Folate supplement/Test results

[nw1991]

I've just had my annual medichecks thyroid ultravit test done, and I'm told I have very low serum folate and need to supplement. Can anyone recommend a good folate supplement?

I already take the below supplements to manage my Hashimoto's and vitamin deficiencies;

Better You Vit D & K2 spray

Thorne Selenium

Ingennus B Complex & Neurobalance for magnesium and zinc

Digestive enzymes

Vitamin b12 injections due to deficiency

Recent results

Ferritin 85.1 ug/L (Range 13-150)

Folate - Serum 3.58 ug/L (Range >3.89)

Vitamin B12 >150 pmol/L (Range >37.5)

Vitamin D 46.5 nmol/L (Range 50-175) I haven't been taking my better you spray so will reintroduce

TSH 1.1 mlU/L (Range 0.27 - 4.2)

Free T3 4.91 pmol/L (Range 3.1 - 6.8)

Free Thyroxine 16.700 pmol/L (Range 12-22)

Thyroglobulin Antibodies 542.000 (Range <115)

Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies 554 (Range <34)

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

nw1991

According to the NICE Clinical Knowledge Summary a folate level of between 3–4.5 micrograms/L can suggest folate deficiency and really you should show this to your GP as it may be appropriate to prescribe folic acid.

As folate and B12 work together, I'm surprised that your folate level hasn't been checked (or noticed) by your GP.

Are you taking Igennus Super B Complex as well as the Neuroblance? If so, how many Super B tablets are you taking?

Is there any particular reason you're taking the Neurobalance? It's not giving the recommended amount of magnesium, although it says 752mg of magnesium citrate it's only giving you 120mg magnesium and the usual serving is about 350mg. It also has 20mg B6 and the normal amount to take long term is no more than 10mg daily. There is also quite a big dose of zinc at 24mg and before taking zinc it's advisable to test to make sure we need it, and it should be balanced with copper so it's an idea to test copper too.

Your Vit D level is low, how much D3 do you take? For your level of 46.5nmol/L you aren't even in the "sufficiency" category, and you'd do well to take 5,000iu D3 daily and retest in 3 months.

[nw1991 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi SeasideSusie. I’m taking 1 b complex in the morning. I got the neurobalance as I read magnesium and zinc are important and I didn’t want to have loads of different tablets so I thought I’d try them. Would you suggest trying just a good magnesium supplement instead? The better you spray is 3000iu per dose but I’ll talk to my GP about the vitamin d and folate and see why he suggests. Thanks for your help!

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to nw1991]

nw1991

1 x super B is only giving you 200mcg methylfolate, I would increase that to 2 x tablets.

Zinc is important if you need it, it should be half way through range. You are taking quite a bigish dose for someone who doesn't know if they need it and of course you don't know your copper level either. And as I said, there is less than the recommended amount of magnesium in the Neurobalance. Personally I would ditch that supplement altogether and get some magnesium separately. If you particularly want magnesium citrate then I would look at Natural Calm Original Magnesium Citrate powder.

Your GP may give you 800iu D3 to bring your level above 50, personally I wouldn't bother discussing it, they have no concept of optimal levels of any nutrients. Just be guided by the Vit D Council/Vit D Society and aim for 100-150nmol/L which is their recommended level. The Vit D Council recommends 5,000iu D3 daily to bring your current level up to their recommended level, but you will need to retest in 3 months. I would just take a double dose of your BetterYou spray a few times a week.

[nw1991 in reply to SeasideSusie]

This is really helpful, thank you, I’ll do that. I did actually think magnesium lactate may be better for me as I suffer with IBS so some days I’m constipated some it’s the other way so I wanted something quite gentle on the stomach ideally but I’ll take a look at the natural calm

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to nw1991]

You don’t want to take too much B6

There’s B6 in vitamin B complex as well

Suggest you replace Neurobalance with separate magnesium

[nw1991]

Thanks Scrumbler! I hope I don’t get insomnia and anxiety! Will let

You know what dose my GP prescribes

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to nw1991]

You won’t need folic acid as well as vitamin B complex.only take one or the other

Many Hashimoto’s patients do better with folate, as in vitamin B complex

Many people find synthetic Folic acid is hard to process

[SlowDragon Administrator]

See on your profile you were trying strictly gluten free diet

Are you still absolutely strictly gluten free?

Have you seen any improvements going gluten free?

Are antibodies dropping compared to previous results?

You’re still not on any replacement thyroid hormones?

[nw1991 in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi SlowDragon! I’m still strictly gluten free but I’ve seen no drop at all in antibodies, actually a small rise. I haven’t seen any improvements in my symptoms either since going GF. Not on any replacement thyroid hormones as tsh within range and t3&4 okay.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to nw1991]

But I think you have seen TSH drop and Ft3 improve?

Have you tried dairy free as well...personally I would find that very tough.. but lots of people say it is very helpful

[nw1991 in reply to SlowDragon]

My TSH does fluctuate with every test I do. I am dairy free too but sometimes I do break this and end up having a bit of chocolate!