B12 and Folate

[wolthebuilder]

hi everyone

I’ve now decided after lots of help from the very knowledgeable people on this forum that I need Vit supplements

Can I take B12 and Folate? My folate is really quite low but also need B12

Thanks in advance

[TiggerMe Ambassador]

These are some of the best... healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[SlowDragon Administrator]

5 months ago results were very low

B12 355ng/L (130-800)

FOLATE 4.7ug/L (4-27)

What have you been taking since then

Have you retested since this

You need a good quality separate B12 and a separate vitamin B complex

With serum B12 result below 500, (Or active B12 below 70) recommended to be taking a separate B12 supplement

A week later add a separate vitamin B Complex 

Then once your serum B12 is over 500 (or Active B12 level has reached 70), you may be able to reduce then stop the B12 and just carry on with the B Complex.

If Vegetarian or vegan likely to need ongoing separate B12 few times a week

Highly effective B12 drops

natureprovides.com/products...

Or

B12 sublingual lozenges

uk.iherb.com/pr/jarrow-form...

cytoplan.co.uk/shop-by-prod...

B12 range in U.K. is too wide

Interesting that in this research B12 below 400 is considered inadequate

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Low folate

supplementing a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in (not folic acid)

This can help keep all B vitamins in balance and will help improve B12 levels too

Difference between folate and folic acid

healthline.com/nutrition/fo...

Many Hashimoto’s patients have MTHFR gene variation and can have trouble processing folic acid supplements

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

B vitamins best taken after breakfast

Igennus B complex popular option. Nice small tablets. Most people only find they need one per day. But a few people find it’s not high enough dose

Post discussing different B complex

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Thorne Basic B recommended vitamin B complex that contains folate, but they are large capsules. (You can tip powder out if can’t swallow capsule) Thorne can be difficult to find at reasonable price, should be around £20-£25. iherb.com often have in stock. Or try ebay

IMPORTANT......If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 7 days before ALL BLOOD TESTS , as biotin can falsely affect test results

endo.confex.com/endo/2016en...

endocrinenews.endocrine.org...

In week before blood test, when you stop vitamin B complex, you might want to consider taking a separate folate supplement (eg Jarrow methyl folate 400mcg) and continue separate B12

Post discussing how biotin can affect test results

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

helvella.blogspot.com/p/hel...

[Hectorsmum2]

Have you established the cause of your low B12? If you are not vegi or vegan, if you have not been taking PPIs or metformin your stomach probably cant digest B12 and you need injections. Tablets will be useless to you. I suggest you post on the pernicious anemia forum for more expert advice re this.

[wolthebuilder]

Hi Hectors Mum, Thanks for the reply. My B12 is within range but low compared to where this forum thinks it needs to be. My folate is right at the bottom of the range and definitely needs increasing it seem due to tiredness etc caused also by a needless drop in thyroxin. I do take metformin as well although my diabetes levels are around 6 now. Its mainly looking for a solution for the extreme tiredness.

[Jo5454 in reply to wolthebuilder]

Metformin is known to cause issues with b12 levels...why arent some Drs aware of this?! Before you start taking any supplements please investigate b12 further or they may skew results if you actually need injections. If you start taking folate,you may mask a b12 deficiency. With b12 levels that low 355 I'd check an Active b12 test,which can be quickly and easily done via pinprick hometest if Dr won't,I'd ask Dr for full blood count test which can give clues to b12 def, ferritin or full.iron panel if you can get one, vit d, b12/folate,intrinsic factor so you have a starting point,then post them all on here & PA site.

I know we're all different, but my Active b12 often comes up at about 10% of actual serum b12 result. If you are similar?it could make yours 35ish,which is very low.i was advised my b12 level was no problem at just under 300,but on private investigation due to low Activeb12 was referred for a MMA test which builds up in blood if inadequate b12, and it was over 700,should be under 190. So goes to show that nhs ranges are not always helpful in some cases and lots can be going amiss if we didn't look into things further...

[Brn2BWild]

Hi Wolthebuilder,

Has your doctor spoken to you about your B12 levels at all?

There is a link between thyroid conditions and B12 deficiency.

You can take supplements if you like but only if your GP agrees to test you again and only if they are not a spray or sublingual because you may have pernicious anemia and that needs a separate test before taking any B12 supplements that ho straight into the blood like sprays or sublingual.

It is a simple blood tests looking for antibodies ( parietal cell antibodies and intrinsic factor antibodies)

If you have either of those you will need B12 injections right away( please contact the Pernicious anemia society, who have a forum here on health unlocked)

If neither of those your GP should still be giving you the B12 supplements and testing you to ensure it goes up because again metformin can radically and negatively affect your B12 levels and requires monitoring and supplements ( see B12 deficiency group led by the amazing Tracey Whittey)

There are scores of scientific papers and thyroid UK and pernicious anemia society work together because there is a link between thyroid conditions and B12 deficiency, and adding metformin into the mix is another level of complexity, your GP should be managing this for you.

Please note B12 deficiency doesn't just make you tired, I ended up in a wheelchair because my GP, even with positive test results for Intrinsic factor and parietal cell antibodies, denied B12 deficiency and I nearly died.

I am not saying you are going to, your levels are ten times what mine were, but B12 deficiency is a serious condition if left untreated, whatever the cause and given you have both thyroid and metformin risk factors I would suggest getting in contact with the pernicious anemia society and/ or Tracey Whittey s B12 deficiency organisation and getting informed and going back to the GP and asking for the tests and the treatment that suits your type of B12 deficiency.

[wolthebuilder in reply to Brn2BWild]

Thanks for the info. I’ll get checked.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

gov.uk/drug-safety-update/m...

Print these guidelines out and request GP do further testing

Combination of Metformin and hypothyroid puts you at high risk of B12 deficiency