Notes - GREAT info here. Please feel free to share, helping each other. ox ..

[Fl17]

Trying to save you time.

"PA can affect your ability to absorb other vitamins and minerals - folate and iron are the common ones."

Makes sense, I started taking lots of others, for improvement. Edit: please read below, ty.

[Foggyme Administrator]

FI17. Yes, B12 deficiency can cause absorption problems with other vitamins, but it's worth noting that over supplementation with vitamins where no deficiency is proven can cause unwanted side effects and be detrimental to health (in some cases, quite dangerous).

Note that you say you've started taking 'lots of others, for improvement'.

Please be aware that over supplementing with the following (in particular, but not exclusively) can be quite dangerous:

Potassium - never take potassium tablets unless prescribed by a GP. Over supplemting can cause heart problems (the heart can stop - cardiac arrest)

Vitamin D - over supplementation can cause vitamin D toxicity - lots of nasty side effects.

Vitamin K - shouldn't be taken by anyone with a blood disorder, those at risk of a stroke, where a coronary stent is in place, or where blood thinners (warfarin etc.) have been prescribed. Other contraindications too - can be looked up on the Internet.

Vitamin B6 - even a small amount over that which is needed can cause neurotoxicity - and potential neurolgical damage.

Folic acid - over supplementing and keeping folate levels very high, over time, can cause some nasty side effects - also has the potential to be neurotoxic.

Iron - supplementing with iron if it's not needed (or over supplementing) can cause something called iron overload - unpleasant not to say dangerous. Only supplement with iron under medical supervision.

Although a multi-vitamins tablets (at a maximum of 100% RDA) is unlikely to do any harm, there's still the potential to be taking vitamins and/or minerals that are not needed (for instance, it's quite easy to inadvertently take too much vitamin B6) so wherever possible, it's always better to try and get levels tested before taking supplements (especially in relation to those mentioned above).

And yes, having said all that, there are some here who do need high levels of some supplements. But those people have usually started with testing and worked out through trial and error (and further checks on levels) exactly what their own requirements are.

So...just taking more of lots of things is not always the best way to improve health...and I say this with the very best of intentions 😉.

[deniseinmilden in reply to Foggyme]

Excellent reminder Foggyme

A query...

In January I got a sickness bug which upset my system badly and I'm still struggling to get things back in balance.

The Solgar 800ug methylfolate that I was taking very successfully have been discontinued. I have have tried others, including the Solgar 1000ug.

I have had to increase my intakes of all supplements again to minimise my symptoms. I do try to work on minimum levels but I am disappointed by how much I seem to need and always worry about toxicity.

I know too much methylfolate gives me a headache (especially if I add in methylcobalamin sublinguals) but I sometimes still get a positive response to additional folic acid.

I confess I wasn't aware of toxicity issues of folate and wonder if you could help me with it, please?

Nothing except huge amounts of everything seems to be working for me at the moment and I'm getting desperate to be OK again!!

Thank you!

[Foggyme Administrator in reply to deniseinmilden]

Hi Deniseinmilden.

First- apologies for the long wait for a reply - it appears that reply notifications have not always been getting through to me - so now having to trawl the forum to try and spot where this has happened!

Secondly, so sorry to hear that you’re having 'slippage' (for want of a better word) in the getting and staying well process.

About potential neurotoxicity of folates: here's some links (one's only an abstract - sorry - hidden behind a pay wall 😖):

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/627... (Neurotoxicity of Folates)

now.tufts.edu/news-releases... (High Folate linked with Nerve Damage)

pdfs.semanticscholar.org/07... (Vitamin B12, Folic Acid and the Nervous System)

So how much of a risk is high folate - honestly don't know - but it's worth considering in the scheme of things.

Just wondering about your 'downturn' and asking myself the 'what’s changed' question - in your case, it could be the recent course of antibiotics.

Not much good on things to do with gut bacteria but wondering if changes here due to the recent antibiotics could be part of the problem. Bit of a stab in the dark but many here have said that Symprove has worked well for them - but no idea if this would help in your case. Unfortunately, it's very expensive - but could be worth trying if you're really struggling (I take Bio-Kult and always double the dose following a course of antibiotics).

