B12 supplements recommendations please.

[Lavender-Blue]

Hi All!

My B12 last year was : 641 - ranges: 197-771 ng/l

I have recently been retested at it is now 579 - ranges: 197-771 ng/l - so has gone down a bit. Can anyone please recommend a good source of B12 supplements please?

Thank you in advance.

[Pickle500]

Any idea why it's dropped?

I would recommend getting the root of the causes of a lowered level before you supplement.

If it is a gut or thyroid related issue you want to get it looked at. As soon as you take supplements you'll spoil any testing opportunities since B12 stays in the system for 6 months.

[Lavender-Blue in reply to Pickle500]

I don't know reslly, I am still unwell and trying to find my balance.

[Pickle500 in reply to Lavender-Blue]

How about diet, is it relatively normal and healthy as in a broad mix of nutrients and little to no junk?

How about sleep and general wellness/fatigue?

Do you have ongoing thyroid problems?

[Lavender-Blue in reply to Pickle500]

Hi, absolutely no junk at all, everything homemade from scratch, I follow the work and food practices of Tim Spector, getting as much fresh variety for the gut microbiome.

Thyroid results indicate over medicated, I am on reduced dose, I am taking T3/T4.

[Pickle500 in reply to Lavender-Blue]

Lowering levels could indicate an absorption problem. But it's not very low compared to last year, just by a few points. Still, in general it's best to consider if you have any other issues in the way.

If not, and you're asymptomatic, you could try a sublingual methylcobalamin with adenosylcobalamin sublingual at high strength, once a week.

I had a B12 deficiency and am 3 years in recovery. I take a liquid B12 from Nature Provides at 3,000 mcg daily. It has the mix of both types of B12 and is good for nerve repair specifically.

You may not need such a powerful dose but if you want higher levels, a weekly dose would get levels pretty high over a few months and into the 900 for sure.

You cant' overdose on B12. But personally I would leave it for a while unless you have symptoms and see where it is in 3/4 months. If it keeps getting lower then I'd investigate absorption problems.

[greygoose]

Well, that's not a huge drop. And your level is still optimal. But, if you want to maintain that level I would take a good B complex, if I were you. One with methylcobalamin and methylfolate. Because the Bs all work together so just taking B12 on its own may raise blood levels but it won't be doing much for you without the other B vits.

Thorne do a good one - Basic B - or Igennus. There are other good ones but I can't remember their names.

[Lavender-Blue in reply to greygoose]

I have 800mcg folate (Drs Best). I do have Thorne Basic but didn't want to take due to biotin possibility interfering with thyroid results when they are already not OK.

If you think my B12 is an optimal result, it may be best to hold on and see how it goes.

[greygoose in reply to Lavender-Blue]

So, are you taking the folate? That's rather a high dose, you probably don't need that much. And, again, just taking one or two B vits in isolation is not going to be very much help to you, because they all work together and need to be kept balanced.

The amount of biotin in the Basic B won't affect your blood test results if you stop it about a week before the blood draw. That's not a problem.

Your B12 is still optimal at the moment, but is dropping. Why wait for it to drop further? You can't over-dose on B12 because it's water-soluble. And your absorption is obviously still poor - which is why it's dropping - probably due to low stomach acid, which most hypos suffer from.

[Lavender-Blue in reply to greygoose]

Yes, I am taking folate as it was 5.5. It has now improved to 18.6.

No, I am not taking the odd B Vitamin here and there, I understand this would be of no value.

Do you suggest then B12 supplements, if you do can you recommend a brand please?

[Incoguto]

I highly recommend Solgar's methylocobalamin nuggets 1000 mcg. I've been taking them for many years, levels are great and they dissolve under the tongue or you can chew them

[am111]

If you are not on any supplementation currently and don't have any symptoms of B12 deficiency, there is no need to do anything. This much difference is a normal variation and nothing to worry about and is high enough.

[Lavender-Blue in reply to am111]

OK, thank you! I think I am gathering information at this point.