Partial
“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).
Reviewed
Verified by SAC team
+20
XP on completion
Best Flavored Lozenge
Jarrow Formulas
Jarrow Formulas Methyl B-12 5000 mcg, Cherry - 60 Chewable Lozenges Review
7.3/10SAC Product Score™
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.
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Read the complete Vitamin B12 guide →How we built the SAC Product Score™ — 7.3/10
Form & Bioavailability20%8.5/10
Active 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.
Dose vs Clinical Range20%6.3/10
5,000 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.
Third-Party Testing & Purity25%6.8/10
Gluten-free and non-GMO per label, but no independent USP or NSF seal — the weakest testing credentials among the higher-ranked picks.
Value Per Serving15%8.2/10
Cheap per bottle at around $13, though the 60-count and ~$0.22/serving mean it isn't the outright value leader.
GI Tolerance & Format Suitability20%7.2/10
Palatable 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.
The product at a glance
- Form
- Methylcobalamin (sublingual/chewable)
- Dose
- 5,000 mcg per lozenge
- Count
- 60 lozenges / 60 servings
- Certification
- Gluten-free; non-GMO per label (no USP/NSF seal)
- Delivery
- Cherry chewable, dissolves under tongue
- Cost per serving
- ~$0.22
Marketing claims vs. reality
Not verified
“Sublingual delivery is superior”
Evidence that sublingual out-absorbs swallowed B12 is thin; standard oral repletion doses already normalize status (Wang Cochrane 2018).
Verified
“Active methyl, vegan lozenge”
Labeled as vegan methylcobalamin in a chewable lozenge — the active coenzyme form.
Partial
“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
01Cheap and easy to take
At about $13 with a palatable cherry flavor, it's an easy daily habit — the main reason it stays popular.
02Two 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.
03Watch the sugar alcohols
The sweeteners that make the lozenge palatable can trigger GI upset in sensitive stomachs — a real consideration for some buyers.
04Fine value, not a standout
It does the job for suspected deficiency, but it doesn't beat the sensibly-dosed, better-tested picks above it.
Pros & cons, no sugar-coating
Pros
- Cheap per bottle (~$13)
- Palatable cherry flavor, dissolves under the tongue
- Active methyl form, vegan
- Trusted legacy sublingual brand at a low entry price
Cons
- 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
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.
Check Jarrow Formulas on AmazonIf this doesn’t fit — try these
NOW Methyl B-12 5,000 mcg Lozenges
8/10The better-tested version of the same high-dose sublingual.
See it on the list →THORNE Vitamin B12 (Methylcobalamin)
9.2/10A sensibly-dosed, elite-tested capsule instead of a megadose.
See it on the list →Garden of Life mykind B12 Spray
8.3/10A no-pills format without the sugar alcohols.
See it on the list →Sources & further reading
- Stabler SP. Vitamin B12 Deficiency. N Engl J Med. 2013;368(2):149-160.Stabler SP · 2013 · New England Journal of Medicine · PMID 23301732
Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Around 1,000 mcg of oral cobalamin corrects deficiency; larger megadoses are mostly excreted rather than used.
- Wang H, et al. Oral vitamin B12 versus intramuscular vitamin B12 for vitamin B12 deficiency. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018;3:CD004655.Wang H, Li L, Qin LL, et al. · 2018 · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 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.
- Paul C, Brady DM. Comparative Bioavailability and Utilization of Particular Forms of B12 Supplements. Integr Med (Encinitas). 2017;16(1):42-49.Paul C, Brady DM · 2017 · Integrative Medicine (Encinitas) · 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.