Methylcobalamin is an active and bioavailable form of vitamin B₁₂, essential for various biological processes, including cellular metabolism, blood formation, and nervous system function. 

Main uses and benefits

Nervous System Support. Methylcobalamin is important for maintaining the health of the nervous system, contributing to nerve regeneration and preventing neurological disorders (1).

Energy Production. It participates in the metabolism of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, helping to convert food into energy (2).

Blood Formation. It is crucial for the production of red blood cells, helping to prevent anemia.

Mental Health. It plays a role in mood regulation and contributes to the prevention and treatment of disorders like depression (3).

Sleep Support. Methylcobalamin can influence the production of melatonin, thus improving sleep quality (4).

Homocysteine Reduction. It helps reduce blood homocysteine levels, a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (5).

Dietary Supplements. Often used in dietary supplements to ensure adequate vitamin B₁₂ intake, especially for vegans, vegetarians, and the elderly, who may be at risk of deficiency.

Methylcobalamin is an effective form of vitamin B₁₂ that offers significant benefits for nervous system health, energy production, and mental health, making it essential in a balanced diet and supplementation regimens.

Chemical Industrial Synthesis Process

• Microbial Fermentation. The production of Methylcobalamin often begins with the fermentation of microbial strains that are naturally capable of synthesizing Vitamin B₁₂. These microorganisms include certain species of bacteria and archaea.
• Biochemical Conversion. After fermentation, the produced Vitamin B₁₂ is converted into Methylcobalamin through a series of biochemical reactions. This may require the addition of specific cofactors or enzymes that facilitate the methylation of cobalamin.
• Extraction and Purification. Methylcobalamin is extracted from the microbial culture and purified to remove impurities and by-products of fermentation. This process may include techniques such as ion-exchange chromatography, filtration, and crystallization.
• Quality Control. The purified product undergoes rigorous quality control checks to verify its purity, concentration, and absence of contaminants. These tests can include spectroscopic, chromatographic, and microbiological analyses.
• Formulation. The purified Methylcobalamin can be formulated into various forms for use in dietary supplements or pharmaceuticals, such as sublingual tablets, capsules, injections, or oral solutions.

Molecular Formula  C₆₃H₉₂CoN₁₃O₁₄P

Molecular Weight   1345.4 g/mol

CAS  13422-55-4

UNII    BR1SN1JS2W

EC Number    200-680-0   236-535-3

References_____________________________________________________________________

(1) Buesing S, Costa M, Schilling JM, Moeller-Bertram T. Vitamin B12 as a Treatment for Pain. Pain Physician. 2019 Jan;22(1):E45-E52. PMID: 30700078.

Abstract. Background: First isolated as cyanocobalamin in 1948, vitamin B12 has been explored for pain treatment almost since its discovery. With the advent of the opioid epidemic, safer treatments for pain are needed.....Conclusion: Vitamin B12 may prove to be an adjunctive or integrative treatment for pain conditions. While more research is needed, considering the low incidence of side effects and overall safety, B12 may be an additional tool to consider for pain treatment.

(2) Rovira C, Biarnés X, Kunc K. Structure-energy relations in methylcobalamin with and without bound axial base. Inorg Chem. 2004 Oct 18;43(21):6628-32. doi: 10.1021/ic049810s. 

Abstract. The properties of the Co-C bond in methylcobalamin (MeCbl) are analyzed by means of first-principles molecular dynamics. The optimized structure is in very good agreement with experiments, reproducing the bent-up deformation of the corrin ring as well as the metal-ligand bond distances. The analysis of the binding energies, bond orders, and vibrational stretching frequencies shows that the axial base slightly weakens the Co-C bond (by 4%), while the alkyl ligand substantially reinforces the Co-axial base bond (by 90%). These findings support several experiments and provide insight into the conversion between the base-on and base-off forms of the MeCbl cofactor.

(3) Kamrowska A, Kasprzak K, Marciniak J, Goch A, Kamrowski C. The importance of vitamin B12 in psychiatry. Pol Merkur Lekarski. 2010 Mar;28(165):236-8. 

Abstract. The article drew attention to the construction of a vitamin B12 deficiency and its importance in the human body. Emphasizes the role of cobalamin as a structural element involved, among others cobamides in such reactions as the synthesis of purine and pyrimidine biosynthesis or choline. Two metabolically active forms of cobalamin: methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin and their importance to the human body were presented. The process of absorption of vitamin B12 and methionine in revealing the importance of the neurological symptoms was described. The chemical importance and cause vitamin B12 deficiency was stressed. The attention was paid upon the role of acid in methylomalon determination of vitamin B12 deficiency in the human body. Disclosure reports analyzed the relationship of vitamin B12 from the emergence of psychotic symptoms. Particular attention is given to teams which binds to the vitamin B12 deficiency--depressive, delusional and manic. Based on case reports were analyzed cases with deficiency symptoms associated with a deficit of vitamin B12. Also points to the possibility of diagnosing cobalamin deficiency even before the onset of clinical symptoms.

(4) Takahashi K, Okawa M, Matsumoto M, Mishima K, Yamadera H, Sasaki M, Ishizuka Y, Yamada K, Higuchi T, Okamoto N, Furuta H, Nakagawa H, Ohta T, Kuroda K, Sugita Y, Inoue Y, Uchimura N, Nagayama H, Miike T, Kamei K. Double-blind test on the efficacy of methylcobalamin on sleep-wake rhythm disorders. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 1999 Apr;53(2):211-3. doi: 10.1046/j.1440-1819.1999.00534.x. 

Abstract. The therapeutic effect of methylcobalamin (Met-12) on sleep-wake rhythm disorders was examined in a double-blind test. In the test group which was given a large dosage, a higher percentage of improvement was found compared to the control group with a small dosage, although the difference was not significant. The test group inconsistently showed significant improvement in both the sleep-wake cycle parameters and in clinical symptoms. The tendency was for the results to show a beneficial effect of Met-12 on rhythm disorders. However, because the percentage of improvement was low and significant improvement was inconsistent, Met-12 might be considered to have a low therapeutic potency and possible use as a booster for other treatment methods of the disorders.

(5) Angelini A, Cappuccilli ML, Magnoni G, Croci Chiocchini AL, Aiello V, Napoletano A, Iacovella F, Troiano A, Mancini R, Capelli I, Cianciolo G. The link between homocysteine, folic acid and vitamin B12 in chronic kidney disease. G Ital Nefrol. 2021 Aug 30;38(4):2021-vol4.