B Complex recommendations please?

[Turtle83]

Hi everyone,

I've just received my Blue Horizon Active B12 test result, in range but a bit on the low side I think so am going to get a good b complex, any recommendations? Which brands do you all use? At the moment I'm leaning towards ordering the Viridian B Complex B12.

Result was -

Active B12

59 pmol/L (25.1 - 165.0)

Thanks,

Victoria.

[Marz]

Viridian is a good make. Also Thorne Research B Complex as it contains Methylfolate rather than Folic Acid - which does not always suit everyone. You may wish to research Methylfolate v Folic Acid Thorne Research is a little more expensive. Higher Nature do a True Food B Complex which I used previously for many years.

[greygoose in reply to Marz]

naturalnews.com/049304_foli...

[Treepie]

Farrows is recommended often here. But folk also say if taking B12 you need to balance the B 's with B complex.

[Rosierocket09 in reply to Treepie]

U need to take active folate with b12 or ur wasting ur time, I use solgar products, reasonable priced and recommend by gp's

[Treepie in reply to Rosierocket09]

Both times I have had folate tested I was well over the top of the range . As has been said before we should get tested before supplementing.

[Polly635]

I recommend holland and barratts time release B 100 vitamin B complex caplets helped my tiredness and feel like I have more energy . £15.99 for 100 and you take one a day . I'm 57 but def feel better for taking them .

[helvella Administrator in reply to Polly635]

Trouble is, the formulation of that product (and many others with 50 or 100 in their names), is that the amounts present are based on an arithmetical happenstance - and have little to do with physiological need.

So you end up with the bizarre dose of 100 micrograms of B12. Far more than is needed for anyone who simply has insufficient B12 in their diets - but not enough to do anything for those who have absorption difficulties for whom an absolute minimum of 500 to 1000 is needed. And that amount of B6 is way, way more than needed and some people get very unpleasant symptoms from even fairly moderate doses of B6 supplements.

Edit: If you care, the B12 in that is Cyanocobalamin rather than what many people prefer, Methylcobalamin.

[Ruby4000 in reply to helvella]

which b complex tablets would you recommend helvella? why does it matter if they are in 50 or 100mg doses?. im just asking as i am looking for a b complex myself at the moment. im taking a lowish dose one at the moment. but might need a bit higher for a bit i think.

[helvella Administrator in reply to Ruby4000]

Ruby4000,

Too much B6 can cause problems to some people. The sheet below suggests a maximum of 100 milligrams a day as a supplement, but having seen someone suffering at much lower levels, I wouldn't take anywhere near that much.

ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/V...

Some supplements have been formulated on a rational basis rather than "Ah - let's make everything 100 because that sounds good!"

Let us take one such product from Holland & Barrett - on the label:

Nutritional Information Each caplet contains: %NRV*

Thiamin (Vitamin B1) 100mg 9,091%

Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) 100mg 7,143%

Niacin 100mg NE 625%

Pantothenic Acid 100mg 1,667%

Vitamin B6 100mg 7,143%

Vitamin B12 100µg 4,000%

Folic Acid 400µg 200%

Biotin 100µg 200%

Choline Bitartrate 100mg **

Inositol 100mg **

PABA 100mg **

So it isn't 100 milligrams of everything. It chops and changes between milligrams and micrograms. And then throws in 400 micrograms of Folic Acid - which rather demonstrates that "100 of everything" cannot be justified even by H&B!

The somewhat bizarre set of percentages further underlines the arbitrariness of this way of formulating products. They range from 200% to 9,091%.

The 100 micrograms of B12 is far more than is needed for those with acceptable absorption - and way too low to be of any use whatsoever to those with significantly impaired absorption of B12.

Finally, in the "Additional info" they almost come clean abut B6. Long term intake of amounts greater than 10mg daily of vitamin B6 may lead to mild tingling and numbness.

So why formulate a product that encourages people to do precisely that? Only one reason: It sounds good so people buy it.

I don't take a B-complex, so have not put in the effort to identify the ones which I perhaps would take. Hopefully someone else can offer suggestions?

[Ruby4000 in reply to helvella]

thankyou. i felt ill on a lower dose holland and barrat b complex. from one pill i mean . but i am very sensitive. i dont want a really high dose one. but am thinking of natures best 50 b complex. as i take a lower dose one of theirs at the moment and seem to have tolerated it ok. maybe i will ask in a question if no one does reply further here. i wonder if i need a bit higher dose due to not absorbing wel. and also i am hyper thyroid at the moment too.

[Rosierocket09 in reply to Ruby4000]

Solgar products are great and easy on the tummy and solgar are recommended by gp's

[Treepie in reply to Rosierocket09]

Not my GP who said take no vitamins! Solar are expensive and I have noticed use of the allegedly cheaper and not as good form of B12.

[Polly635]

Well the mega complex b works for me and I'm happy