Advice on taking b12 supplements??

[ThyroidObsessed]

Even though iv had some great advice from seaside susie, ill like a few other opinions on dosage and side affects of b12..

As advised iv purchased the jarrow Formulas Methylcobalamin (Methyl B12) 5000 mcg, 60 Lozenges and also the Jarrows B-Right Optimized B-Complex (100 Vegan Capsules) to level out the b vitamins...

My b12 level was at 326 about a month ago im wondering whether starting on 5000mcg a day will be too much for me?? bearing in mind iv never in my life taken supplements and i dont even take pain killers for an headache, i literally have to be dying before ill take anything so my body isnt used to anything at all apart from the levo..

Also has anyone had levels same as mine and what did they rise too?

And has anyonr had any side effects of b12 supplements before?

Tia x

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

I did suggest you cut them in half?????

[ThyroidObsessed in reply to SeasideSusie]

Sorry must have not read that bit thank you, much appreciated x

[shaws Administrator]

Both B12 and Vit D are prohormones that have essential work to do.

I shall include a post I did previously. Changes take place in the spinal column fluid if B12 is lower than 500. Also keeping an optimum dose, i.e. 1000 may help to avoid dementia.

Move to 17 minutes to listen to this doctor's experience.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[ThyroidObsessed in reply to shaws]

My vitamin d is high in range so thats ok, thank you i will have a read x

[Helsan in reply to shaws]

My B 12 is 98 but I assume we are talking a different range? Mine is active B12 pmol/L is this low enough to ask GP to inject or shall I take vid as above? My ferritin final is 69with a range of 13-150 I do find the different ranges and measurements confusing. Endo says these results are fine. Gp has given me D3 twice weekly for 6 weeks 25000iu as I was 39 nmol vit D 25 hydroxy

[Clutter in reply to Helsan]

Helsan,

Please write your own post. Thyroid Obsessed wants answers to her own question.

[Helsan in reply to Clutter]

Oops sorry

[Helsan in reply to Helsan]

I thought it was a B12 thread

[Clutter]

ThyroidObsessed,

PAS forum do not recommend taking high doses of methylcobalamin unless you are B12 deficient. I would quarter the tablets and take 1250mg daily or every other day.

[Gambit62 in reply to Clutter]

Clutter - just to clarify - PAS forum (myself at least) wouldn't recommend taking high doses of B12 unless you have an identified B12 absorption problem. A dietary deficiency (unlikely unless you are vegan or a vegetarian who consumes very little dairy/egg) can be corrected by much lower doses of B12.

[greygoose]

You won't find better advice on here than that which you get from SeasideSusie!

You cannot compare taking B12 with taking pain killers. It's just not the same thing. You won't die without pain killers. Without B12 you would eventually die a long, lingering death, going senile and wetting yourself first.

When my B12 was tested - the one and only time my doctor of the time agreed to test it, it was about 350, but neurological damage had already set in. I was slowly losing the use of my right arm - that had been going of for some years - and, then I found I couldn't hold my head up steadily. It tended to wobble around. My doctor said that my level was 'perfect' (stupid old fool!) but I started taking 5000 mcg straight away, because I'd been reading on here! My arm got better, and I was able to hold my head straight again. Both are no back to normal, but it was too late for the peripheral neuropathy, and I now suffer greatly with burning skin on my feet, etc.

I have no idea what my levels are now, because unless you can get an active B12 test - which I can't - you have to come off the B12 for 5 months to get an accurate result. And, I have no intention of doing that!

So, do not faff around. Start taking the 5000 mcg immediately. You don't want to end up like me! It's very rare to get any side-effects with B12.

[ThyroidObsessed in reply to greygoose]

Thanks clutter and greygoose!.. do u both have any suggestions on when i should take them and also how long after i need to take the b-right complex and with or without food? Certain time of day? X

[greygoose in reply to ThyroidObsessed]

You can take them when you like. As long as the B complex is two hours after levo.

[Helsan]

Oops sorry

[Gambit62]

ThyroidObsessed, serum B12 is a problematic test.

People vary a lot in how the levels of B12 in serum relate to what is actually happening at the cell level. As a result serum B12 misses 25% of people who are B12, but will also pick up 5% who aren't B12 deficient if it is used as a single indicator.

Evaluation of symptoms is very important.

Taking high dose supplements in the absence of an absorption problem can result in problems. Some people respond to high levels of B12 in serum by shutting down the mechanism that allows B12 to pass from blood to cells, leaving them B12 deficient at the cellular level and can actually lead to problems. This will result in a situation in which serum B12 levels may need to be maintained at very high levels in order for enough B12 to actually manage to get through to cells.

Your levels at 326 are well into normal ranges (not clear if it is pmol/L or ng/L). Unless you are symptomatic you don't have a problem.

I realise that evaluating symptoms can be difficult given the overlap between symptoms of B12 and symptoms of thyroid problems but if there is a chance that your thyroid medication isn't optimal then I would recommend that you sort that out first and then come back to B12 deficiency.

There are some tests that can help clarify if there is a problem at the cell level despite good levels in blood - these involve looking at waste products that will build up if the body doesn't have enough B12 to recycle them - namely MMA and homocysteine. They can be raised by other factors (notably lack of folate in the case of homocysteine) so would need to be interpreted in context.

Please take a look at pinned posts on the PAS forum before making a decision to use high doses of B12.

[ThyroidObsessed in reply to Gambit62]

Thank you gambit iv decided i will wait and see if my thyroid levels become optimal with my increase of levo then first as my anxiety and other symptoms only started when my tsh went up..