Just had another blood test. B12 are in the top of the range and folate just above deficiency. I have eaten all the right things for folate to increase yet every blood I have the same results.
This time I stopped B12 for a month before the test. I have supplemented with Folate 400mcg a day but not regular and of course I stopped before the test.
Should I go for a higher dose of folates ? should I not stop before a blood test?
I feel if I could raise these results I might remove some lingering symptoms. But how?
thanks everyone for your help
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Yoll
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I have eaten all the right things for folate to increase yet every blood I have the same results.
Because us hypos have absorption problems due to low stomach acid you cannot expect foods to provide an adequate and definitely not optimal level of the vitamins that we need.
You should probably start with a daily supplement of 400 mcgs methylfolate although people in this group actually recommend a methyl B complex as opposed to stand alone B vitamins. This helps to keep all the B vitamins in balance. This B complex has all the right vitamins at a not unreasonable cost for 90 days supply. amazon.co.uk/Liposomal-Soft...
Once you have been taking that steadily for a few months then retest and see where you are at. Some people need a little more folate than 400mcgs in the B complex but you can always add to it little by little going by blood results.
If we dont have OPTIMAL levels of key vitamins then our thyroid hormone cannot work properly.
Thank you I have been taking Igennus VitB complex and still have low folate. I have just been moved on to a liquid Levo and I must say I feel a little different. So this low Folate . low saliva cortisol, are the two things which I am hoping once sorted will improve tings even more. But I am happy to try a different one.
Were you taking the full dose of 2 tablets a day of the Igennus?
You also said you werent taking it regularly, so if you took it daily at full dose it would definitely make a difference. You could also buy a separate 400mcg folate and then when you stop the B complex you could continue with the separate folate right up until the day before the test.
Only one tablet a day! I stop for a month before the blood test. I was told stopping 4 months would be better before a blood test! Can't see that working very well! so I did 1 month. I'm going to stick to just folates for the moment see if I can increase them.
4 days is all you need to stop before a blood test. If your folate is that bad you would be also recommended to buy a separate 400mcgs folate to take during that time, same with B12.
So if you took the full dose and continued until 4 days before the blood test then swapped to the separate folate you would get quite different blood results.
As you obviously have issues with absorbing folate you will likely need to supplement it continuously.
If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 5- 7 days before ALL BLOOD TESTS , as biotin can falsely affect test results
In week before blood test, when you stop vitamin B complex, you probably want to consider taking a separate folate supplement (eg Jarrow methyl folate 400mcg) daily and continue separate B12 daily
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