Originally Posted by mrsD

Very few local places carry the methylcobalamin. They will have the inactive cyano form, but rarely the methyl.

The methyl has been around now for about a decade, but remains obscure for some reason.

I get mine from Puritan's Pride. I used to get it at iherb.com but with Puritan's sales it is so inexpensive. I did a trial on myself, with the 5mg daily for 3 months, and my test was at 1999. This was done by my doctor who pooh poohed it orally saying it doesn't work. When the results came back she was humbled!
You should take it on an empty stomach, for good absorption, however, and this is critical for success.

It works out to pennies a day, which has to be ironic considering how devastating it is to be low... it is the most inexpensive nutrient we use here, and it does the biggest most important JOB.

If your husband comes home with timed release--- don't open it and return it. This form is the worst to choose. I don't know why it is still around... I guess it sounds spiffy...increasing sales.
B12 is slowly and minutely absorbed, and slowing down its solubility means it will miss its designated spot in the small intestine. You want as high a concentration as possible at the intestinal wall at that site, not locked into a long acting matrix.
This is why B12 doses look so high. 1000mcg vs 2-4micrograms RDA.

I just looked at several Walgreens online:


Most of the products on that page to not even tell you what type of B12 is in the product!

If you have the genetic error in methylating B12, you will see no benefit from Cyano form.. And this error is common.
10-30% in US have it. This is why we cut to the chase and use only activated form-- methylcobalamin.