Starting Levo. B vitamin supplementation withou... - Thyroid UK

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Starting Levo. B vitamin supplementation without b12.

ockerdoc profile image
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I’m due to start levothyroxine today and I want to optimise its effects by supplementing. I’m having monthly injections of Vit D and B12. I cannot take B12 orally as it causes nausea. Anybody know a good B supplement without B12? Also I eat a lot of foods containing B12 so hopefully that and a monthly injection should be enough. Any other tips on optimal supplementation while on Levo? Cheers.

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SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

ockerdoc

I've just posted a reply to a similar question here

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

B Complex is best taken no later than lunch time as B vitamins can be stimulating and may disturb your sleep if taken late in the day.

Always leave off B Complex for 3-7 days before any blood tests, this is because it contains biotin and can give false results.

Supplementing and the dose should be based on results of testing key nutrients so if you have any results please post them with their ranges.

Don't start all supplements at once. Start with one, give it a week or two and if no adverse reaction then add the next one. Again, wait a week or two and if no adverse reaction add the next one. Continue like this. If you do have any adverse reaction then you will know what caused it.

ockerdoc profile image
ockerdoc in reply toSeasideSusie

Good advice thank you.

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply toockerdoc

I've just discovered that B Complex I linked to has 50mcg B6 which isn't a good idea for regular use. It's recommended that when taking B6 regularly we should stick to no more than 10mcg.

ockerdoc profile image
ockerdoc in reply toSeasideSusie

Ok thank you i've found one which only has 20mcg which is ok i think. I may take it every other day anyway.

DandyThyro profile image
DandyThyro

One of the best things to supplement levothyroxine is selenium. A dose of 200mcg a day is considered optimal. Selenium helps the body to process the T4, the storage hormone, in Levothyroxine into T3 which is the active thyroid hormone that the body uses. I take it at dinner time, well away from the levothyroxine as it needs to be taken separately from all other drugs/supplements and food/drink to be absorbed. Good luck.

ockerdoc profile image
ockerdoc in reply toDandyThyro

Thank you I thought eating Brazil nuts every day would cover it?

in reply toockerdoc

Only if grown in selenium rich soil.

ockerdoc profile image
ockerdoc in reply to

ah right ok thanks for that maybe i'll get a supplement then cheers.

Biddy51 profile image
Biddy51

Isabella Wentz wrote a good article on what to take to improve Hashimoto’s. Also Dr Peatfield wrote a great little book The great thyroid scandal and how to survive it. Think the important ones are, Zinc, D3 - must take K2 with D3, Selenium, B12, Omega 3 etc.

ockerdoc profile image
ockerdoc in reply toBiddy51

That’s great thanks yes I’m taking all of them on so fingers crossed.

humanbean profile image
humanbean

There are four different kinds of B12 available in various supplementary forms. Have you tried each of them to see if they help? They might not all cause nausea.

perniciousanemia.org/b12/fo...

This is the only B Complex I could find which had no folate or B12 in it :

supplementhub.co.uk/product...

I also found this link :

fromatovegan.com/multivitam...

But the link is for multivitamins without B12 rather than B Complex without B12.

There is a possibility you may have to supplement B Complex vitamins separately if you want to avoid B12.

I forgot to say... Try looking for a liquid B Complex to see if it might avoid nausea.

ockerdoc profile image
ockerdoc in reply tohumanbean

Thank you humanbean yes I’ve found one with no B12 and feel absolutely fine on it. It’s definitely the B12. I feel nauseous after the injections too for about 5 days which I can handle each month. I don’t think I absorb it very well either as I eat a very high B12 diet with lots of beef liver etc but my B12 was still on the low end. I will have a look at what B12 I have been taking though and maybe try something else thank you.

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