What is Vitamin U?

  • This is a summary of Vitamin U information, especially as it pertains to health. Links to blog posts and the scientific literature for more information have been included. 

    Last updated - 10Nov2025

    • When it was discovered that cabbage juice healed peptic ulcers, the unknown nutrient was named "Vitamin U" for ulcer. Later, it discovered that Vitamin U was not actually a vitamin, but rather the amino acid S-methylmethionine. 
    • Vitamin U is naturally abundant in vegetables, and is also found in fruit and grains.
    • The best source of Vitamin U is freshly-made juice from cruciferous (cabbage, kale, broccoli) and stalky vegetables (celery, asparagus)(more).
    • There is no RDA for Vitamin U. Patients with peptic ulcers were healed by drinking cabbage juice containing 100-200 mg of Vitamin U per day for 1-2 weeks (more).
    • Vitamin U is made only by flowering plants, in which it has many and varied roles (more). Animal products are a poor source of Vitamin U.
    • Vitamin U is unstable to high temperature cooking and pasteurization.
    • Vitamin U is a nutrient with several functions that overlap with those of other nutrients such as methionine, cysteine, betaine, choline and folate.
    • The enzyme BHMT2 catalyzes the methylation of homocysteine using Vitamin U (more). 
    • BHMT2 is well expressed in the liver and kidney, and to a lesser extent in most tissues.
    • Vitamin U is enzymatically converted into methionine, and thereafter into SAM, cysteine, creatine, glutathione, taurine, and other compounds (more).
    • Vitamin U is a particularly important source of sulfur for vegans.
    • Vitamin U may serve as a natural alternative to NAC (more).
    • Vitamin U may function with Vitamin B5 as precursors to CoA, which stimulates cell regeneration in the small intestine (more)(more)
    • In vegans, Vitamin U is an important source of methyl groups required for creatine synthesis (more).
    • Vitamin U may help with the following -
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    More on Vitamin U and peptic ulcers
    • Vitamin U can be used to counteract some of the negative effects of NSAIDs (more).
    • Vitamin U can be used in combination with proton pump inhibitors.
    • Vitamin U can be used in combination with H2 blockers (more).
    • Vitamin U can be used in combination with antibiotics used to kill Helicobacter pylori.
    • Vitamin U may heal and prevent the formation of peptic ulcers by -
      • Stimulating the secretion of mucin onto the lining of the stomach, thereby forming a protective layer against H. pylori, stomach acid, alcohol, salt, NSAIDs and other corrosive agents (more).
      • A precursor with B5 to form CoA, which stimulates tissue repair in the small intestine ()()
      • Acting as a precursor of glutathione, which is the most important antioxidant in humans and is vital for combating oxidative stress, free radicals and inflammation (more).
      • Supplying methyl groups required for good health by reacting with homocysteine in a reaction catalyzed by the enzyme BHMT2 (more).
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    The alimentary canal is the tube that runs from your mouth to your anus. Its function is to enable the assimilation of nutrients from food. Ulcers of the alimentary canal result from an imbalance between protective factors like mucus, and destructive factors like acid and infection. Ulcers can occur anywhere along the alimentary canal due to a lack of well-formed mucus coupled with infection by bacteria that normally inhabits that locale. The best characterized example is Helicobacter pylori and ulcers of the stomach and duodenum. Poor diet can facilitate bacterial overgrowth and invasion of epithelial tissue as well as affect mucus composition. Genetic factors can affect your susceptibility to ulceration resulting in malformed or insufficient mucus, and a lack of protection against oxidation. Environmental factors like stress can reduce blood flow to the digestive tract resulting in impaired function. 

    Restoring the balance between these protective and destructive factors is the key to regaining good health. A diet rich in fresh vegetables and low in sugar, alcohol, acid and salt results in optimal digestive health for most people. Vitamin U is a nutrient found in all vegetables and fruit that actively promotes a healthy alimentary canal via the stimulation of mucin secretion, the provision of methyl groups, and as a component of the most important antioxidant in the human body, glutathione.

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