Edit April 2024 - removed the HCl versions of B6 to a list at the bottom and added the request for the weaker Well Actually liquid brand.
[Old post]
Morning all, I am due to order B Complex again and was searching for alternatives to Thorne which suits me, but you know, always looking for alternatives, its expensive and quite strong.
I made a spreadsheet for comparison, thought it might save someone else a job.
Note on the Nutri Advanced, their packaging says the 25mg B6 may lead to numbness/tingling over time.
Note on the Cytoplan - more of a multi-vitamin in B Complex costume.
Note on Igennus B - you have to take 2 to get these levels, they state their Vit C is needed for B to absorb - already debated this in old posts.
Others, I looked at Vitabiotics, Purolabs, Viridian and others, they either don't tell you which forms of the Bs they include or they use Folic Acid and I'm MTHFR so no use to me therefore not included here 🙂
Upshot of this exercise- I will buy Thorne again, continue with it 2 - 3 times a week to make it last longer. 🌱
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Regenallotment
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In case you want another to add to the mix, I use the Biocare nutrisorb methyl b complex because they're sublingual drops and easily absorbed for me. They also don't have biotin or ridiculous amounts of B6, so less of a worry (whereas they're capsule B complex has way too much biotin to take long term).
Another to add to your list, this is “Nutri-Ark High Strength B Complex”. Vitamin B complex with Folate and Methylcobalamin, Vegetarian/Vegan.
Take 1 tablet per day, do not exceed, doesn’t replace healthy diet etc.
180 tablets is a tenner from Amazon. But my folate levels have dropped so I’m adding in a separate folate as well. I think it still works out cheaper than Thorne.
“Pyridoxine Hydrochloride is the hydrochloride salt form of pyridoxine, a water-soluble vitamin B. Pyridoxine hydrochloride is converted into the active form, pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP), an essential cofactor in many enzymatic activities including synthesis of amino acids, neurotransmitters, and sphingolipids. This vitamin is essential to red blood cell, nervous system, and immune systems functions and helps maintain normal blood glucose levels.”
Do we not convert to PLP very well? The info I found didn’t say how it’s converted.
Thanks. So I need to be looking out for neurological pain? Which would mimic the symptoms of deficiency?
And it’s only just under the upper level of 11.7mg, so having 10mg per tablet is just squeaking through. I’ll check my levels and might tweak the dose.
I’ve been taking Pink Tribe Liposomal B vits £18.99 from Amazon. They have very high amounts of some B’s. I have no idea if this is good for me or not. I find them easy to take. Folate I sometimes bump up with a separate tablet in addition.
Ah brilliant thanks so much I've added this to the sheet too, this looks like good value too. Much appreciated although I can't see the additional filler ingredients on Amazon, are you able to list them for me? Thanks.
Also added @Jaydee1507 recommendation and @Beads too 🌱
I noticed that today when I had a look at the contents. I can’t find a full list of ingredients anywhere which might be alarming. Didn’t notice when I bought them! Silly me.
I had been taking Pink Tribe for a few months when I found that my B6 levels were dire, it contains pyridoxine (which can block uptake) rather than P-5-P 😳
Perhaps another line to split the 2 forms of B6?
Personally I'd scrub any from the list (or maybe highlight that column) that contain pyridoxine rather than P-5-P (pyridoxal 5'- phosphate) as unless you do a rather expensive test you won't know if it's working for or against you 😕
I've swapped to 1 Igennus and top up my B12 with Nature Provides sublingual a couple of times a week as I just seem to absorb it better that way 🤷♀️
The last time I did this exercise it left me with Thorne or Igennus
Thank you for the information about pyridoxine. I used to take the Igennus but recently swopped to Pink Tribe. Obviously a mistake so I shall go back to my old favourite.
Interestingly, I found my B12 improved most and best with Solgar. Were it not for the B6 amount, I’d be tempted to return to it.
The mind boggles as to which one to switch too…. Again! I think I swapped to Pink Tribe after it was recommended on the forum. The journey for the perfect B Complex for me continues.
Apologies, I edited it. I have used the Solgar B Megasorb Vitamin B-Complex High Potency Tablets. As you say, mostly 50s in ingredients last, and as mentioned it has too much B6. And, I have used thier 1000ug B12 nuggets separately.
Solgar use Cyanocobalmin for B12, yes high strength is 50mg of most, extra high is 100mg of most. But the 50 contains all kinds of seaweed fillers, 100 not.
