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What’s the story behind B12 and Alfred Libby?

By Scott Conard, MD

Alfred Libby, a pioneer in nutrients and health, patented the technology that still powers TriVita’s Slow Dissolve B-12 supplements. His original formula lets the dissolving action of B12 get into the bloodstream without an injection, or swallowing a pill. Alfred Libby was an associate of Linus Pauling, Ph.D., the 2-time Nobel Laureate and “Father of Vitamin C.” Early in his career, Libby discovered the dramatic health changes that B12 could make, and worked for decades to raise awareness.

“We’ve given people back their lives”

Along with B12, Libby was the “star” of TV infomercials beginning in 2000. Here, I’ve selected some of his memorable thoughts: “We’ve given people back their lives,” Libby said. At the time, painful and expensive injections were the only way to supplement effectively with B12. And, undiagnosed B12 deficiency caused untold damage.

author bio:

Scott Conard, MD, DABFM, FAAFP

Dr. Conard has more than 20 years of successful clinical practice, research and leadership experience. Through his Texas-based practice and books he’s authored, he empowers people to take control of their health. “B12 deficiency, undiagnosed and untreated, wreaks havoc,” he declared. This “havoc” took many forms: • Moodiness • Low energy • Lack of focus He would talk about patients who, with Slow Dissolve B-12, went from moodiness and lethargy to enthusiasm and energy… older people, sent to nursing homes because they were disruptive and difficult, becoming “functional human beings again.” A key element in Alfred Libby’s Slow Dissolve B-12 is its unique delivery system: where the tablets dissolve and get quickly absorbed into the bloodstream.

Dramatic effects, and a change of career

In my own medical practice, I found the same kinds of patient results that Libby witnessed years before. For years, my medical practice specialized in treating the elderly. Patients would come into my office complaining that they had no energy and felt “low” and they would beg for B12 “shots.” After their shots they became so much more alive, so much more well, that I changed course in my career. I switched my focus to preventive medicine, convinced that the way to make a difference in people’s lives was to help them get the vitamins and nutrients they need before health issues arise. My own experience has shown me the truth of Libby’s statement: “It’s so fulfilling, so gratifying to be involved with this (Alfred Libby’s Slow Dissolve B-12)… and with the right company, TriVita.” On his original infomercial, Alfred Libby would gesture toward the phone banks and say, “When I see the phones light up it reminds me of the song ‘You Light Up My Life.’ That’s how I feel when I see those lights; people’s lives are lighting up.”