Methylcobalamin (B-12)

Methylcobalamin is one of two coenzyme forms of B12 (along with adenosylcobalamin) and can be used directly by the body without metabolic conversion. Vitamin B12 is involved in numerous important body functions, including: 1) Red blood cell formation and control of pernicious anemia, 2) The synthesis and function of nerve tissue, such as myelin, 3) The metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins (Vitamin B12 is necessary for the conversion of methylmalonate to succinic acid, an important Krebs cycle intermediate in energy production), 4) The synthesis or transfer of single carbon units (e.g., allowing the interconversion of serine and glycine and the conversion of homocysteine to methionine), 5) Serving as a coenzyme in the biosynthesis of methyl groups, and 6) Involvement in reactions that convert disulfides (S-S) to the important sulfhydryl group (S-H).