Supplements

[Nackapan]

Reviewing what I take.

I mainly go by blood results.

Vit d dropped to 52 . I asked the Gp about thus as in the past have had prescribed loading doses. I was taking 1000iu a day.The Gp said 'in range ' the form clearly says out of range ?? Didn't press him on this as the focus was on keeping 2 weekly prescribed b12 injections

So have now upped thus to 3000iu off my own back. ( vit D)

My folate above thr reference range . No number given.

All my A-Z multivits have folic acid in . So I have 600mcg a week .

Not alot but obviously eat and absorb plenty.

My ferritin dipped slightly to 49 after reducing iron . Gp said say to continue with the iron I was taking . Not alot but obviously needed as a maintenence.

Cholesterol high so looking into pksnt stetols again but I think it's because I simply can't exercise walk enough

My question is:

Does anyone take magnesium separately, if so is 50mg a dose to try? Some I've seen have a combination of different sorts. Sone say are a laxative ??

Also b6 looks helpful.

Vit c I could take to help absorb the iron

Seemingly if I stop the multivit for a bit to level out folate these would be helpful ?

Unless anyone has cone across a standard multivit without folic acid?

It's such a minefield but I do need the support of supplements now.

My diet is very good .

I think high levels of b12 that we need come into play with other nutrients getting out of whack.

I'm very cautious but as DIY want to see if tweaking things might help. 🤔

So any views or experiences on magnesium or b6 please.

[cocoa]

I too am a believer in supplements.

Magnesium - I have taken this for years with no ill effects. I buy Nutri Advanced magnesium glycinate. I only take one 100mg tablet a day although you can take more.

Vitamin D - I take all year round because I have osteopenia. GP does not want to test this again.

Vitamin B6 is in the B complex I take. Others can advise on this.

I am just looking into self help for cholesterol, having refused statins again.

I am thinking of having a private blood test that covers supplements but not sure what to go for.

[Nackapan in reply to cocoa]

Yes I've thought of this too I had one once on a rare 'away day ' at work many years ago . I will try and find what it covered.

I've not looked yet whats around fir a full nutritional screen.

I trued very hard scyesr ago reducing saturated and bad fats from my diet to reduce cholesterol.

It lowered tge total serum number . However the ratio went up??

It seens the ratio is the most important but medical views differ.

At that time I lost too much weight and got an extremely dry itchy scalp which is still bothersome.

Now I've given up trying to absorb b12 I'm looking into a different way of tweaking food. Nothing drastic but more beans. Black beans kidney beans ect . I liquidise them into other food.

As I was doing this fir my granddaughter i thought this would be a good way for me too !

I think if only I csn exercise more. Look into plant sterols agsin.

We need fat for our brains and energy.

Cooked olive oil is no better than other oils and I burn it too often.

I need carbohydrates but looking into long chain carbohydrates again .

Really difficult as sweet things really cheer me.

Am looking into butter v marg again.

Thise little yoghurt pots dud nothing g and I hate them 😒

If I get any more thoughts I will post them.

Please do the same.

I'm getting tested again in 6 months

[Hidden in reply to Nackapan]

Hi nackapan,

From experience only, folic acid did me more harm than good, I didnt supplement but tended to go for healthy foods. This caused a lot of itching which has now gone. Also blood test revealed way above range.

Vitamin b6 is in a lot of food and in excess can cause problems too. !

Magnesium I tend to go for magnesium body lotion, but have had the occasional tablet at night in the past, but I go very careful as it tends to upset my stomach.

Every now and again I have vitamin C , several in a week to try and reboot my system.

All you can do is experiment (isn't that what doctors do when prescribing different MEDS!).

It's an uphill struggle in trying to find out what's of benefit and what's causing problems.

Best of luck

[Nackapan in reply to Hidden]

Yes. I've been experimenting for over 3 years now. I do believe high level of b12 we need knock other things out if whack.

My diet is fine.

Always has been.

Obviously have enough folate which i Can absorb from the allotment

My diet was very goid when i stopped absorbing b12 !!

The hidden fats abd sugars you get when eating out not the problem. I very rarely eat out.

Do not totally rely on diet anymore

So it depends on what we are able to absorb doesn't it.

Just a shame yoh cant get a multivit with slight variations.

I've noticed the ones aimed for over 5os have a different mix.

I expect j will pay for a nutritional blood test at some stage or get more added to my ususl bloods.

Thanks

[Ninagreen in reply to cocoa]

You need to be very careful with B6. It can be toxic.

[RoseFlowerDew]

Hi, I’m glad to see you are watching your vitamin d level…when I started supplementing vitamin d, after a private test showed issues, a huge amount of brain fog cleared up for me.

Anyway I thought vitamin D threshold was 50? So isn’t 52 on the low side? I think vitamin d needs balancing with an oil of some kind because it’s fat soluble(?). I take mine with omega 3-6-9, calcium and iron and had good results.

When it comes to vitamins I have just spent 9 months figuring out what I need. For myself I can’t take a multivitamin or even a b complex tablet. To me it’s extraordinary and I would never have believed it but the results are unmistakable. The folate in the b complex is the wrong form for me. Both that and b2 causes an inability to make sound decisions because of the affects of lightheadedness and inability to be aware properly. I now take niacin, folacin and mythl-b12 (sublingual) daily as separate tablets and have improved a lot along with si hydroxycobalmin (all in attempt to stabilise neurological damage and symptoms for which I can’t get help with….yet). I am contemplating reintroducing thiamine after reading the recent post on this forum regarding a complaint letter which had a link to brilliant article that confirmed my suspicions that thiamine is just as important for nerve damage.

