Please help with Vitamins to take!

[Tarajp123]

Hi all, want to get all my vitamin levels up but read so many things about what to take and when and what with that I'm a little confused! Would appreciate your advice if possible.

I'm hypo taking 125 but still having symptoms.

Looking to increase Vit B12, Vit D and Folate plus anything else you think I may need?

Please advise brand and ideally place to buy if possible!

Thanks in advance! X

[bluebug]

You need to have a blood test FIRST.

This is because both iron and vitamin D are toxic if taken when you don't need it. In the case of iron (ferritin and haemoglobin) some people have a genetic predisposition to getting iron overload. While it's very rare to take too much vitamin D it can happen and so you can get toxicity symptoms which take a few months to go away.

In the case of vitamin B12 and folate while they are water soluble vitamins, you need to get the balance right otherwise they can have adverse effects on your red and white blood cells.

Anyway after having a test post your test results and range on a new thread. You will then get advice specific to you about what to take with recommended brands. Plus whether you need more tests or should seek medical help.

If you can't convince your GP to test vitamin B12, folate, ferritin and vitamin D then the suggested test is the Blue Horizon plus 11 finger prick test.

The only vitamins and minerals not routinely tested for which are safe to supplement are vitamin C and selenium. There are arguments about whether long term supplement of vitamin C is worth while or even harmful. You can also supplement selenium or eat a handful of Brazil nuts daily.

Others like vitamin K2, magnesium and zinc are cofactors of other vitamins and minerals so it best not to take them until you know whether you are low or deficient in vitamin B12, folate, ferritin and vitamin D. This is due to the fact if you are low in these then you are likely to be low in the cofactors. These cofactors also tend to need to be balanced out by other vitamins and minerals e.g. zinc and copper. This means if you randomly supplement one you could end up being deficient in another vitamin/mineral due to flooding your receptors with extra of a vitamin/mineral you don't need.

[Tarajp123 in reply to bluebug]

bluebug hi, sorry I wasn't very clear with my post. I have had tests and these are my results

Vitamin D - 69

Vitamin B12 - 355 (291-911)

Folate - 4.2 (3.0 - 14.4)

Thanks

[bluebug in reply to Tarajp123]

Vitamin D level should be about 100nmol/L but at least over 75nmol/L. I would get some 5,000IU D3 tablets and take 1 per day for 6 weeks then go down to taking one every other day. This should get your levels over 100 but under 150 but get your levels checked after 4-6 months to confirm this. (Use City Assays.) You can buy them from an independent pharmacy NOT Boots. Some independent pharmacies do sell 2,500IU and/or 5,000IU tablets either generics (make sure they don't contain soya) which are cheaper and work, or a brand like Solgar. Alternatively buy Solgar from Amazon if you can't find them.

Take your D3 with K2 and magnesium citrate. Again you can get these from Amazon and Solgar is a good brand. If you don't want to have to take K2 for the rest of your life you need to start eating fermented food like sauerkraut and kimichi very regularly. (Both these are fermented cabbage.) Unfortunately you will have to supplement magnesium and vitamin D for life.

For B12 you want methlycolbalamine lozenges. Get Solgar or Jarrows which you can get from Amazon. Finish the course as prescribed on the bottle.

For folate you want methlyfolate tablets. Again get Solgar or Jarrows from Amazon. Finish the course as per prescribed on the bottle.

After you finish the courses of B12 and folate buy yourself a good vitamin B complex which contains more than the RDA of B vitamins. (What you take depends on what you can afford as the main thing is to keep your levels up and there is arguments whether you need to take methlycolbalamine and methlyfolate once your levels are OK.) You need to take one every day for the rest of your life. Make sure it is not gender specific as otherwise the folate and B12 won't be balanced.

Vitamin D needs to be taken 4 hours away from thyroid hormones to prevent interactions and with a fatty meal. To make it easier to remember I would take all your supplements at lunch time as these ones don't interact with each other.

[Tarajp123 in reply to bluebug]

Thanks bluebug x

[Tarajp123]

Hi bluebug SeasideSusie does this list of vitamins from Amazon look ok?

I have shared my list see below.

Hello. Please take a look at this list: amazon.co.uk/registry/wishl...

Anything I should swap??

Thanks

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Tarajp123]

Hi Tarajp123 The only one I wouldn't recommend is the Jarrows MK7 because it contains soybean oil. I was going to buy that one until I noticed the soybean oil and then I saw on Jarrows own website that their new formula contains extra virgin olive oil instead. I contacted a couple of the suppliers I use and asked them to check their stock but neither had got the new formula one. I contacted Jarrows and apparently the formula was only changed in July this year and supplies of this haven't yet filtered through as distributors still hold stocks of the old formula.

You may be able to find an alternative but as I wanted a softgel instead of a capsule (which I have problems with) I have now bought a combined D3/K2 which suits my needs amazon.co.uk/dp/B003YQCZDC/... It does contain vitamin A and cautions about it but I'm fine with that as I need it for my lung disease.

I know Bluebug has mentioned getting a separate Folate supplement, I found that the 400mcg methylfolate in Thorne Basic B brought my folate up from bottom of range to very top of range in 2.5 months without the need for a separate Folate supplement.