Sorry I can't offer anything more useful - and strongly suspect that you’re much more knowledgable all things vitamin and mineral than I am.

Apologies again for the slow reply.

Keeping everything crossed for you and hope that things pick up again pdq.

Take care Denise x

[deniseinmilden in reply to Foggyme]

Hi Foggyme

Thank you very, very much for your dedicated reply. No worries on the wait - I knew it would be worth waiting for plus I know you are in the same boat health wise and applaud you for trying to have a life too!

I will look through the attachments carefully. Thank you!

I guess I've got lots of reasons for my downturn as I've had a bit of a tough time over the last six months. My partner, who at the outset had promised that my health issues wouldn't be a problem found that he couldn't cope with my needing to sleep and became badly abusive and threatening before going off with someone (s!) else... and my Dad, who meant the world to me, declined rapidly once the Dr's stopped his B12 treatment last autumn following a blood test and I spent a very traumatic last week with him in hospital after Christmas. And my Aunt died too.

I got the sickness bug immediately after Dad's funeral and it wiped out my reserves of my critical supporting supplements and made me dehydrated causing an UTI for which I was given Trimethoprim antibiotics. I had no idea how important the "do not take if you have folate problems" warning on the Trimethoprim was going to be to me and I'm pretty sure it has contributed to my needing loads of methylfolate again when I was down to "only" 3mg a day.

Oh, and my beloved cat became desperately ill... but thankfully he goes to a vet so his B12 deficiency was diagnosed and is now treated!!!

And there are other major-to-me, if less life or death, issues I'm under pressure from too so I guess I have to accept that the stress is probably enough to use up some fairly mega amounts of everything.

I'll read all your articles and will be careful, I promise.

I can't thank you enough for your care.

Best wishes, Denise x x

[Foggyme Administrator in reply to deniseinmilden]

Oh Denise...I'm so sorry to hear all this and send heartfelt commiserations on the loss of your Dad and Aunt.

I'm saying very bad words about the abusive partner - bet you can imagine! ****, *******, ******* *******, are just a few.

But very pleased to hear that your vet comes out with gold stars - once again.

There never seem to be enough appropriate words for things like this. Suffice to say - I know what you're going through and how you must be feeling.

I know, from what you've been through before, that you have the strength and tenacity to get through this...and if it helps, I walk beside you with a hand hold and a very big hug.

More hugs xx

P.s. happy to do PM's for additional support, if and as needed.

[deniseinmilden in reply to Foggyme]

Oh you are such a star... And your stars made me laugh!! Ha ha - I know a few choice words that fit the gaps!! It's hard to believe how badly some people behave and slightly galling when they have good health and everything going for them... but good to know that at least we aren't like that!

And then your wonderful kindness made me cry... But I now have a smile on my face and a warm place in my heart - thank you so much!

It scares me to think of the unimaginable torture that so many poor souls without the support of groups like this go through and have done over the decades.

Thank you for your time and help and kindness and everything!

Best wishes, Denise xx

[Foggyme Administrator in reply to deniseinmilden]

And now you'll have me in tears too...a mutual tear fest...but the dessert (smiles and warm places) is delicious!

Oh but if only there was more than just words...sometimes it's so frustrating not being able to do more.

I'm shortly taking you on a walk...over the hills and into the woods...

More hugs xx

[deniseinmilden in reply to Foggyme]

... where we can enjoy the new spring flowers and marvel at the buds about to burst, glad of the now bright twinkling light dancing through the canopy onto the leaf-littered floor beneath... Isn't it good how magical it smells as our world warms up, ready for summer ahead...

Lots of love, happy hands and hugs... to you and everyone reading this. xx

[Foggyme Administrator in reply to deniseinmilden]

Good and magical indeed Denise. Wonderful words.

My mum was Irish and full wonderful Celtic blood...she'd be looking for fairies too...and who am I to argue with that.

A little touch of magic goes a long long way 😃😃

[deniseinmilden]

Dew drops are fairy looking-glasses!

Have a lovely walk with me and I'll take you out and show you how to prune vines! I've done over half of them but still have nearly 5000 left to do!!

😊 ❤️ xx