I’m still confused with regard to correct amounts of folic acid and B6 when injecting B12 EOD or ED, assuming it’s for life.
Is there a danger of overdosing folic acid or B6 do we know?
Also not entirely clear about taking iron if spare folic acid becomes ferritin and is stored as iron. Or if this is correct.
Sorry if this is a question you are tired of answering and I have missed the answers.
There is a problem with too much folic acid - some people feel very ill. For example, there are a number of reports on the forum of people prescribed 5 milligram tablets and being unwell. Reduce to 200 or 400 (typical supermarket product dosages) and they are OK.
B6 can also cause many problems including peripheral neuropathy if taken in excess. But the form of B6 also appears to be important.
Have a look for B6 in my vade mecum.
helvella.blogspot.com/p/hel...
Your Vade Mecun. Wow. It's an awesome knowledge resource.
Thank you.
👍👌
As far as I understand it too much b6 can exasperate neurological symptoms I've read.It's not needed for b12 to work .
I used to take it for PMT but a low dose.
Tried it again a few years in with no ill effects
You only need to supplement folate if your bloods show a deficiency.
Always after b12 treatment has started.
Only a prescribed high dose is given if bloods dictate and for a very short period.
Then bloods repeated and the high dose stopped if folate levels up.
I only took 400mcg and within 2 months was above the reference range .
Again everyone needs to find their maintenance dose if it's needed..
However most multivits have 200-400mcg
The NHS advise up to 400mcg daily for mentrating women .
Iron and ferritin ;
Again by blood results.
I need to take a low dose of iron to keep my ferritin from falling and HB static.
Ferritin sits around 58 at present . Had dropped . Told to keep it around 50-70 if symptomatic.
Gp prescribes the iron.
Iron has to be looked at all together and is too complex for most to interpret unless a doctor.
Vit D is another supplement I take with k7 and is common to be low if an absorption problem going on.
Obviously food the best way.
Different ways of eating.
Vit c to help absorb iron.
Smaller iron rich food portions like meat over the day.
Folate rich foods you csnt overdose on.
Sun on upper torso vit D
It's useful if possible to go by old blood results to see what you personally operate on.
If a large dose of b12 needed ( most of us) it does knock other nutrients out of whack but does settle.
Another minefield .
I've tried different things.
Presently back to a standard multivit I alternate as supermarkets have slightly different mixes.
I do take vit D as well
Hope helpful .
Others know more .
Hi Nackapan. Quick Question if I may? If you have a folate deficiency, or low folate. How long after b12 SI do you take the folate supplement...? A week...?
With many thanks 🌻
I'm not sure .I imagine after a b12 Injection as it goes strsight into your blood it coujd be sooner than a week?
Thank you Nackapan. Great help. Lost faith in my doctor re. monitoring bloods or having a clue what to do with levels / PA (and Long Covid in my case). So been trying to follow advice on here and Gez Medinger’s Long Covid u-tube et al.
But I see I’ll have to go back to asking them. I paid for bloods when I saw an endocrinologist privately in December. But can’t afford such things now. So all trial and error and going by how I feel.
Scientist, not medic.
If you really require B12 for life, by injection, you can't overdose on it. If you can manage with oral B12 the same principle applies.
As far as folate goes, then 'little and often' is the watchword. We don't store folate so we need a ready supply, and it's abundant in green leafy stuff. Excess is best avoided.
Ferritin & iron: Ferritin is a storage protein for iron, but it is also an acute phase reactant, so it will go up in inflammatory conditions regardless of the iron status. It's a useful test for iron status but not infallible, that's why we have a range of other indicators too. Don't be tempted to take iron in excess; it's toxic.
A full blood count will give you a good indicator of the general state of your blood. If the MCV (&MCH) start to rise, there's probably something causing megaloblastic change in the bone marrow. If the MCV (& MCH) start to fall, then it's likely to be an iron issue.
Iron deficiency is generally a symptom of 'something else' and that's where your doctor comes in!
Thanks Flipper. As I say to Nackapan, no-one in my local clinic has any knowledge of B12 deficiency or Long Covid. They’ve been kind and patronising and let me take care of myself. Sadly, I can’t do regular bloods.
My GP would regularly test folate, ferritin, vitamin D, thyroid TSH and FT4, but not B12. "No point" she said - as always over measurable amount because of injection frequency.
Since Covid, many changes in an overstretched health service - three excellent GPs left to work in rapid diagnosis in hospitals and no continuity now. One retired GP returned to help out the practice. Access difficult. Monitoring unlikely. Probably the same story everywhere.
Luckily I have stabilised and am also more aware now of what might be a sign, and still seeing an Oral Medicine consultant at hospital, who has been keeping an eye on ferritin level. GP wanted it above 60 ug/L - he preferred 80 ug/L, which was a bit of an effort. Keeps it above level at which symptoms might occur.
Agree, you can't overdose on b12 as it's water soluble, but op was asking about b6, which can be toxic
Being water soluble is not, on its own, a basis that you can't overdose on it.
Sugar, salt, folic acid, pyridoxine (one vitamer of B6), hydrogen cyanide - all water soluble, all overdosable.
Well observed!
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