B12 Supplementation, More tired and Sleep interruption.

[SPD1]

Hi all,

i have just started supplementing with Better You B12 Oral Spray 1200ug Methylcobalamin..

Recommended 4 sprays a day delivering 300ug per spray.

I have started on 2 sprays a day (600ug) and will continue that for a little while and build up to 4 sprays a day as for the first couple of days i was getting tremors about an hour after taking 4 sprays (1200ug) yes it's bizarre, i have no idea why i get tremors or for that matter palpitations whenever i try and take most forms of supplement, its really confusing and depressing because i do need to supplement, particularly Vit D who medichecks described me as insufficent but Better you Spray and Tablets give me palps.

Anyway, is it usual at all for people who start supplementing on B12 to feel more tired initially as i definitely do feel more fatigued, i have noticed it has worsened my sleep pattern as well, just wondering if its one of those where you feel a bit worse before improving.???

My last 3 B12 Blood tests are below.

October 2019

NHS Serum B12 366 ng/L (range 160 - 820ng/L)

Medichecks "Active" B12 135 pmol/L (range 37.5 - 188)

October 2020

NHS Serum B12 311ng/L (range 160 - 820ng/L)

So a bit of a dip over 12 months.

Any advice or input very welcome,

Many thanks

Steve.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

SPD1

Do you have a current result of Active B12 rather than just Total B12?

As you had an Active B12 level of 135 in October 2019, and our B12 store is supposed to be good for at least a couple of years, you may not need to use a B12 supplement.

The Total B12 test done by the NHS is not the best test, the Active B12 is the better test. They are not the same test and they measure different things. The Active B12 test measures the amount of free/active B12 that is available to the cells. The Total B12 test measures both bound and free B12 and you have no idea of the amount of either.

If you don't have a current Active B12 test result I'd be inclined to do one now.

i do need to supplement, particularly Vit D who medichecks described me as insufficent but Better you Spray and Tablets give me palps.

Have you tried a pure supplement rather than one with excipients included which are in sprays, tablets and capsules? If not I'd go for a D3 oil based softgel. Doctor's Best D3 softgels contain only D3 and extra virgin olive oil. If you reacted to that then it would tell you that it's the D3 that you are having a problem with.

[SPD1 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi Susie, thanks for reply.

no i don't have an up to date "Active" result, i will get one organised. As a matter of interest if my active test come back at a suitable level is there no benefit to be had at all by supplementing further then and keeping levels topped perhaps higher than an accepted "good" level ? or is it just washed away at the loo ? Its just i do seem to have a lot of symptoms that are or can be associated with lowish B12, but that might be thyroid related as well.

Thank you for the suggestion of Doctors Best, i will try them and see

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to SPD1]

Excess B12 is excreted in urine. If you have a good level of B12 then I'd say maintain it with a good quality B Complex and that will keep all the B vitamins in balance.

[SPD1 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks very much Susie