Supplement timings?

[Cleevelands]

I was wondering if anyone had a table/spreadsheet that shows when supplements should be taken in relation to each other and levo?

I've been prescribed iron, b12 & folic acid by my GP and I'm unsure what to take and when!

Any help would be appreciated.

[humanbean]

What time do you take thyroid hormones? When do you usually eat?

[Cleevelands in reply to humanbean]

I take levo first thing in the morning about 7am and eat an hour after.

[greygoose]

I've been prescribed iron, b12 & folic acid by my GP and I'm unsure what to take and when!

Well, for a start, I wouldn't just take B12 and folic acid. I'd take 1000 mcg sublingual methylcobalamin (B12) - bet your doc prescribed cyanocobalamin! - and a B complex containing ALL the Bs, including methylfolate. And, I'd take that after breakfast - i.e. two hours after levo.

The iron I'd take in the afternoon or evening, with vit C to help absorption and protect your stomach. Iron needs to be at least four hours away from thyroid hormone, and at least two hours away from everything else - including cups of tea.

[Cleevelands in reply to greygoose]

She has, is that not a good one? I have some 1000 methhyl cobalamin tablets, would you recommend swapping?

So, Levo first, 2hrs later b12, folic acid & B complex. Iron in the avo/evening, does this need to be x hours away from anything? I am so looking at adding in selenium, magnesium and D3-K2.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Cleevelands]

Have you tested vitamin D

Test twice yearly via NHS private testing service when supplementing

vitamindtest.org.uk

[Cleevelands in reply to SlowDragon]

I have, my vit D was 75.8 (50-200) whilst it needs upping the b12 & iron were lowest.

[greygoose in reply to Cleevelands]

Cyanocobalamin is the cheapest and least bio-available.

Are your methylcobalamin tablets sublingual?

So, Levo first, 2hrs later b12, folic acid & B complex.

No folic acid. It's like cyanocobalamin, the cheapest and least bio-available. Get a B complex with at least 400 mcg methylfolate and that will bring your folate up nicely. Thorne Basic B is one of the best.

For iron, as I said above:

Iron needs to be at least four hours away from thyroid hormone, and at least two hours away from everything else - including cups of tea.

I am so looking at adding in selenium, magnesium and D3-K2.

Magnesium and D3 also need be taken four hours away from thyroid hormone, and two hours away from iron. So, if I were you, I'd take them either with lunch or dinner - maybe dinner, because magnesium makes some people sleepy.

[Cleevelands in reply to greygoose]

It doesn't say about sublingual, its pinnacle nutrition vitamin b12.

Will look at swapping to B Complex from folic acid.

I thought I was getting somewhere as GP was happy to go on medicheck results & is happy to test these bloods in 3 months time.

Thank you for the timings.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Cleevelands]

Cleevelands

It doesn't say about sublingual, its pinnacle nutrition vitamin b12.

I've just looked them up, they're not sublingual, they are normal tablets designed to be taken with water and they will be absorbed through the gut. Sublingual tablets dissolve under the tongue and are absorbed through the mucous membranes in the oral cavity so bypass the gut.

Now you've got them give them a go, I'd suggest retesting in, say, 3 months, and see what effect they've had on our B12 level.

[greygoose in reply to Cleevelands]

Well, yes, you are getting somewhere, if your GP accepted your medicheck results - that's enormous! BUT doctors know nothing about nutrition. They just don't learn about it in med school. So, highly unlikely he would know about the difference between methyl and cyano, or the need to keep all the Bs balanced. That's pretty advanced stuff, way beyond GP level. So, don't be downhearted, you're doing well. We're just pointing out how you can do better. x

[Cleevelands in reply to greygoose]

Thank you, I definitely appreciate the help on where to improve.

To be fair my gp has been pretty good, she admits she doesn't know the full ins & outs of uat but happy to follow what I've asked for based on this site. She's tried to refer me twice which were refused & said all I can do is help myself or go private at this stage.

[greygoose in reply to Cleevelands]

Well, being referred to an endo is not always a good idea because they're are usually diabestes specialists who know no more about thyroid than your GP, but think they do! They can really mess people up.