Adjustment period with supplements?

[luckyed]

Hello all. I think was wondering what anyone's experience was when starting with B-complex and Folate tablets? I started on Ferrous Fumarate 2 1/2 weeks ago, as prescribed by GP in an attempt to raise my Ferritin level. That was going fine, no adverse affects. Then on Sunday morning I started on a B complex and Folate (2 hours away from Levothyroxine and 4 hours away from iron), and feel pretty shabby since I started. About an hour after taking on Sunday, I started to feel pretty bad, and it eased off after a couple of hours, leaving me feeling drained, which has been my experience each day since then. Today I just feel in my boots - no energy, headachy, foggy and very down. (I also started on Magnesium 2 nights ago).

I just wondered if you have experienced a similar thing when starting on a new supplement? If there is perhaps a period of my body getting used to the supplements, and if so how long? I will willingly hang in there if this is just an adjustment period, but needless to say, if it's not, I want to stop whatever is making me feel even worse than before (which was not a great starting point anyway!)

Thanks very much.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Only add one supplement at a time and then wait at least 10-12 days to assess

Suggest you stop vitamin B complex

Just add magnesium

Then restart B complex in few weeks....which B complex were you taking?

You don’t need separate folate as well

[luckyed in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi SlowDragon thank you for your reply. I'm taking Seeking Health B-Minus, which has no B12 or Folate, which is why I added in the Folate separately (Thorne 5-MTHF 1mg). In my tests last month before any supplements my B12 was high (874 with range 211-911), so that's why I went for the B-Minus complex.

Should I try just the Folate? (Test last month 6.07, range 3.38-23.9) and leave off the B-complex and magnesium for now? What do you think? Or just the magnesium?

Thanks very much.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to luckyed]

Just been rereading previous posts re adrenals etc

As you have been supplementing vitamin D, I think probably add magnesium next ...best in evening as helps with sleep. Needs to be four hours away from levothyroxine

And look at getting better you vitamin D mouth spray that includes vitamin K2 mk 7 (this only gives 1000iu per spray unlike the plain 3000iu vitamin D, that gives 3000iu per single spray)

Then perhaps add in folate

Before add vitamin B complex last

Though wondering why your B12 is high if not been supplementing.....It could be a “false high” if other B vitamins are very low

[luckyed in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you SlowDragon . I was reading about B12 false readings just last night. I have to say it made my mind boggle somewhat. How do you go about assessing whether B12 is actually high, or is a false high? Is it only the discrepancy between the B12 and other B vits that is an indicator, or is it symptomatic? I don't actually know what my other B vitamin readings are. Is it possible to get them all tested separately?

I have recently bought the Better You Vitamin D spray with K2, but hadn't yet started it as I still had some left of the 3000iu straight vitamin d spray. On the bottle with K2, it recommends taking 3 sprays daily. Do you think I should only have 1 spray then, to just take 1000iu? (My vitamin D last month was at 81, range 50-374).

So I will take the magnesium tonight, but leave the folate for 10-12 days?

Thanks very much, so grateful for your help.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to luckyed]

How low was vitamin D

How long have you been supplementing at 3000iu

You may still need 3000iu vitamin D daily ....it’s just that the K2 version would be 3 sprays daily.

How someone explain to me ....(may or may not be correct) ...that all B vitamins need to work together....if one B vitamin is missing (eg thiamine B1 is often low with Hashimoto’s) then the others can accumulate not being used

[luckyed in reply to SlowDragon]

Good morning SlowDragon My Vit D was 36 last March (range 50-374). GP put me on a high dose for a month, left me for a couple of months of sunshine, and then it was 60 in August last year. She was happy with that, but I decided to supplement myself through the winter, and so started on the Better You 3000 iu spray when the weather turned greyer and colder at the end of last year. In June it was 81 (after quite a lot of sunshine in April and May too!).

That makes sense about the B Vits. So could be that because my Folate is low, the rest isn't working properly (even if the levels are actually ok)?