B12 & FOLATE LEVELS & INJECTION QUESTIONS

[Daisy54]

Hi All

I would be very grateful if anyone could help answer a few questions I have.

I suffer from B12 Deficiency and currently have 3 monthly injections. I have noticed for some time when I have my injection there is a slight improvement with my symptoms. I have finally decided to pluck up the courage and try self-injecting. I am nearly ready to start and will be injecting with methylcobalamin.

My questions are:

1) Do you think it would be worth getting my active B12 levels checked before I start? I have only ever had my total B12 levels checked. Initially my level went down as low as 120umol, but my most recent result – blood tested on the 23/12/2019 came out as 487umol. I have read that total B12 levels aren’t an accurate result & active is a much better marker? Private test will cost me over £100 & a £30 trip to London, so really want to know if worth doing it!

2) I also asked my GP to check my folate levels and he informed me that my level was 7, which he said was normal. Can someone reassure me that this is normal?

3) Once someone told me on here that if I inject with B12, I should also supplement with folic acid. I cannot remember the reason why? If someone could tell me again I would be most grateful. Also please can you let me know how much I should take each day?

4) I’m currently taking a multivitamin, which contains 200ug of folic acid, so I’m unsure whether this would be sufficient enough?

5) My last question is can I carry on taking my other vitamins when I self-inject. I take 400 IU of vitamin D, multi vitamin viridian-nutrition.com/Shop... and also omega oil every day.

Thanks for taking the time to read my post. Hope to hear back from anyone. Xx

[fbirder]

Why are you injecting with methylcobalamin? It’s really difficult to get hold of in a safe, injectable, form. It tends to be very expensive and it’s a lot less stable than the hydroxocobalamin you get at the doctors, while being no more (possibly less) effective.

Most of us get hydroxocobalamin from Germany. Safe, easy to get and works well.

An active test will tell you nothing useful while you’re injecting. You already know you’re deficient when not injecting, so an active test can only tell you the same - but only if you stop injecting for many months.

A value of 7 is fine if it’s ng/mL and still in range if it’s nmol/L. Your multivitamin is supplying enough folate. You may want to increase the amount of green leafy veg, nuts, seeds, and pulses you’re eating. Injecting B12 does not increase your body’s requirements for folate. Nor will it change he amounts of other vitamins you might need.

[Daisy54 in reply to fbirder]

Hello there

Thank you for your response to my post, Im very grateful. The only form of B12 that I could get hold of in the UK was methylcobalamin. I thought this was the best form of B12 to inject with. I do have hydroxocobalamin injection at the drs every 3 months and havent had any problems with this form of B12. I would be really grateful if you could possibly let me know where I can safely buy the hydroxocobalamin from in Germany? Just looked at the ampoules I bought in the UK & they say Arnika Manufaktur on them.

The ampoules that I bought was very expensive and I cant afford to buy from this company in the long term. Thank you again. xx

[Gambit62 Administrator]

1) There is no point in testing active or serum B12 at this point in time as you are on injections - base your treatment on symptoms - keep a diary to monitor improvement and then when they start returning and use that to determine the frequency of your treatment

2) Your folate result is in the normal range - unlike B12 folate isn't stored in the body so levels in blood are responsive to dietary intake- and your levels are okay implying that you are getting enough from your diet/the supplements you are currently taking

3) There is no blanket need to supplement folate if you are taking B12 injections. However, having a B12 absorption problem such as PA can also affect absorption of other vitamins and minerals - such as folate - the best source of folate is food but if you have an absorption problem then some supplementation may be needed

4) The supplement you are on is okay given your blood result - but doubling it is probably going to be okay.

5) not aware of anything that would contra-indicate either of the other supplements - if you are in doubt the person to consult would be a pharmacist but taking vitamin D during winter months is recommended anyway these days, anyway.

[Daisy54 in reply to Gambit62]

Thank you loads for responding to my post. Im very grateful for you answering all of my questions. xx