The Nutri-ark ones I take seem to be lower dose than most of the rest. They keep my B12 at a good level, but my folate has dropped, so I’ve added a separate folate (Ingennus, 400ug). I’ll be doing a MMH test tomorrow, will see if it’s working.
It would be good to pin your spreadsheet up so that we can return to it and see if they start swapping to cheaper ingredients ... "Skimpflation" being the latest thing 😕
health leads uk also do a b complex. I like this one as it doesn’t have any crappy fillers in and it’s methylated folate and b12 as I’m also MTHFR, maybe another one to add to your list?
If you are MTHFR then likely you need more than 200mcgs folate per day. This product may be good with no fillers but it has about half the amount of quantity of other brands.
Love this one because of the type of B6, zinc (which I happen to need), magnesium citrate, the adeno/methyl mix being low. Not sure they should all be in the same supplement but hopefully greygoose will come along and enlighten us
I ended up deleting the Solgar entry all together on the second version of the sheet because it didn’t have enough of what I need in a single dose. Hmmm maybe a tab needed for lower strength complexes for completeness…. I’ll figure something out.
The most up to date is half way down the thread, I'm just adding a few more entries from folks, so will put another one in. I have found a Solgar Extra High as well as Solgar High, interestingly the Extra High doesn't seem to have all the seaweeds that they like to add to everything.... just goes to show how different they can be.
which one is megasorb? Is that the Solgar Extra High Potency- yes, thats right, see the fillers section on my sheet, that one doesn't have it, but the weaker version with 50mg of most ingredients called High potency does. From here - the Solgar website solgar.co.uk/collections/vi...
5mg folic acid is a pretty large dose and in most decent B complexes there are only 400mcgs so only around 1/12th that amount. Not surprising your levels are dropping but those that have additional need for extra folate often just buy a separate 400mcg or 1,000mcg folate and top up the B complex.
How far have your levels dropped? What were the blood results with ranges?
Might be an idea to buy a separate 400mcg methylfolate to take each day to top up the B complex then. That should help but do keep an eye on blood levels.
HealthStarDust Jaydee1507 TiggerMe Bertwills helvella Ellie-Louise dipsyqueen V3ra Conniegirl Beads SlowDragon humanbean updated sheet now in the first message in post, with wrapped text, sorted by P-5-P first. Thanks for your input. Hope its helpful. 🌱
That is excellent and will be useful to many I am sure so thank you.
I just remembered another one I have seen mentioned that some like. Its the Biocare liquid B complex but having just looked at it its a terribly low quantity formula that wouldnt do much more than a low multi.
Thanks, but I'd flag up it is unsuitable for long term use due to the high B6 content and 40% of it being of the less desirable Pyridoxine HCI
I don't think the Vitabright B Complex has made it to the list but that's a cheaper alternative similar to Igennus B... I think space became the issue as it becomes unreadable
Regenallotment is the author of the spreadsheet I don't know if she also has a dud list for ones that didn't make the cut?
Perhaps worth putting up a new post to see if Thorne has this effect on others? Igennus maybe better as you can take one or two? Perhaps worth comparing the excipients 🤗
Thorne can make me feel a bit fizzy/prickly skin/weird on odd occasions, it passes quickly in less than a minute, I had the niacin face flush recently, sometimes I can literally feel the capsule dissolve and me getting a lot indigestion from it, usually solved with a snack 😂
I just take it twice a week now as my levels are back to where they should be and I take separate B12, folate and biotin on days in between 🌱
List of duds in the thread above, I could definitely add them with the reasons others have found them unsuitable. If the weather is as bad as predicted tomorrow it’ll probably get done 😬
It has been interesting trying them though, both Pink Tribe and Thorne B12 (not basic B Complex) give me numb tingling arms, which I thought signaled more need for B12 but no…. It’s the B6 symptom 🤦🏽♀️ I’m definitely better off with separate B12 and occasional twice weekly Thorne Basic B. Had the niacin face flush the other day, it’s potent stuff once you have taken it for a while. 🌱
Its nice to be able to share something that is useful. I started it because I needed to re-order for myself but then learned so much from making the comparisons. I might add a cost per dose too and look at what we are all spending on these too. 💷🫰💷 It may go out of date pretty quickly but I am sure the wonderful hive mind we have here will work out a way to maintain it. 🌱
**Please note - we have updated the formula for UK & EU customers. The new formula contains 10mg vitamin B6 per adult serving. US customers will continue to receive the original formula (20mg vitamin B6 per adult serving).**
Ah thanks, yes we have it as 10mg, there is a note, some of the sites say that taking more than this can lead to numbness / tingling in fingers with prolonged use.
