Impact of vitamin B12 and/or B9

[dolphin5]

Does anyone know if the above vitamins have any impact of conversion of T4 to T3, depending on thier level?

[Clutter]

Dolphin5,

I don't think so. Good vitD levels aid conversion of T4 to T3 but I've not heard of any other vitamin or mineral levels impacting conversion.

[dolphin5 in reply to Clutter]

OK - it was just a thought. I've felt different since taking a vit B12 with folate supplement, and my level of FT3 (primarily from T3 pills, as I have no thyroid and don't convert well), has gone up quite dramatically, so I want to know why. Perhaps it's just another of life's little mysteries!

[Clutter in reply to dolphin5]

Dolphin5,

Taking T3 will be why your FT3 has increased. I've no thyroid and conversion was poor on T4 only but my FT3 is fine on T4+T3.

[LAHs in reply to Clutter]

Well, Selenium is vital.

[dolphin5]

Yes, but I've been taking T3 for 2.5 years, and normally my FT3 level is around 4 before taking my morning dose of T3. Last week it was 7, so over range before taking any T3. Something has changed.

I'm wondering if it's just that my body has been filling the empty spaces for 2 years, and now I only need a small top-up dose. In any case, I'm going to cut it from 12.5mcg to 6.25mcg and see what happens.

[whispers in reply to dolphin5]

we don't store t3 so a top up dose wouldn't work surely? if you feel well then why would you change what is working?

[dolphin5 in reply to whispers]

By "top up dose" I just mean a small daily dose to provide the T3 that I am unable to convert, and yes it can work. It has worked for 2.5 years, but as my body gets used to having enough T3, I just seem to not need quite as much to achieve this.

Also, I was starting to get tired and dry skin recently, and that will be because my T3 was creeping up too high. So a change is needed.

[LAHs in reply to dolphin5]

Interesting. Perhaps you ate something which you don't normally eat and it promoted your conversion of T4 to T3 that day. I would measure it again and not make a dose change based on one reading which may be an outlier.

[Angel_of_the_North]

Without decent levels of B12 and folate, you won't convert well.

[dolphin5 in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

That's helpful. Do you have any references for that?

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to dolphin5]

Nothing a GP would recognize, but along with B2 and B6, B12 is necessary for NADPH and glutathione, which probably affect deiodination (5′ deodinase). I think Thiamine is also vital, and folate and B12 seem to go hand in hand. Other things may be more important, but you only asked about B12 and folate. Generally, people with thyroid problems have difficulty absorbing B12 from food, and low B12 may be the cause of what seem to be hypo symptoms. You also need B12 to make TSH, and TSH can affect conversion.

[dolphin5 in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

Thanks for that. I shall keep going with the B12 and folate supplement. Maybe things will get even better!!!

[researcherUK]

Magnesium, vitamin B12, and Zinc and an adequate amount of protein makes TSH

Iodine, B2, Vit C along with Tyrosine make T4

The conversion of T4 into T3 is done by an enzyme that requires selenium.

Vitamin D and Vitamin A activate the nucleus of the nuclear receptor's cell to engage with T3.

Dr Osborne's video will explain this in detail

"youtube.com/watch?v=4xXjv8_...(Not working as expected?) (copy and paste without the quotation marks as somehow, the link is not working within the message.

youtube.com/watch?v=4xXjv8_...(Not working as expected?)

[dolphin5 in reply to researcherUK]

So for those of us without a thyroid gland, are you, in effect, saying that vitamin B12 won't help my thyroid levels because tsh has no thyroid gland to stimulate?

[researcherUK in reply to dolphin5]

My answer was in relation to your question on its specific relationship to the conversion of T4 into T3.

B12 is integral to many other functions not just for TSH and you need to have optimal levels of it at around 900-1000.

[dolphin5 in reply to researcherUK]

So are you saying that B12 is involved in the conversion of T4 to T3?

[researcherUK in reply to dolphin5]

B12 is not directly involved in the conversion of T4 to T3.

Of the vitamins and minerals, Selenium has the direct impact on this conversion.

The major problem with the T4 to T3 conversion is oxidative stress and the depletion of vital antioxidant systems such as glutathione.

B12, B6, zinc, magnesium, Vit C and Vit E, along with Amino acids: cysteine (or NAC), glutamine and glycine will help make glutathione.

This is the indirect relationship and very small part of B12 with regard to the conversion of T4 into T3.

B12 plays far major and important roles in the body and has many benefits,

for example globalhealingcenter.com/nat...

draxe.com/vitamin-b12-benef...

[dolphin5 in reply to researcherUK]

So maybe if my B12 was deficient before I started taking a supplement about 6 months ago, that might have been the vital link in the chain that was missing - even if it was very small.

Something has changed, and that's the only thing I can identify.

Anyway, I'll read your links, and thank you for your help.