Supplementing B12 - How do I know it’s working?

[Sarahlouise1980]

Hi,

I started supplementing with 1000mcg sublingual b12 lozenges and 5mg daily folic acid tablets three weeks ago. How do I know they are working to raise my levels and that I can indeed absorb them? Is a blood test after three months correct?

Thank you!

[Nanaedake]

A blood test in 3 or 4 months is the best way to find out if your levels are rising.

[Sarahlouise1980 in reply to Nanaedake]

Great, if I’m absorbing it and my levels are rising does that mean it should relieve any symptoms I am having? x

[Nanaedake in reply to Nanaedake]

If you do the active B12 test you will know how much is available for use, not just how much is knocking around in your blood. As Seasidesusie says, symptoms are a poor guide.

Apparently if you are not getting enough calcium, so if vitamin D levels are low, then you may not use B12 effectively. So they all need to be in a good range, not just one good vitamin level but all need to be good.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

You will never get a "baseline" result to see how much you are holding on to whilst supplementing with B12, you have to be off it for 4-5 months for that. When you test whilst taking B12, the result reflects what you are taking.

If you test in 3 months' time your level should have risen if you are absorbing them.

[Sarahlouise1980 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Great, if I’m absorbing them does that mean they should be effective at relieving symptoms?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Sarahlouise1980]

I don't know. Symptoms of some nutrient deficiencies overlap with symptoms of hypothyroidism. I was never able to distinguish what symptoms were due to what when I had severe Vit D deficiency, low folate and low ferritin and my B12 was always at a decent level so can't say anything about symptoms of that.

There is a list of signs/symptoms of B12 deficiency here b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

and a list of hypothyroid symptoms here thyroiduk.org/tuk/about_the...

You may get more information from the PA forum.

[jib70 in reply to Sarahlouise1980]

I have asked the same questions SarahLouise . I take 1000mcg B12 oral + I use a B12 spray. I haven't noticed any improvement from them, but NHS blood tests of course now show higher serum levels so I should be OK - but (if I understand correctly) it is the active levels that are important but NHS don't test those,

Seems a Catch 22 situation to me.

Please report back if you find the answer.

[Sarahlouise1980 in reply to jib70]

I wonder if we could get an active test through thriva or the like? x

[Gingernut44 in reply to Sarahlouise1980]

Medichecks do the active B12 test

[Angel_of_the_North]

You should feel some symptoms abate also - so not stumbling when you walk, less clumsiness, easy to keep balance, no pins and needles, no numb feet etc might be improvements that you'd see