I’m no expert but here is my experience to share, when I first joined the forum very hypo and symptomatic i was recommended by the wonderful admins here to take a separate folate alongside a B Complex and retest after 3 months because my levels were so low, I used the methyl folate version, this is the one I used. healthleadsuk.com/folate-l-...
It’s 400ug, I also now take it in blood test week to avoid affecting my results with biotin.
I see many members are recommended to ask GP to test for pernicious anaemia before they start supplementing Bs, I was too impatient and didn’t think that applied to me at the time but probably missed a trick there. If I stop B Complex or separates or injecting B12 it drops like a stone. I can’t now stop without feeling unwell for the sake of a test. Maybe rule that out too before you start 🤷🏽♀️
Oh and I remember SlowDragon recommending taking supplements in a particular order when you start and not all at once, leave 2 weeks between introducing, very useful for understanding what causes/resolves which symptom double check that advice , she is very wise 🤗
The prescribed tablet will be 5 milligrams (not mcg) of folic acid.
You appear to be confusing what people have said about good B12 levels from serum B12 tests with your result from an Active B12 test. A typical serum B12 reference interval might be 200 - 800. That is, of the order of four or more times that of Active B12 test. You'll never see 500 to 1000 on an Active B12 test.
54.2 is lower than I would want but not so low as to really look like Pernicious Anaemia. Do you have a diet with reasonable or high B12 levels? Could just be that supplementing with B12 will raise that level significantly.
However, there is confusion about which tests are affected by taking B12 - and how long after taking extra B12 results will be affected. If you want any PA testing, go to the Pernicious Anaemia Society forum and ask there.
Thank you helvella for pointing out that I was getting confused with what people have been saying about good B12 levels. That my b12 results isn’t as low to look at pernicious Anaemia really. I do eat fish eggs, avocado, milk, cheese,
I Do eat tenderstem broccoli & asparagus, cabbage & spinach, but maybe not as much as I should,
Im thinking of getting the b12 drops from nature provides to help. Along with eating more of the spinach etc. but will Phase the b12 drops in
And when my course of folate from the doctor ends. Will get separate folate. To keep my levels up & they don’t go down again
There is no B12 in any vegetable source. (Unless they pick up some B12-producing bacteria in soil. But most of us wash that off. I do.)
I wouldn't pay the price for drops, etc. A simple methylcobalamin product that you can, if you choose, put under your tongue. So choose one that is nice-tasting - cherry is pretty good!
Avoid gummies. They cannot last long enough in the mouth to maximise absorption.
Wow! Thank you so much, very informative to see it laid out in front of you. I did get on with the Thorne brand but for some reason they started upsetting my tum so I switched to Vitablossom with I do get on with but unfortunately not able to get at the moment. Again many thanks 🙏
You are most welcome. I’ve switched to having Thorne Basic B 3 times a week and separate B12/folate/biotin on other days. That has kept me ticking over quite well. Niacin flushes and that icky feeling when the capsule dissolves have passed. 🙏
Wow that is pricey isn't it, no good for me with the inactive form of B6, zinc is good if you need it but should be balanced with copper to keep the ratio
Thanks Tigger. I also heard you shouldn’t take copper if you don’t need it. Could be high or low in copper but need to test if you add it in? I wonder why it has the inactive form of b6. To stop flushing?
Yes the whole zinc, copper balance is important but costly to test... my zinc was low so I'm presently adding but at some point I ought to check when to add back in copper to maintain balance... thought flushing was a niacin thing?
That form of B6 is fine for some but without testing you won't know so an added expense, I only found out by chance really
Yes really looks good. Wonder what helvella thinks of this combo of Bs? I’m still getting some tingling in my legs so maybe need to switch around the different strengths. I’m taking 2x Ingennus (for the past 8 months)
Perhaps dropping back to one would be a good first step? I'd been just taking one of them until recently the B2 really goes through me 🙃 I'm trying just one VitaBright now
🍄 generally isn't keen on recommending products as it's a bit of a minefield especially if they later change the makeup
If it’s deemed worthy by the strict consensus on B Complex we have here (basically TiggerMe approves)🤣 then yes it can go on the table. Unfortunately that link failed, I got a page not found. Could you send the name of it and I’ll find it. 🌱
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B Complex recommendations please?
Basic B Complex reaction? 
B complex
