Supplementing B12 - dosage and infections like colds

[jwestaway]

Hi All,

I'm in week 4 of supplementing 1000mcg methylcobalamol after a reading of 452 Ng/L for serum B12. I'm making slow progress but noticed I seemed to become more symptomatic when I had a cold last week. I assume infections place further demands on B vitamins? Is it advisable to slightly increase doses when under the weather?

Thanks.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

jwestaway I personally wouldn't, I'm not sure it would make any difference. We are subjected to germs all the time and it's our immune system that deals with them. Maybe boost your immune system to try and ward off colds, etc. - it's B6 that's suggested to be good for immune system and Vit C, Vit D, optimal levels of all the vits and mins normally suggested on here, even a garlic supplement.

[jwestaway in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks SeasideSusie I shall hit the garlic!

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to jwestaway]

jwestaway If you want a recommendation for a good garlic supplement, have a look at this amazon.co.uk/Allicinmax-Per... not the cheapest but a very good supplement and no garlic breath. I take the liquid version in some OJ which makes it quite palatable for someone who doesn't like garlic!

[Gambit62]

B12 is used to maintain a healthy immune system - a lot of the symptoms we associate with being ill are actually the signs that the immune system is doing its job so it may just be that you are more symptomatic because the B12 supplement has given your immune system a boost.

I have problems with B12 and would respond to a cold by upping my doses but I have specific problems that put me at an extreme when it comes to B12. When I first started getting the doses I need I had a humdinger of a cold - streaming nose and the works but it all felt like a good sign as I really hadn't had a runny cold for so long it was good to know that my immune system was actually starting to work properly again