My recent blood tests here.
I am currently taking daily:
7.00am 30mg ERFA and 50mcg Levothyroxine
2.30pm 30mg ERFA
6.30pm 2,000iu Vit D3 with K2 -Mk7
10.00pm Magnesium 300mg
Where is it best to fit in B Complex?
How far apart does it need to be from the ERFA?
Any thoughts on the amount I am supplementing given the recent test results would be very welcome.
I think I need to boost my Vit B’s and Folate as I do have some symptoms. My Folate has always been on the low side.
Many thanks in advance.
SmPea
What time do you have breakfast and lunch?
B vits are best taken no later than lunchtime as they can be stimulating and if taken later in the day they can affect sleep.
As long as you take them 2 hours away from your thyroid meds that will be fine and you could take them with food.
With those results I would take 1 x Thorne Basic B capsule and retest in 3-4 months. I had bottom of range Folate and took 1 x Basic B and 2.5 months later it was near the top of range. My B12 was already pretty good and that increased as well.
If you use a different brand then avoid any that contain Vit C as this keeps the body from using the B12 the supplement contains, and I would look for one with 400mcg methylfolate not folic acid, and methylcobalamin not cyanocobalamin.
Thanks SeasideSusie. I usually have breakfast at least one hour after taking ERFA and Levo.
Maybe best for me to take B Complex around 11.00 with a snack?!
I already have Igenus B complex left over from when I used to take it. It was recommended on this site and hopefully fits what you suggest?
Yes, 11am would be fine.
Igennus Super B contains Vit C so you probably won't get the benefit of the B12 it contains. It's not recommended anymore.
The Ingennus B contains 9000ug of B12, which they say is 36000 (not a typo) % of the NRV (nutrient reference value, probably what they used to call the RDA), compared to the current B complex I’m taking which contains 100ug of B12, which is 400% NRV. So do Ingennus know that vitC will affect absorption and that’s why they shove so much in, to compensate?
The Ingennus B contains 9000ug of B12
No, they contain 900ug, nine hundred, B12 not nine thousand.
So do Ingennus know that vitC will affect absorption and that’s why they shove so much in, to compensate?
That's a question you'll have to ask them.
Here is the link to the information about keeping B12 and Vit C 2 hours apart, it also mentions that you can take them with or without food which a member below seems to have a problem with.
See slide 3 here:
webmd.com/vitamins-and-supp...
When to Take Water-Soluble Vitamins
Water dissolves them, and your body doesn’t store them, so most must be taken every day. They include C and the B’s: thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine (B6), biotin (B7), folic acid (B9), and cobalamin (B12). Take them with or without food, with one exception: You’ll absorb B12 better with a meal. If you also use vitamin C, put 2 hours between them. Vitamin C can keep your body from using B12.
Yep, 900, and I even had my glasses on!! 😮😆😂🤣
Susie. For increasing B12 only (but not folate), would you still recommend the Thorne Basic?
Im monitoring my mum & dad's B12 (neither hypo diagnosed/symptomatic). Mum's folate is ~70% through range but tot B12 ~25% t/r (to get active done). Also would you agree to stop B12 supplements ~4-5 weeks before testing which is my understanding?
PS Dad's active is 61 pmol/l and looking to improve diet only initially but mum is restricted with that option due to CKD.
userotc
For increasing B12 only (but not folate), would you still recommend the Thorne Basic?
Yes, because even if you use a separate B12 supplement you'll still need the other B vitamins to keep them all in balance. Thorne contains 400mcg methylcobalamin and, depending on how low the B12 is, this might not be enough to raise it.
Also would you agree to stop B12 supplements ~4-5 weeks before testing which is my understanding?
No, I don't see what help that is.
If you want to see how much B12 the body is holding on to then you stop B12 supplement for 4-5 months before testing.
If you want to know if the B12 you are taking is increasing your level or maintaining it, or maybe is not even enough, then you'd continue to take it so that the result gives you the information that you need and you'll know whether to continue, reduce or stop the B12 supplement.
OK many thanks.
For info re the ~4-5 weeks I mentioned, I got that from the inference in this link below re interpretation of the test result biolab.co.uk/docs/vitaminB1...
As far as I know, B vitamins are WATER soluble, so... no food....
Yes, they are water soluble. I haven't said they must be taken with food, I said above they could be taken with food. They can be taken with or without food.
I believe it's always best to read and follow what the label says on the pack, if it says take with food then take with food, if it doesn't say take with food then take with or without food.
irrelevant....
What's irrelevant?
Oh dear that’s a shame I’ve got one and a half bottles left! Will it increase my Folate level at least?I tried Thorne B Complex but found the size too difficult to swallow. Are there any other B complex that are east to swallow and not too smelly?!!
You can tip capsules out into cup, tip powder on to your hand and swallow powder with drink of water
Personally I still take Igennus.
I alternate between Jarrow B right, Thorne or Igennus
I still take the Igennus too as I had the same issues trying to swallow those Thorne capsules. I then supplement my B12 later with a Jarrow 2500mcg sublingual tablet which they now do in a tropical flavour which is gorgeous!
I have just had Medichecks results back after supplementing 1 tab/day Igennus super B since May. Folate gone from 3.6 to 17.4 and B12 from 80 ( 25-165) to over 150 (37.5-188). I had read on the forum about the problem of Vit C being included but for me Igennus has worked and it is much cheaper than Thorne !
I find Igennus works well too, easy to use….one per day enough for me …and cheap,
I only now trying different brands as I have extremely high ferritin…..and possibly the vitamin C in Igennus might be exacerbating that
That's interesting. I wasn't aware of vit C raising ferritin. My level before supplementing with Igennus super B was 149 (13-150) and is now 172. Should I be concerned ?
Ferritin can increase due to inflammation of autoimmune disease
Ferritin often increases after menopause for obvious reasons ……
ferritin range for men is 13-400…..after menopause common to see ferritin increase
Personally I use to be regular blood donor, they don’t want my blood anymore.
And now post menopause and Hashimoto’s …..my ferritin is 380ish. My GP does full iron panel test annually, to check iron isn’t too high …it’s fine
Thanks Asiatic, I’m going to use the Igenus I’ve already got and test in March. Hopefully results will be like yours!
Bladder problems with b complex 
Vitamin B complex and blood tests 
