Pure Encapsulations B12 and B Complex: What UK Buyers Should Compare

Reviewed and updated: 1 November 2026

Pure Encapsulations B12 comes in four formats on the brand's UK site, and the brand also sells a separate B-Complex Plus, so the honest answer to "which one should I buy?" depends on whether you want B12 on its own, B12 with folate, or the whole B family in one capsule. I'm Dr. Miron, founder of Pure Vitamins UK, and in this guide I'll lay the options side by side on the facts you can check yourself: form, amount per day, pack size, price per day and delivery, with our own B12 tablets shown as one UK alternative.

Pure Encapsulations B12 and B Complex: the quick answer

• Pure Encapsulations B12 (methylcobalamin): 1000 µg in one vegetarian capsule a day, 60 capsules for £22.38, about 37p a day.
• Pure Encapsulations B12 (adenosyl/hydroxy): 2000 µg in one capsule a day, 90 capsules for £33.30, about 37p a day.
• Pure Encapsulations B12 Liquid: 1000 µg methylcobalamin per 1 ml, 30 ml for £23.76, about 79p a day.
• Pure Encapsulations B-Complex Plus: a full B complex (B12 as methylcobalamin) at 1 to 2 capsules a day, 60 capsules for £30.54. The UK page lists the forms but not the amounts.
• Pure Vitamins B12: B12 only, as methylcobalamin plus adenosylcobalamin, 1000 µg per 2-tablet daily serving, 60 tablets for £8.50, about 28p a day. It is not a B complex.
• If a doctor or practitioner recommended a specific product to you, check with them before switching.

Our pick for this guide

Looking for a simple B12-only option with two forms in one tablet?

Our Vitamin B12 provides 1000 µg per 2-tablet daily serving as methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin, 60 vegetarian-friendly tablets per pouch. A food supplement, not a replacement for medical advice.

From £8.50 · 60 tablets

Shop Vitamin B12 →

Why people search for "pure B12"

When someone types "pure B12" or "pure vitamin B12" into Google, they usually mean one of three things: a product that is B12 on its own rather than a multivitamin, a product without fillers they would rather avoid, or simply the Pure Encapsulations range by name. Those are three different questions, so it helps to separate them.

On the first point, every product in this comparison except the B-Complex Plus and B12 Folate is a single-nutrient B12 product. On the second, the Pure Encapsulations B12 capsules list microcrystalline cellulose (a plant fibre) inside a hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose capsule, and the liquid lists purified water, vegetable glycerin, citric acid, potassium sorbate and stevia leaf extract. Our tablets are vegetarian-friendly with no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. On the third, our brand name is Pure Vitamins, which is a different company altogether, as the note above explains.

Breakfast is where my B12 lives, right next to the kettle. Illustrative image.

The products side by side

Here is every product in one place. Prices and details for the Pure Encapsulations products were read from the brand's own UK website today, and ours from our product page. Price per day is simply the pack price divided by the number of days the pack lasts at the label's daily serving.

Pure Encapsulations UK lists standard delivery at £4.49, free on orders of £50 or more (checked 1 November 2026). Our own delivery options are shown at checkout.

B12 on its own or a B complex?

This is the first decision, and it matters more than the brand. A B complex like B-Complex Plus gives you thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, B6, folate, biotin and B12 together, which suits people who want one capsule to cover the whole family. A B12-only product, like ours or the single Pure Encapsulations B12 capsules, lets you take a meaningful amount of B12 without adding the others, which suits people whose diet is already varied but light on animal foods.

So be clear about what you are comparing. Our Vitamin B12 is not a B complex, and I would not want anyone to buy it expecting one. If you already take a B complex or a multivitamin, I have written separately about taking vitamin B and B12 together.

Methylcobalamin, adenosylcobalamin and hydroxocobalamin

All three are forms of B12 that occur naturally in food and in the body. The Pure Encapsulations range offers methylcobalamin on its own, a capsule pairing adenosylcobalamin with hydroxocobalamin, and methylcobalamin in liquid form. Ours pairs methylcobalamin with adenosylcobalamin in a tablet.

