microorganisms in the soil that produce B-12.

Contrary to popular belief, animals such as cows do not manufacture their own B-12; rather, they ingest microorganisms found in the soil that then produce the essential B-12 which they need in their stomach.  Its all very fascinating really.  These small microorganisms play such a huge role in our ecosystem.

Vitamin B12 Facts From The Experts

Dan Reeter, a chief researcher at Bio-Systems Labs located in Colorado, is  in the process of creating one of the worlds largest and most comprehensive computer facilities for soil testing.  He is a true mastermind when it comes to soil biology and has been working with soil for over 40 years. the following is a quote taken from Mr. Reeter himself:

“I can say with certainty there’s a decline of soil cobalt. Confirm this for yourself. Simply to pick any Ag magazine—they all push cobalt supplements, spurred by B₁₂-poor condition of crops. Twenty percent of soil biomass, is destroyed or inactivated by Ag chemicals, inhibiting uptake and metabolism of cobalt and other trace elements.”

Again, without the presence of Cobalt, B-12 producing microorganisms can not survive.  Fortunately, Reeter has been testing organic soil extensively and has found that plants grown in this type of soil produce significantly higher amounts of usable B-12.  This means that the presence of microorganism is far greater when the soil is organically managed.

Microorganisms and B-12 for humans

So, could microorganisms living in the soil be the B-12 solution for vegetarians and vegans alike? I would say no; at least not in our society.  As mentioned above, over sanitization plus deficient cobalt content due to poor agriculture practices make these microorganism hard to come by in our modern world.  Conditions would have to be perfect in order to obtain enough B-12 producing microorganisms for adequate human health.

Now, gathering your own food from the wild where soil has not been depleted of the essential element Cobalt is another story. However, that individual would have to gather ALL of his/her food from the wild or organically managed soil which would have to be adequately stocked with Cobalt.  And even under these pristine conditions, its still not certain whether an individual would run the risk of B-12 deficiency; but its fascinating to think of the possibility of obtaining all of the required B-12 for health from the soil….

 

Sources:

Smith, R.M., “Cobalt” in “Trace Elements in Human and Animal Nutrition”, Vol. 1; New York: Academic Press, 1987
Beck, W.S., “Distribution of Cobalamins in Nature” in: “B₁₂ Biochemistry and Medicine”; New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1982, p. 12
Dickson, J.B. & Weed, S.B., “Minerals in Soil Environments” Madison WI: Soil Science Society of America, 1977
J.J. Mortvert (ed), “Micronutrients in Agriculture”; Madison WI: Soil Science Society of America, 1972
Sauchelli, Vincent, “Trace Elements in Agriculture”; New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Co, 1969

---

Affiliate Disclosure This website contains affiliate links, which means The Natural Man may receive a percentage of any product or service you purchase using the links in the articles or advertisements. You will pay the same price for all products and services, and your purchase helps support The Natural Man Website!