In this Solgar Vitamin B12 review, we’ll shine a bright light on all nine products currently on the market more or less going by this name. And we’ll discuss it all.
We’ll dissect marketing and deflate the often overstated. We’ll speak of the core ingredients, as well as additives for each one. We’ll have a look at customer reviews and where do those opinions take us. And, of course, a bit on the pricing as well.
Marketing
So, Solgar Vitamin B12 is basically a whole supplement brand. As mentioned, there are nine different supplements. And each of them gets its own product page. Thus, a ton of promotional materials altogether but actually quite brief if we’re looking at just each individual page separately. I really like the rather briefness [R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R].
Personally, I prefer that every time over the extensiveness like that with Global Healing B12 (review) or even the PuraTHRIVE B12 (review) in certain ways. But on a deeper look, the pages of Solgar B12 supplements are even shorter than Trivita B12 (review) or Garden of Life B12 (review) ones. Because about 85% of the text repeats.
When it comes to the supplements of this review, it’s basically copy-paste for most of them. Some are the exception. Still, all of the pages and the descriptions, as well as pretty much everything is extremely similar.
So, for benefits, these products typically persist in supporting energy metabolism, promoting the nervous system’s health, improving heart health, as well as helping ensure healthy red blood cell development and regeneration.
As for marketing tactics to help sell the stuff, there pretty much isn’t anything with the Solgar Vitamin B12 lineup. Yes, there is a customer review section (which is absolutely empty 100% of the time), There are no “buy more or subscribe and get a discount” type of deals, no money-back guarantee, no testimonials. Kind of like Nature’s Bounty B12 options (review) and Jarrow Formulas Methyl B12 (review).
One thing that, however, is absolutely going their way is the fact that the Solgar brand has been around for more than 70 years. Which is not something many supplement manufacturers can say. Plus, almost all of them are Non-GMO, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, and vegan.
But are they genuinely worth the buck? Let’s look at the ingredients.
Ingredients
When it comes to ingredients, I typically like to start off with all the good, beneficial stuff, and then turn to the other stuff, the additives stuff. But with the nine Solgar Vitamin B12 supplements, I don’t think that will make much sense.
Mostly that’s because I feel it will become incredibly confusing that way. Hence, we’ll simply do it one supplement at a time. And so, then you can just jump right into the one you’re most interested in. Other than that, we’ll drop in the success rate percentages and cost estimates as well. But more in-depth on those later.
Solgar Vitamin B12 100 Mcg Tablets Review
Solgar doesn’t really go fancy with its supplement names. Solgar Vitamin B12 100 Mcg Tablets is exactly what it sounds like. Namely, 100 micrograms of B12 per tablet, 100 of those tablets per container [R].
The trouble is though, that’s 100 micrograms of vitamin B12 as Cyanocobalamin. Which is just the worst form for this respective vitamin. I mean, sure, it can help heal a deficiency. But it’s the least effective one four we typically find in supplements.
It’s the cheap, revenue-oriented, synthetic option of the vitamin.
So, the beneficial stuff is not the most optimal. But additives are great (Microcrystalline Cellulose, Dicalcium Phosphate, Vegetable Cellulose, Vegetable Stearic Acid, Silica, Vegetable Magnesium Stearate).
Which is something that can’t be said about the next Solgar Vitamin B12 in line. Other than that, 91.7% success rate (288 good, 26 bad reviews). A typical price of $7.40 per container. Hence, $0.074 per tablet, $0.74 per 1000 micrograms of B12.
Solgar Vitamin B12 500 Mcg Tablets Review
As the name suggests, the Solgar Vitamin B12 500 Mcg is about tablets that contain 500 micrograms of vitamin B12 each. Here we also get 100 tablets per container. But there’s more that comes with it [R].
This supplement also offers 130 milligrams of Calcium. Which comes from a somewhat decent, somewhat effective source known as Dicalcium Phosphate. Which is something that, sadly, can’t be said about the B12 sourcing.
Because it’s Cyanocobalamin, again. That cheap, synthetic, least effective of all options option.
But speaking of not ideal, so are the additives that this one uses (Dicalcium Phosphate, Mannitol, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Vegetable Stearic Acid, Vegetable Cellulose, Silica). I mean, I’m fine with most. Not a fan of Mannitol.
Yes, Mannitol is relatively not that bad. There are a ton of worse options out there although it’s not among the two sugar alcohols that I would consider somewhat okay. So, it’s sugar. One that will give proper gas and possibly even digestive distress among other issues. Plus, like any processed sugar, it can potentially lead down the rabbit hole of obesity, heart disease, and cancer [R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R].
All in all, these 500 micrograms of Solgar B12 do not appeal.
A 96.2% success rate (128 good, 5 bad reviews). A typical price of $8.99 per container. Hence, $0.0899 per tablet or $0.1798 per 1000 micrograms of B12.
Solgar Vitamin B12 500 Mcg Vegetable Capsules Review
Switching away from tablets now. Capsules are typically easier to swallow than their tablet counterparts. Which is why many people prefer the former. But is it really the better alternative with the Solgar Vitamin B12 500 Mcg Vegetable Capsules here [R]?
Not really, the way I see it. It still uses that Cyanocobalamin. It’s still that profit-oriented version of supplementation. Which I am not a fan of. Plus, it doesn’t add any Calcium to the table as the tablet equivalent did.
But there is another way in which these capsules are not better than tablets. It’s the additives part. It uses Microcrystalline Cellulose, Vegetable Cellulose, Mannitol, Vegetable Magnesium Stearate, and Silica. And here, again, we have that Mannitol.
