Advice on supplements to help B12 work to its optimum.

[DFFA]

Hi all firstly can I just thank everything one for taking the time to post all your helpful information it is so good to know that I’m not alone in this struggle to get my B12 levels right. Thanks to a friend I was sent a link to this site & subsequently I now get my husband to inject me once a week until I start to pick up again (has already made a difference)

I wanted some advice on a really good multivitamin/mineral supplement I could take to help the B12 work to its optimum. As a mum of two young children I really need to feel a little more energised than I do already lol! I read on here a while back that taking extra folate, potassium, magnesium & iron would help too? Has anyone had any experience with this? Would just like to know I’m giving my B12 the best chance of working & chose a really good supplement to help it on its way.

Many thanks for taking the time to reading this.

[fbirder]

What you need to supplement depends a lot on what causes your B12 deficiency.

If you have Pernicious Anaemia then the gastric atrophy that causes PA can also hinder the absorption of folate, iron and vitamin D. So you may need to supplement with those.

NHS advice is that everybody should take Vitamin D supplements in Spring and Winter. During Summer and Autumn your body should make enough Vitamin D itself, bypassing any absorption problems.

It is recommended that all women of childbearing potential supplement with 400 mcg a day of folic acid. So, there's no problem with taking that supplement. Having B12 injections doesn't increase the body's requirements for folate, so there's no need to take massive doses (some places suggest 5000 mcg a day). Indeed, there is some evidence that such huge doses may be harmful.

Taking too much iron is harmful, so it's best to supplement only enough t keep your levels up. Taking a low dose supplement like Solgar Gentle Iron (25 mg per capsule) should be safe and sufficient. Take more on the advice of a doctor.

If you suffered macrocytic anaemia then your body would have gone into a burst of rapid blood cell formation when you first started B12 supplements. That may have depleted potassium supplies. But only for the first few weeks. After that you need no more potassium than anybody else.

A supermarket multivitamin and mineral should give all you need without being unsafe. tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/p... Along with a supermarket folic acid tablet, that should be plenty.

[TroyNZ in reply to fbirder]

Thanks for that fbirber. I had read up on this some time ago but was having trouble recalling it. I have just changed to a multi vitamin (from lots of different pills) and it seems to be working well. It's a lot easier to just take 1 pill per day.

[jaybirdxNHM in reply to TroyNZ]

Hi I take a multi vit . from Healthspan. Good price. Very good reputation.Mine are for veggies, carnivore ones available!!!