I started taking magnesium separately last year which really helps as well. Tired of taking so many separate tablets I decided to switch to a combination of magnesium, zinc and calcium but it hasn’t worked so well.

B6 is really useful for my neurological symptoms when in the p5p form….but it’s so strong in the affects that I don’t take it as much as I should.

I believe vitamin c does help iron absorption which is important when chronic gastritis is present but sadly with several autoimmune conditions left untreated I can’t take it and risk a flareup. It’s one of the main reason I don’t take combined vitamin tablets.

I would say be careful though and take it step by step to work out what you need. Vitamins can really cause changes both good and bad.

[Nackapan in reply to RoseFlowerDew]

Yes the vir d I take is in oil. Gel capsules.

also taken with a meal . I use the spray with k in too

Yes the Gp wring on that.

I'm cautious as I've said.

Used to totally believe in nutrients from my diet only.

Look where that got me??

First vitamin D plummeted

Then B12 .

It's not knowing what you csn absorb in the right quantities .

That's the minefield.

Goodness what i used to take for granted !!!

[RoseFlowerDew in reply to Nackapan]

Oh yes…thoroughly agree….never knew the stomach and diet was soooooo important for absolutely everything. Of course it makes sense when you step back to look with fresh eyes.It’s interesting you mentioned the absorption question. The main reason I started investigating other vitamins for brain fog and neurological symptoms was because I started feeling better by using face creams with added vitamins by accident. I am preparing for my wedding and wanted to calm pigmentation and rosacea so started using products with vitamins to improve brightness. I thought it was strange my symptoms improved with one cream containing b3 and it started me on this discovery journey that has really helped. If there was a way to create vitamin patches according to individual needs then I would jump on it rather than all these pills since I think many vitamins that are water soluble can be absorbed through skin more effectively than a broken stomach. Good luck with finding what helps you.

[Nackapan in reply to RoseFlowerDew]

Thank-you.Have a wonder wedding with 'glowing skin!

[Hidden]

I started taking magnesium 375mg from Holland and Barrett about 5 years ago to help with muscle cramps after running. They really do work.

I also take B6 in an evening primrose oil supplement.

Have taken vitamin C for years every day too.

For some reason I can't stomach multivitamins so take quite a few separately each day.

[CG12345]

Best to take supplements with folate instead of folic acid as a lot of people don’t process the sythentic version well which could be why yours is high? Dr Ben Lynch talks about this a lot, I’m sure he’ll have a video on YouTube about it.

[Lasue]

300iu Better You spray - consultant and GP advised this as it bypasses stomach straight into bloods spray into mouth inside cheek every day if live in Northern Hemisphere (Holland & Barrat)we in the B12 club and if over 50 won’t absorb things as well as we did As I’m sure you know as for Magnesium steady as you go on this one however Holland &Barret again either 375g tablets or powder to take soluble I take one tablet 3 times a week at night as advised by heart consultant Papworth hospital if you are eating fish like salmon and mackerel at least once a week that should be all even us in the IBS club need too much magnesium not good

Multi vitamins will only have very small amounts in the tablet it’s sometimes better to do as you are eat very healthy and only supplement on the individual ones you are short of that are difficult to get from food as you’d have to eat too much of it in a day and it would be impossible!

Zinc folate magnesium Vit D iron if you are definitely anemic are the main things to concentrate on Vit c eat an orange EVERY day potassium eat a Banana EVERY day

Salmon twice week Mackerel once week

Chicken twice 2 eggs once week one day a week just veg … keep it simple but ram in the veg and fruit strawberries blueberries kiwi raspberries green beans spinach carrots sweet potatoes that’s the IBS FODMAP regime but it works for husband and me both PA 10day SI

No alcohol one decaf coffee a day and ONLY drink water

All the above was instigated by a lovely locum consultant who saw me reference my spinal issues (from birth) as I walked into the room she asked me to walk in again and said (I’ll never forget it but I actually think she saved my and husbands life I do not say this lightly but all you out there will know that if we don’t discover these certain things life can and for some is a sad painful road )

I quote ‘’ I believe you are deficient in VIt D and B12 I shall write to your GP to ask him to test them and here is what else I would like you to do to help yourself ‘’

The rest is history !

This is a long reply but I hope some of it helps in quantifying which what and when ! Take care 😎

[Nackapan in reply to Lasue]

How fortunate to meet a good doctor.Yes my diet is good.

Have had to think about good food for years

Have always been interested.

I think the poster is correct when they say hard to eat enough when you are absorbing less.

My daughter also found fodmap very helpful.

My husband has type one diabetes so hone cooking and allotment abd eating outusyskky s NO as hidden fats abd sugars .

I can't anyway because if the lights .

Doesn't bother me.

A bag of occasional chips on a bench my best treat. 👌

A multivit was fine fir me until I wanted to stop folic acid .

I am going to try a different regime.

Hope I'm energised!!

[Littlelodge123]

B6 is good for peripheral neuropathy if that’s one of your symptoms. B6 needs an acidic environment for uptake so it is not unusual for PA sufferers to be low in it. I managed to get a full vitamin screen at my GP. I insisted on it as I have EPI and I wanted certainly around my fat soluble vits. They were all fine but B6 very low as was zinc. You may want to try it if you have symptoms and see if it helps.

[Nackapan in reply to Littlelodge123]

I'm going to try .My main symptoms are more like Occipital neuralgia/ vestibular disturbance.

I'm going yo push for testing .

Also looking through my blood results.

Ar one stage unable to do that as visual problems ot brain to eyes wrong.

What is EPI please.

[Littlelodge123]

EPI is exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. It can be associated with PA.

[Nackapan in reply to Littlelodge123]

Thanks