Jarrow Formulas Methyl B-12 5000 mcg, Cherry - 60 Chewable Lozenges Review
#7 of 9 · Best Flavored Lozenge✓ Label verified · Supplement Facts read Sep 7, 2026Real retailer photo, cut out. Label unedited.
Consider it. Cheap and palatable, if you don't mind the sugar alcohols. A low-cost, cherry-flavored methyl sublingual that works for suspected deficiency.
~$13~$0.22
Why It Scores 7.3 — And The Label Line Behind Each Number
Form & Bioavailability
20% of scoreActive methylcobalamin in a chewable sublingual lozenge. The form is fine; the sublingual delivery is the weak link, with little evidence it out-absorbs a swallowed dose.
- Form
- Methylcobalamin (sublingual/chewable)
- Delivery
- Cherry chewable, dissolves under tongue
Dose vs Clinical Range
20% of score5,000 mcg is a megadose well beyond the repletion range. Most of it is excreted rather than used — a weak-evidence choice that pulls the score down.
- Dose
- 5,000 mcg per lozenge
Third-Party Testing & Purity
25% of scoreGluten-free and non-GMO per label, but no independent USP or NSF seal — the weakest testing credentials among the higher-ranked picks.
- Certification
- Gluten-free; non-GMO per label (no USP/NSF seal)
Value Per Serving
15% of scoreCheap per bottle at around $13, though the 60-count and ~$0.22/serving mean it isn't the outright value leader.
- Count
- 60 lozenges / 60 servings
- Cost per serving
- ~$0.22
GI Tolerance & Format Suitability
20% of scorePalatable cherry flavor that dissolves under the tongue and is easy for pill-averse users, but the sugar alcohols used to sweeten it can cause GI upset in sensitive people.
Label verified. Every figure read from the Supplement Facts photo, Sep 7, 2026.
Marketing Claims Vs. Reality
5,000 mcg delivers more usable B12
Passive diffusion absorbs roughly 1% of an oral dose, so absolute uptake rises with dose, but 1,000 mcg already corrects deficiency and the surplus is excreted (Stabler 2013).
Sublingual delivery is superior
Evidence that sublingual out-absorbs swallowed B12 is thin; standard oral repletion doses already normalize status (Wang Cochrane 2018).
Active methyl, vegan lozenge
Labeled as vegan methylcobalamin in a chewable lozenge — the active coenzyme form.
Gentle and well tolerated
It's easy to take, but the sugar alcohols used to sweeten the flavored lozenge can cause GI upset in sensitive users.
What Our Test Actually Found
Cheap and easy to take
At about $13 with a palatable cherry flavor, it's an easy daily habit — the main reason it stays popular.
Two weak-evidence choices stacked
A 5,000 mcg megadose and a sublingual format each rest on thin evidence. Together they pull an otherwise fine product into mid-pack.
Watch the sugar alcohols
The sweeteners that make the lozenge palatable can trigger GI upset in sensitive stomachs — a real consideration for some buyers.
Fine value, not a standout
It does the job for suspected deficiency, but it doesn't beat the sensibly-dosed, better-tested picks above it.
Full analysis: all pros & cons (7), buy if / skip if
- Cheap per bottle (~$13)
- Palatable cherry flavor, dissolves under the tongue
- Active methyl form, vegan
- Trusted legacy sublingual brand at a low entry price
- 5,000 mcg megadose is largely excreted, not used
- Flavored lozenge's sugar alcohols can cause GI upset in sensitive users
- Sublingual 'superior absorption' is weakly supported; no USP/NSF seal
- You want a cheap, palatable sublingual
- You like a flavored lozenge you'll actually take daily
- You want the active methyl form in vegan form
- Sugar alcohols upset your stomach
- You want a sensible dose and an independent testing seal
A low-cost, cherry-flavored methyl sublingual that works for suspected deficiency. It sits mid-pack because it combines a 5,000 mcg megadose that's mostly excreted with a weakly-supported sublingual claim, and the sugar alcohols in the flavored lozenge can cause GI upset. Fine as a value pick, not a standout.
A popular, wallet-friendly sublingual that does the job for suspected deficiency. It's cheap per bottle, the cherry flavor makes it easy to take, and it's the active methyl form. It lands mid-pack because it stacks two weak-evidence choices — a 5,000 mcg megadose that's mostly excreted and a sublingual delivery whose 'superior absorption' claim is thin — and the flavored lozenge's sugar alcohols can upset sensitive stomachs.
A fine value pick, not a standout
A popular, wallet-friendly sublingual that does the job for suspected deficiency. It lands mid-pack because it stacks two weak-evidence choices — a 5,000 mcg megadose that's mostly excreted and a sublingual delivery whose 'superior absorption' claim is thin — and the flavored lozenge's sugar alcohols can upset sensitive stomachs. Fine as a value pick, not a standout.
If This Doesn’t Fit — Try These
06NOW Methyl B-12 5,000 mcg
NOW earns trust with an in-house, UL-audited GMP program that consumer watchdogs rate highly, and the per-serving cost is strong for a 5,000 mcg sublingual.
01Thorne Vitamin B12
If you want a no-drama, trust-first B12, this is it.
05Garden of Life B12 Spray
The best option for pill-averse or older users, with the strongest clean-label stack in the field — USDA Organic plus Non-GMO Project Verified plus vegan.
Quick Answers
Is the cherry lozenge safe for sensitive stomachs?
For most people, yes, but the sugar alcohols used to sweeten it can cause GI upset in sensitive users. A plain capsule avoids that.
Do I need the 5,000 mcg dose?
No. Your body uses only a fraction and excretes the rest. A 1,000 mcg dose already corrects a deficiency.
Is sublingual worth choosing for absorption?
Not for absorption — the evidence is thin. Choose it only if you prefer not to swallow a pill.
Is it a good budget option?
It's cheap and palatable, so yes as a value pick — just not a standout versus the sensibly-dosed, better-tested options.
Sources & Further Reading
3 peer-reviewed sources, each linked to PubMed
- [1] Stabler SP. Vitamin B12 Deficiency. N Engl J Med. 2013;368(2):149-160. PMID 23301732 — Vitamin B12 Deficiency. Around 1,000 mcg of oral cobalamin corrects deficiency; larger megadoses are mostly excreted rather than used.
- [2] Wang H, et al. Oral vitamin B12 versus intramuscular vitamin B12 for vitamin B12 deficiency. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018;3:CD004655. PMID 29543316 — Oral vitamin B12 versus intramuscular vitamin B12 for vitamin B12 deficiency. Standard oral repletion normalizes B12; sublingual delivery shows no clear absorption advantage over swallowing.
- [3] Paul C, Brady DM. Comparative Bioavailability and Utilization of Particular Forms of B12 Supplements. Integr Med (Encinitas). 2017;16(1):42-49. PMID 28223907 — Comparative Bioavailability and Utilization of Particular Forms of B12 Supplements With Potential to Mitigate B12-related Genetic Polymorphisms. Methylcobalamin is a valid active form, but no strong evidence supports megadosing or sublingual delivery over standard oral repletion.
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