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Can you overdose on b12

Antstarr profile image
11 Replies

Hi just wanted some information I have been doing loaded doses b12 for 3 weeks now has anyone done longer then this? And can you overdose as a friend of mine said they did

Thanks

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Antstarr profile image
Antstarr
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11 Replies
wedgewood profile image
wedgewood

You cannot overdose on Vitamin B12 .

Gambit62 profile image
Gambit62Administrator

There is no know toxicity associated with B12.

hydroxocobalamin is used as the treatment of choice in cases of cyanide poisoning because of the lack of toxicity associated with B12. It is administered as a 5g dose delivered intravenously over 15 minutes with a repeat does 30 minutes later. The risk factor is the high blood pressure that results from introducing the necessary volumes of fluid into your blood stream.

So, medics are using doses that are 5,000-10,000 times the dose you are injecting because of its low toxicity!

Antstarr profile image
Antstarr in reply toGambit62

My doctor has given me hydroxocobalamin at 1000mg injection for two weeks aswell methylcobalmin at 5000mg dissolvable tablets daily ? Do you think this is ok?

Gambit62 profile image
Gambit62Administrator in reply toAntstarr

think you mean 1000mcg and 5000mcg respectively.

very little of the tablet is actually going to get into your blood - possibly about 1% = 50mcg

In any case you are well within the 5-10g and you really aren't in danger of any toxicity.

The confusion about 'toxicity' may come from the co-relation between high serum B12 levels caused by liver and kidney problems and functional B12 deficiency (not enough B12 in cells despite high levels in your blood).

However the most effective treatment for functional B12 deficiency is to raise B12 levels so that enough does get through to cells. 'Toxicity' is a misunderstanding.

Its just that in some individuals high serum B12 seems to trigger a reaction that makes the process that allows it to get from your blood to your cells less efficient.

clivealive profile image
clivealiveForum Support

No

Foggyme profile image
FoggymeAdministrator in reply toclivealive

Perfectly expressed Clivealive 😂😂😂😂

deniseinmilden profile image
deniseinmilden

Hi! Welcome to our group.

Some people have been injecting the same amount as you do daily for decades to good effect.

I have been injecting one and a half times what you have, every day for over 3 years and before that I was on the same injections as you but then needed lots (about 10 of the tablets you have) to go with it - hence why I went over to the stronger ampoules. I have improved so much with the extra B12 that I have gone from being hardly able to walk or talk to this week I've been on a chainsaw course among other things!!

Some people do two injections per day because they need to.

If you need it, you need it.

Why did your friend think (s)he had had too much? (You can't overdose)?

If you have lots of injections over a long time you may well benefit from a broad spectrum multivitamin and mineral supplement plus extra folate, potassium, magnesium and iron - ideally from your diet.

This is a great forum with loads of very useful information so please read lots of the posts and replies to get yourself "up to speed" with what you need to know.

Best wishes!

Kellykb11 profile image
Kellykb11 in reply todeniseinmilden

Hi! Denise what labs did they run to test your b12? Intrinsic factor? MMA? Homocysteine? What was the most helpful for diagnosis? Thanks?

deniseinmilden profile image
deniseinmilden in reply toKellykb11

None of the Drs here knew much about it and I didn't find this forum until after I'd started treatment so I only had my serum B12 tested.

I think all the tests have a roll to play in diagnosis but none are perfect and the proof of the pudding is in positive response to treatment.

Cherylclaire profile image
CherylclaireForum Support

I think it possible that certain people, those with highly reactive autoimmune systems, may find their body reacts to suddenly being flooded with B12 after years of becoming accustomed to coping without it by treating B12 as an "enemy invader". I must stress that this is a theory only, a nagging suspicion about my functional B12 deficiency. I need a lot to get a little, which is why I self-inject every other day now. Otherwise, I just keep getting worse, slowly or quickly, depending entirely on the frequency.

Luckily, deniseinmilden and I are luckily not necessarily the norm ! I'm hoping to gain as much ground as Denise has- it's a long slow process, and I'm still improving after self-injecting for almost a year and a half. Chainsaw course?... amazing !

Ryaan profile image
Ryaan

Take the amount you need, if you’’be got neurological symptoms then it’s 1 injection every other day until ‘no further improvement’ then you should reduce your dose as needed.

No known toxicity or overdosing of B12. Ganmbit62 has explained its used in the treatment of overdoses.

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