It is worth being honest about the science here. A 2017 review of the different supplement forms found that, whatever form you swallow, the body reduces it to a core cobalamin molecule and then builds its own two working forms inside cells, and that for most people the natural forms are likely to behave similarly (Paul and Brady, 2017). The same review noted that some people may absorb or process one form more efficiently than another, which is one reason some buyers like a product with more than one form. My own take: the form is a reasonable thing to prefer, but it is rarely the deciding factor. Dose, format and whether you will actually take it every day matter more. If you want the detail, my guide to B12 forms explained goes deeper.

A glass of water and the pouch within reach makes it one less thing to remember. Illustrative image.

How much B12 per day, and is more better?

The NHS says adults aged 19 to 64 need about 1.5 micrograms of vitamin B12 a day, and that taking 2 mg (2000 µg) or less a day from supplements is unlikely to cause any harm (NHS). Every product in this comparison sits at or under that 2000 µg line at its labelled serving: 1000 µg for our tablets, the methylcobalamin capsule and the liquid, and 2000 µg for the adenosyl/hydroxy capsule.

Why do supplements carry so much more than 1.5 µg? Because only a small share of a large oral dose is absorbed. The US National Institutes of Health fact sheet puts absorption at about 2% of a 500 µg dose and about 1.3% of a 1000 µg dose (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements). That is why 1000 µg is such a common supplement strength. The same fact sheet notes that the evidence shows no difference in effect between swallowed and under-the-tongue forms, which is useful if you are weighing a liquid against a capsule or tablet.

Vitamin B12 contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism, to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, and to normal functioning of the nervous system. Those are the roles of the vitamin itself, and they apply to any product that provides a meaningful amount of it.

Capsule, tablet or liquid?

• Capsules (the Pure Encapsulations B12 range): one a day, plant-based HPMC shell, labelled vegan.
• Liquid (Pure Encapsulations B12 Liquid): 1 ml a day, handy if you dislike swallowing anything, and sweetened with stevia leaf extract. It is the highest cost per day in this comparison at about 79p.
• Tablets (ours): two small tablets a day with water, ideally with a meal. Vegetarian-friendly.

None of these formats is "right". If you travel a lot, capsules and tablets are easier to carry. If you struggle with tablets, the liquid is the obvious choice.

The cost per day, worked out

Pack prices can mislead, because packs last different lengths of time. Dividing the pack price by the days it lasts gives a fairer picture:

• Pure Vitamins B12: £8.50 ÷ 30 days = about 28p a day.
• Pure Encapsulations B12 (adenosyl/hydroxy): £33.30 ÷ 90 days = 37p a day.
• Pure Encapsulations B12 (methylcobalamin): £22.38 ÷ 60 days = about 37p a day.
• Pure Encapsulations B12 Folate: £24.00 ÷ 60 days = 40p a day.
• Pure Encapsulations B-Complex Plus: £30.54 ÷ 60 days = about 51p a day at one capsule, or about £1.02 a day at two.
• Pure Encapsulations B12 Liquid: £23.76 ÷ 30 days = about 79p a day.

Two things are worth noting. The Pure Encapsulations 90-capsule pack lasts three months, three times as long as one of our pouches, so you reorder less often. And Pure Encapsulations UK adds £4.49 delivery below £50, so a single pack bought on its own costs a little more than the shelf price.

Food first, always. A supplement sits alongside a plate like this, not instead of it. Illustrative image.

Where B12 comes from in food

Before any supplement, it helps to know where B12 naturally comes from. The NHS lists meat, fish, milk, cheese, eggs and some fortified breakfast cereals as good sources, and points out that because B12 is not found naturally in fruit, vegetables or grains, people following a vegan diet may not get enough. That is why plant-based eaters are among the most common B12 supplement buyers, and why the vegan labelling on the Pure Encapsulations capsules matters to some readers. If that is you, I cover the topic in do vegans need a B12 supplement?

Which one suits you

I want this section to be useful even if you end up buying from someone else.

A Pure Encapsulations product may suit you better if:

• You want a full B complex in one capsule. B-Complex Plus does that and ours does not.
• You want B12 together with folate in one capsule, which is what B12 Folate offers.
• You prefer a liquid, or find tablets hard to swallow.
• You want a vegan-labelled product. The Pure Encapsulations range carries that label, while ours is described as vegetarian-friendly.
• You want a 2000 µg single capsule or a 90-day pack so you reorder less often.
• A doctor, nutritionist or practitioner recommended a specific Pure Encapsulations product. In that case, speak to them before changing anything.