The not so good sugar alcohol. Something to preferably avoid. So, yet another not so good option, as far as just the ingredients.
Lastly, a success rate of 90.9% (139 good, 14 bad reviews). A typical price of $9.59 per container of 100 capsules or $20.09 for that of 250 capsules. Or $0.0959 per capsule. Hence, $0.1918 per 1000 micrograms of B12.
Solgar Vitamin B12 1000 Mcg Nuggets Review
For those people, who are a fan of neither tablets, nor capsules, the rest of the lineup (except the very last one) comes in the way of nuggets. Solgar Vitamin B12 1000 Mcg Nuggets to be exact with this one [R].
While this does offer more B12 than any of the previous versions per unit, it’s still that same cheap approach. Namely, with this, we get 1000 micrograms of B12 as Cyanocobalamin.
But as far as additive-players, this one has few new over any of the previously looked at products. It’s about Mannitol, Vegetable Stearic Acid, Vegetable Cellulose, Natural Cherry Flavor with Natural Flavors, and Vegetable Magnesium Stearate.
Mannitol is a no, as we went over earlier. But Natural Cherry Flavor can be real shady, too. It heavily relies on manufacturing which I like to believe that with Solgar is top-notch. But it’s definitely not that way with all supplements on the market. Which is something to keep in mind [R, R, R, R, R].
As for the success rate, it’s 93.6% (1068 good, 73 bad reviews). Whereas with the price, it’s far better. It’s 250 nuggets for $21.74 (the 100 nugget version is currently unavailable). Or $0.08696 per nugget which is also its rate for 1000 micrograms of B12.
Solgar Vitamin B12 2500 Mcg Nuggets Review
Now, Solgar Vitamin B12 2500 Mcg Nuggets is one that is 2.5 times more potent than what we just discussed. But is it 2.5 times better than what we just had [R]?
I wouldn’t bet on that.
Yes, it offers 2.5 times more B12 than the 1000 mcg version. Nevertheless, it’s that same Cyanocobalamin still. With additives, it’s also the 100% same story. Mannitol, Vegetable Stearic Acid, Vegetable Magnesium Stearate, Natural Cherry Flavor, and Silica.
Mannitol, again, being the sinner.
As far as Solgar Vitamin B12 reviews with this, it’s at 87.5% success rate (77 good, 11 bad reviews). Whereas for the typical price, it’s $10.11 for 60 nuggets. Which makes for $0.1685 per nugget or $0.0674 per 1000 micrograms of B12. So, a slightly better cost than with the previous one.
Solgar Vitamin B12 5000 Mcg Nuggets Review
Now, this next one is 2x the previous. This Solgar B12 packs 5000 micrograms. But while it’s the more potent option by amounts, it’s, essentially, the same average thing that the 1000 microgram nugget and 2500 microgram nugget options are [R].
I mean, I’m not exaggerating that it’s the same supplement.
It has got the exact same additives (all of which are not great). It also plays with the exact same synthetic B12 vitamin form – the Cyanocobalamin. The form that’s the worst option for this particular nutrient.
As far as the success rate, it’s a bit too early to tell (but it seems it might be around 89.3% with 25 good and 3 bad reviews for now). Whereas in terms of container size, there are two options. A 30 nugget option and a 60 nugget one. The first typically comes for $9.59, the last is typically $17.24. So, it’s $0.31967 per nugget or $0.28733 per nugget depending on the size.
Hence, it’s the smallest price per 1000 micrograms of B12. Namely, $0.063934 and $0.057467, respectively.
Solgar Methylcobalamin 1000 Mcg Nuggets Review
With the Solgar Methylcobalamin 1000 Mcg Nuggets, it’s finally the more quality supplement. It finally replaces that Cyanocobalamin form with the more effective, natural, arguably the best form of B12 [R].
So, it’s 1000 micrograms of B12 that comes in the form of Methylcobalamin. But while the nutrient side of things is considerably better, the inactive, “glue” side of things is not.
Still among a number of typically harmless additives (Vegetable Magnesium Stearate, Vegetable Stearic Acid, Silica, Natural Flavors, and Vegetable Cellulose), there is also Mannitol.
So, again, that’s less than optimal. I mean, why would anyone ever choose this over the options that offer the same form of B12 without that unnecessary sugar alcohol?
As far as customer reviews, it’s 95.1% (1656 good, 86 bad reviews). But when it comes to the price, it’s typically $6.58 per container which is 30 nuggets. So, that’s $0.21933 per nugget or for every 1000 micrograms of B12. Which makes it about 2.5 times the more expensive version when compared to its Cyanocobalamin equivalent dose counterpart.
Solgar Methylcobalamin 5000 Mcg Nuggets Review
Now, this last one – the Solgar Methylcobalamin 5000 Mcg Nuggets – is their most potent quality B12 form supplement. But is it free of the additives we rather not have in our diet [R]?
As the name suggests, this one offers 5000 micrograms of B12 per nugget, B12 that comes in the form of Methylcobalamin. The natural, most awesome, most helpful form of this particular vitamin.
But for anyone that’s even remotely excited about this, don’t be.
It’s, again, that trash story of additives. I guess they just don’t make their vitamin B12s without that Mannitol. Which is a shame. But here, again, the rest of the other ingredients are likely okay.
Other than that, this Methylcobalamin comes with a 93.8% success rate (714 good, 47 bad reviews). And as for the price, it’s typically $10.86 per 30 nuggets. Which is $0.362 per nugget or $0.0724 per every 1000 micrograms of B12. So, considerably better than the 1000 mcg Methylcobalamin version and not bad at all when compared to its equivalent dose Cyanocobalamin version.