Why we make B12 and folate liposomal

Many brands respond to poor absorption by adding more milligrams. We address it at the source, in the form itself. Real dry liposomes carry the vitamin into the cell through a route a regular tablet does not use, and that is precisely the difference we care about.

Because the absorption is so much better, we can work with low-dose formulas based on natural nutrients. Not the highest dose on the label, but the form that ensures something actually arrives. That makes this formula gentle and suitable for daily use.

Two vitamins that need each other

Vitamin B12 and folate work closely together in the body. Both play a role in the formation of red blood cells, in homocysteine metabolism and in the functioning of the nervous system. Their functions are so closely intertwined that it makes sense to combine them in a single formula rather than supplement them separately.

Vitamin B12 contributes to, among other things, normal energy-yielding metabolism and the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. Folate contributes to normal blood formation and plays a role in the process of cell division. It is one of the most logical combinations in the entire B-vitamin spectrum, and we have made it the way we believe it should be made: in the natural forms, and in real liposomes.

Methylcobalamin, adenosylcobalamin and 5-MTHF: why the form matters

Most B12 supplements use cyanocobalamin, and most folate supplements synthetic folic acid. Cheap, stable forms, but they are not the forms that circulate in your body. The body has to convert them first before it can do anything with them, and in some people that conversion is slow.

We use the forms the body recognises directly.

For vitamin B12 we combine two of them. Methylcobalamin is the form that is active in the blood and the nervous system. Adenosylcobalamin is the form that works in the mitochondria, the energy centres of the cell. Many supplements pick one cheap form; we include both, because the body uses each in its own place.

For folate we use 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF), the active form of folate as it also occurs in the body. Unlike synthetic folic acid, 5-MTHF does not need to go through a conversion step and is directly available. That is relevant for everyone, and in particular for the considerable group of people in whom the conversion of folic acid into the active form is naturally less efficient.

It is more expensive to formulate this way. But it is the only approach that matches how the body actually uses these vitamins, and that is something we will not compromise on.

Real dry liposomes, not what most ‘liposomal’ products sell

The market for ‘liposomal’ supplements is opaque. Many products carry the label but contain no real liposomes. Often they are chylomicrons: mixtures of proteins and fat-like substances that do improve absorption somewhat, but lack the protective bilayer structure of a real liposome. Manufacturers choose these because, until recently, no one had managed to make genuine liposomes in dry form.

We did. We were the first in the world able to make real liposomes in stable dry powder, and to this day we are very nearly the only ones. Using Lipo-Real® technology, based on phosphatidylcholine from sunflower, we encapsulate vitamin B12 and folate into a stable, dry liposomal powder. Phosphatidylcholine is a natural phospholipid that also occurs in the body’s own cell membranes, and that is precisely why liposomes are readily taken up by the intestinal wall. As soon as the powder comes into contact with moisture in the gut, active liposomes form spontaneously, protecting the vitamins and delivering them where they are needed. The illustration in the product gallery shows what this looks like in the gut.

A dry powder also has a practical advantage over the liquid liposomal products you often see: it is more stable and keeps longer, without the liposomal action suffering.

As for what that yields, we keep it honest. Sound scientific research shows that a substance in liposomal form is absorbed on average 3 to 4 times better than in non-liposomal form. Not the 20x sometimes circulated online; those figures come from unreliable or fraudulent studies. We would rather invest in the technology than in absorption studies that sound impressive but say little.

What B12 and folate do for you

Both vitamins have a broad range of officially approved functions, and because they work together in many processes, those functions dovetail neatly.

Vitamin B12 contributes to:

• normal energy-yielding metabolism
• the normal functioning of the nervous system
• normal homocysteine metabolism
• normal psychological function
• the normal formation of red blood cells
• the normal function of the immune system
• the reduction of tiredness and fatigue
• a role in the process of cell division

Folate contributes to:

• normal blood formation
• normal homocysteine metabolism
• normal psychological function
• the normal function of the immune system
• the reduction of tiredness and fatigue
• a role in the process of cell division
• maternal tissue growth during pregnancy

Folate during pregnancy

Folate plays a special role around pregnancy. Supplemental intake increases maternal folate status, and low maternal folate status is a risk factor in the development of neural tube defects in the developing foetus. This beneficial effect is obtained with a supplemental folate intake of 400 µg per day, for at least one month before and up to three months after conception. In addition, folate contributes to maternal tissue growth during pregnancy. We advise women who are pregnant or wish to become pregnant to discuss this with their doctor or midwife.

Hard to get from diet alone

Vitamin B12 occurs almost exclusively in animal products: meat, fish, eggs and dairy. Those who eat little or no animal produce therefore take in only limited B12 through their diet, which makes supplementation a sensible choice for vegetarians and vegans.

Folate takes its name from the Latin folium, leaf, and is found mainly in green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale, as well as in pulses and citrus fruits. It is, however, sensitive to heat and light, so some of it is lost during preparation and storage.

From raw material to capsule, all in-house

We make these capsules in our own FSSC 22000-certified facility in the Netherlands. Purchasing, testing, production and packaging all happen under one roof, under our own supervision. We test the raw materials before they enter the factory, and we then test the finished product again, every batch, in an independent laboratory.

Every batch is checked for:

• Pathogens: E. coli, Salmonella, S. aureus, Candida albicans and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (all absent)
• Heavy metals: lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury (well below EU limits, in line with EC 2023/915)
• Microbiological purity: total viable count, yeast and mould according to Ph.Eur. standards

The full Product Specification Sheet is available on request.

Certifications

• FSSC 22000: international food safety standard
• GMO-free: in line with EC 1830/2003
• Not irradiated: in line with EC 1999/2
• 100% plant-based: vegetarian capsule with sunflower phosphatidylcholine, suitable for vegetarians and vegans

About Kala Health

Kala Health has been developing, producing and selling its own food supplements since 1997. That combination of developing, producing and advising has always been at the heart of the brand. We make no compromises on quality and carefully test all raw materials in independent laboratories.

We work with a team of nutrition specialists, our own therapist and a pharmacist. Everything happens in our own FSSC 22000-certified facility in the Netherlands: from raw-material analysis to finished product, under our own supervision. This integrated approach allows us to deliver products you can rely on completely: transparent, pure and effective.

Questions about B12 or folate?

Would you like to know more, or do you have questions about your own situation? Our team of nutrition specialists and therapists will be glad to help. Call us on (+31) 070 345 0290 or email info@kalahealth.nl.

A food supplement is not a substitute for a varied diet. A varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important.