B12 toxicity and kidneys

[Zeffy90]

Hello everyone. I've been facing a particular problem lately. I was performing b12 eod syringes. However, I had what appears to be renal colic. Urinalysis showed traces of blood and very high protein. My doctor is convinced that it is the fault of the b12 and the high levels that caused toxicity. I have now been off the syringes for a week, but I am sick again in terms of tingling in my legs and hands, and lack of concentration. What is your opinion?

[wedgewood]

I do know that a certain kidney problem can cause a high serum b12 reading , not the other way round . Never heard that EOD B12 injections can cause a kidney problem . Iknow patients who have injected B12 daily for years , without any problems . Best wishes .

[charks]

Your situation clearly shows the problems we have with the medical system. Doctor giving advice without checking their facts. I bet if you ask him for proof that B12 is the cause of your renal problems he won't be able to produce it. You need to carry on with the B12. It isn't called an 'essential vitamin' for nothing. You will die without it.

[VellBlue]

Tell your doctor your symptoms are returning without injections and that everything you had read around it previously indicated it was safe. Say you want to understand whether anything else could be causing these high protein levels. Ask for a second opinion.

[Adsypadsy]

As Wedgewood says, some kidney conditions can cause elevated B12 levels. I read a case study regarding this and there was no evidence to show that higher B12 levels can cause kidney problems.

Did your Dr prescribe the eod injections or are you self injecting and offered that info to your Dr?

Is your Dr now treating you for renal colic or have you be fobbed off with B12 being the cause?

[Technoid]

Your doctor may be thinking of this study or similar :

nature.com/articles/nrneph....

It reports "cases of oxalate nephropathy after administration of the injectable form of vitamin B12, hydroxocobalamin, in critically ill patients with burns and smoke inhalation injury".

"The mechanism of AKI development in patients with burns might involve low tubular fluid flow owing to the severe dehydration that is observed in the initial phase after burn injury; this low flow might promote tubular deposits of oxalate crystals. The pathophysiology of oxalate nephropathy after vitamin B12 administration remains unexplored but might involve the methylmalonyl coenzyme A. Vitamin B12 acts as a cofactor of methylmalonyl-CoA mutase, which converts methylmalonyl CoA into succinyl CoA, which has a role in the metabolism of oxalate. This hypothesis requires confirmation. In the meantime, physicians should be aware of the link between oxalate generation and vitamin B12 metabolism and the potential risk of oxalate nephropathy in patients receiving hydroxycobalamin."

As far as I can determine most of such cases involve critically ill patients with burn injuries. They would be receiving Cyanokit, for cyanide poisoning as a complication of smoke inhalation, which is a dosage 10,000 times higher than your normal level of B12 injections. Would suggest your doctor looks more vigorously into possible other causes of the "renal colic" and high protein/traces of blood in urine. B12 wouldn't be my first suspect here and in any case you will need it to survive so not taking injections is not really a viable option here.

[charks]

I think you're being too kind to the doctor. Do you really think the average GP bothers to read medical studies? He most likely is just a typical 'ignorant' GP like mine. Giving wrong advice which could be life threatening.

[deniseinmilden]

I have been injectiing 1.5mg daily for over 7 years so my levels are super high. I have just had my kidney function tested as part of other checks and they are one of the few bits of me that is working well, so it's utter rubbish to say it's the B12 causing your kidney problems. More likely it is helping them as part of helping the rest of your body work better.

I know someone with CKD who still injects twice daily to stay as well as possible. It's scary that Drs can be so ignorant and biased.

Please ask your Dr for written confirmation of how the B12 causes kidney problems that you can share with us as it is vitally important that we have all the facts here so we don't give false advice to people. I await correction.

In the meantime I am very sorry for you to have to go through this and hope they can quickly stabilise the situation for you. It's really hard to get one problem on top of another, isn't it. Good luck!

[ACritical]

Some years ago I suffered regular bladder infections it got sorted with antibiotics but kept on reoccurring thereafter and as I did not wanted more antibiotics I decided to increase my B12 injections! I needed more in my system and this is a continuous situation. Listen to your body … my eyesight deteriorates with not enough B12 and gets stabilised after injecting more regularly etc

[Jillymo]

I am seen by a lead hematologist in London who confermed to me the other day B12 is not toxic. On occasions I have had to inject twice a day simply to keep my symptoms at bay,

As others have already stated Drs are very ill informed where B12 deficiency is concernerd and I would most certainly be looking at other causes with regard to the kidney issue. Have you been scanned for kidney stones or any other form of obstruction ? I do hope they have carried out a full investigation.

If your B12 symptoms are returning that is an indication you need to carry on with the injections.

I hope you get some positive answer's soon.