Why is Vitamin B12 the Scapegoat?

Vitamin B12 has been the subject of controversy lately. More of a scapegoat, to be exact.

From the article Injecting B-12 into athletic controversies, they quote:

“Sprinter thought injection was B-12.”

That sprinter is Justin Gatlin, whose assistant coach gave the world record-sharing athlete a shot two weeks before he tested positive for steroids. Gatlin explained recently, during an arbitration hearing to determine whether the eight-year competitive ban he faces should be reduced, that he thought the injection was B-12.

Never mind that Gatlin violated the First Rule of Syringes: Only let a doctor or nurse plunge one into you.

He also inspired a question: Why would an athlete take B-12?

Dr. Linn Goldberg, head of the division of health promotion and sports medicine at Oregon Health & Science University, said the only reason to take B-12 is to treat a rare type of anemia. Regular folks, he said, don’t need much extra.

“You have up to three to five years’ storage of B-12 in your liver,” Goldberg said.

But that hasn’t stopped other athletes from taking and implicating the vitamin.

Then, Pitching legend Roger Clemens admits to injections but claims it was lidocaine and B-12. Thanks to my goods friends Ross & Jonathan at The Science of Sport for this link.

Here is the link on YouTube, or you can view the video below.

In a way, I have respect for Kelli White who openly admitted taking steroids immediately after getting caught. I have the video of her exclusive interview from ESPN if there is a demand for it. It is old news, though. But then again, the Olympic History section of this Blog generates one of the highest amount of viewers.

So back to B12.

One of the best ways to take B12 supplements is injectable B12 shots.

The alternative way are sub-lingual TwinLab B-12 Dots Tablets. Whether or not Vitamin B12 would breakdown rapidly with the acidity in your stomach is another open topic for research.

But who really needs Vitamin B12?

Tomorrow, I’ll write more about the clinical effects of Vitamin B12.