Our Vitamin B12 may suit you better if:

• You want B12 on its own, with methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin together.
• You want 1000 µg a day at the lowest daily cost in this comparison, about 28p.
• You are happy with small tablets taken with breakfast.

For a wider look at UK alternatives across other categories, see our page on a UK alternative to Pure Encapsulations, and for the background on B12 itself, start with my vitamin B12 UK guide.

A slow weekend breakfast, and the one small habit I try not to skip. Illustrative image.

A few cautions worth knowing

• If you have been told you are low in B12, follow your GP's plan. Some people need injections rather than tablets, and a supplement is not a substitute for that advice.
• Some long-term medicines, including metformin and acid-reducing medicines, can affect how B12 is absorbed. Ask your pharmacist if you take either.
• Keep total supplemental B12 at 2 mg (2000 µg) a day or less, in line with NHS guidance, and count any B12 in a multivitamin or B complex you already take.
• If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, check with your midwife or GP before adding a new supplement.
• If a practitioner chose a product for you, talk to them before switching.

Frequently asked questions

Is Pure Vitamins the same company as Pure Encapsulations?

No. Pure Vitamins UK is an independent British brand. We are not connected to, endorsed by or affiliated with Pure Encapsulations or its owner.

Is your B12 a B complex?

No. Our Vitamin B12 contains B12 only, as methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin, at 1000 µg per 2-tablet serving. If you want the full B family in one capsule, a B complex such as Pure Encapsulations B-Complex Plus is the closer fit.

Which Pure Encapsulations B12 has the most B12 per capsule?

B12 (adenosyl/hydroxy), at 2000 µg per capsule, according to the brand's UK website on 1 November 2026.

Is 1000 µg of B12 a day too much?

The NHS says taking 2 mg (2000 µg) or less a day of vitamin B12 in supplements is unlikely to cause any harm. All the products compared here sit at or below that at their labelled serving.

Does the form of B12 matter?

A 2017 review found that the body converts all forms to the same core molecule, and that for most people the natural forms are likely to behave similarly. Some people prefer a product with more than one form; dose and daily consistency usually matter more.

Our pick for this guide

Want B12 on its own at about 28p a day?

Two small tablets give 1000 µg of vitamin B12 as methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin, and each pouch of 60 tablets lasts a month. A food supplement, not a replacement for medical advice.

From £8.50 · 60 tablets

Shop Vitamin B12 →

Where these facts come from

• Pure Encapsulations B12 (methylcobalamin), £22.38, 60 capsules, 1000 µg, checked 1 November 2026: pure-encapsulations.co.uk
• Pure Encapsulations B12 (adenosyl/hydroxy), £33.30, 90 capsules, 2000 µg, checked 1 November 2026: pure-encapsulations.co.uk
• Pure Encapsulations B12 Liquid, £23.76, 30 ml, 1000 µg per ml, checked 1 November 2026: pure-encapsulations.co.uk
• Pure Encapsulations B12 Folate, £24.00, 60 capsules, checked 1 November 2026: pure-encapsulations.co.uk
• Pure Encapsulations B-Complex Plus, £30.54, 60 capsules, checked 1 November 2026: pure-encapsulations.co.uk
• Pure Encapsulations UK delivery (£4.49, free over £50), checked 1 November 2026: delivery and returns
• Pure Vitamins Vitamin B12, £8.50, 60 tablets, 1000 µg per 2 tablets: our product page

Sources

• Paul C, Brady DM. Comparative bioavailability and utilization of particular forms of B12 supplements. Integrative Medicine, 2017. PMC5312744
• NHS. Vitamin B. nhs.uk
• NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin B12 fact sheet for health professionals. ods.od.nih.gov

More reading: who is most at risk of low B12, our supplement guides hub, and the Pure Vitamins UK home page.

Dr. Miron, Founder of Pure Vitamins UK

Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Always speak to your GP or pharmacist if you have a medical condition, take medication, or are pregnant or breastfeeding.