Fasting in Ramadan and b12 defficiency - Pernicious Anaemi...

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Fasting in Ramadan and b12 defficiency

AbdusSaboor profile image
18 Replies

hey there guys,

I have been b12 defficient and go to know this in 2017 October since then am on a weekly basis treatment of b12 defficiency. I used to have burning sensations in my front thighs mostly, which had almost disappeared within 3 months and now as the Ramadan month has started I have been fasting. I fasted for 7-8 days and found that my previous symptoms of burning getting back in thighs and also around the trap and shoulder area and also hamstrings which I never had, though other symptoms such as feet pain have not returned it's just the burning. I have now started taking injections when symptoms appear, but it's not helping that much. Can the fasting effect this much for us b12 defficients?

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AbdusSaboor
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18 Replies
Foggyme profile image
FoggymeAdministrator

Hi AbdusSaboor. Fasting should have no impact on your B12 deficiency because you are having your B12 via injections.

However, just wondering if fasting has reduced your overall intake of folate. Folate deficiency can have symptoms similar to B12 deficiency. Suggest you take 400mcg folic acid daily whilst fasting to see if this makes a difference (available over the counter from any chemist or health store).

Good luck.

👍

AbdusSaboor profile image
AbdusSaboor in reply toFoggyme

no dude i daily take a tab which has 5mg of folic acid. anyway I was searching abt nervous system and the fasting and found some results

thehealersjournal.com/2013/...

you can try searching for this too and see many other results

Foggyme profile image
FoggymeAdministrator in reply toAbdusSaboor

AbdusSaboor. The link you provide is about fasting as a way to potentially heal the body....your post seems to imply that fasting is having a detrimental effect on you...so not quite clear exactly what your question is.

About fasting in general - sites like the ones you link too focus on the potential for fasting to have a beneficial effect on the body. However, the focus of these is on the healthy body.

People who visit this forum are not in good health and often have multiple health conditions. Fasting of the type you point to, in these circumstances, may not be beneficial and, in fact, potentially do harm.

So...is fasting in general beneficial...no idea. But anyone with a pre-existing health condition should take medical advice before embarking on any fasting regime.

About the 5mg folic acid daily....this is a high dose if you don't have a proven folate deficiency. And if you have had a folate deficiency, a 5mg daily dose is usually only taken for a few months, then levels re-tested and the dose reduced accordingly (400mcg daily as a maintenance dose, some don't need it at all, and some need slightly more).

Over supplementation of folic acid can cause some unpleasant side effects (including numbness and tingling), so worth considering.

👍

AbdusSaboor profile image
AbdusSaboor in reply toFoggyme

oops I didn't know abt the folic acid, btw it's mixed within my b12 tab of 1500mcg

Foggyme profile image
FoggymeAdministrator in reply toAbdusSaboor

Just wondering....if you're having injections now, can you rely on these and stop the B12 tablets (if you have an absorption problems, these may not be very effective anyway).

If you use tablets or sublinguals for a top-up between injections (they work for some, not for others) then suggest you use B12 only and stop the ones that also contained folic acid.

If,you do need additional folic acid, get this from individual supplements - easier to manage the dose...and 5mg is way to high on a permenant basis (unless there are other factors that impact on your folate levels - for instance, medications that affect absorption etc.).

AbdusSaboor profile image
AbdusSaboor in reply toFoggyme

yeah i was thinking to stop, I will consult the doc abt it and take decisions. and yes I am taking the injections still. I was about to space the injections once per two weeks but then I started swimming and my body was giving some symptoms so had to get back to once a week and now while fasting due to these burning sensations I had to take it within 5 days.

AbdusSaboor profile image
AbdusSaboor in reply toFoggyme

hey, am thinking of getting folate tested, how many days shall I go doseless for accurate results. I mean when after stopping the tablet can I have the test?

Foggyme profile image
FoggymeAdministrator in reply toAbdusSaboor

Not an easy question to answer AbdusSaboor because we all metabolise 'things' at a different rate and it depends on what dose you've been taking.

Folate levels are also very responsive to dietary intake so if you’ve eaten a folate rich diet prior to testing, this can impact on results too.

Folate levels usually drop quite quickly once supplements have been stopped.

I'd suggest leaving a couple of weeks without supplements prior to testing ...but that’s a bit of a stab in the dark and could be an overestimate (or an underestimate).

Sorry there isn't a more definitive answer on this.

👍

clivealive profile image
clivealiveForum Support

Hi AbdusSaboor please forgive my ignorance but are you not allowed to have a meal just before dawn, and another after sunset?

AbdusSaboor profile image
AbdusSaboor in reply toclivealive

its okay. yeah we are allowed to have those meals.. and also anything between sunset to dawn. fast is only from dawn to sunset

clivealive profile image
clivealiveForum Support in reply toAbdusSaboor

Being diabetic (as well as having had P.A. for 46 years) I would have a problem with fasting but I couldn't understand why fasting would have affected your B12 symptoms.

I hope you get to feel better soon

Gambit62 profile image
Gambit62Administrator

AbdusSaboor - have to agree with Foggyme that fasting shouldn't affect B12.

Suggest that you discuss things with your doctor. If I remember correctly Ramadan is no food and no fluids during hours of fasting so personally I'd be wondering if there was something going on with your levels of hydration, or if it is hot, with your electrolyte levels.

AbdusSaboor profile image
AbdusSaboor in reply toGambit62

thank you all for the responses.. am feeling good right now I took a b12 shot yesterday and did some relaxation today noon. the burning has eased a lot. may be it was due to some mental stress plus a little physical one

Fl17 profile image
Fl17

Do you drink enough water?

AbdusSaboor profile image
AbdusSaboor in reply toFl17

yes am drinking, when it's permissible. I mean from sunset to dawn

You can check your other vitamin levels, particularly, vit D.

AbdusSaboor profile image
AbdusSaboor in reply to

thanks buddy, I didn't mention in the post but I had vit d3 so low and I had a course of 12 weeks for that whch finished around 4 months back.After that I didn't test it out yet.

Ela1 profile image
Ela1

Fasting streanghtens immunecsystem, and immune system is destroingvyour belly lining, so it is not very goodvforvautoimmun we fisease. I got a new autoimmune disease becsuce I fasted for 3 days

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