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Could a small amount of b12 be harmful?

Jackdaw

Senior Member
Messages
127
Location
UK
Hi,

I'm having a severe relapse that has lasted a few months. Most things have slowly improved but my stamina has got worse and worse. I have low b12 and so have started taking 1 drop of sublingual hydroxycobalamin which is 5mcg.

I know it is a small amount but it has increased my stamina each day. But yesterday I felt awful and today I am worse.

I am worried it is having a negative effect, is this possible?

Thanks.
 

alkt

Senior Member
Messages
339
Location
uk
increasing our stamina is something we all wish for but if you are then pushing yourself to do more your going to have more pem and that is best avoided in m y opinion unfortunately this disease seems to have multiple periods of waxing and waning symptoms with some long periods where symptoms are the same for years. so it is never easy to associate cause and effect you cannot be certain if your symptoms have improved because you have just started taking something or its the disease process itself . I have experienced ups and downs of this disease for nearly 3 decades and making sense of occasional better days is just beyond me.
 

Mary

Moderator Resource
Messages
17,321
Location
Southern California
. I have low b12 and so have started taking 1 drop of sublingual hydroxycobalamin which is 5mcg.

I know it is a small amount but it has increased my stamina each day. But yesterday I felt awful and today I am worse.

I am worried it is having a negative effect, is this possible?

That is a very small dose. However, conceivably it's possible that it has caused your potassium level to drop, and low potassium can make you feel like crap. Taking B12 and/or folate when you are deficient can cause hypokalemia (low potassium) because suddenly your cells will start dividing more rapidly and doing what they are supposed to do, which uses more potassium, thus causing a deficiency. A simple thing you can try is to drink a couple (or more) glasses of low-sodium V8 or low-sodium vegetable juice, which is high in potassium. Often people will start to feel better within a few hours doing this, if low potassium is the issue.

I recommend low-sodium V8 or vegetable juice because it's low in sugar, and eating a few bananas probably would not give enough potassium.

Symptoms of low potassium can include fatigue (I developed severe fatigue with low potassium), muscle twitches and cramps, cardiac symptoms (palpitations, arrhythmia).

I developed low potassium after starting methylfolate in 2010. I had an initial burst in energy for a couple of days and then severe fatigue. Fortunately I had read Freddd's posts about methylation and potassium and started taking potassium - I titrated up to 1000 mg. a day, in divided doses, over 2 days. It's important not to take a large amount all at once. FWIW, the daily RDA (minimum) of potassium is 4500 mg. I've continued taking 800 - 1000 mg. of potassium gluconate (in 4 divided doses) daily ever since as my body needs it. Interestingly, I discovered I had had symptoms of low potassium off and on even before I started the methylfolate, only never knew what it was.

Also, people with ME/CFS very often are low in intracellular potassium despite normal blood work (which was true for me - my blood work was always in the normal range, albeit on the low side). See http://forums.phoenixrising.me/inde...ded-in-methylation-treatmt.18670/#post-291422
 

Eastman

Senior Member
Messages
526
The amount of B12 you are taking appears small but since you are experiencing possible start-up effects, it is possible that you are depleting some nutrients.

As Mary says, you may be experiencing potassium deficiency, but you may also want to note that thiamine deficiency has similar symptoms. In fact, thiamine appears to have a role in maintaining potassium and other electrolyte levels (see here).

A few members who have tried methylation have subsequently reported needing to supplement thiamine. See here, here, here, here, here and here.

Dr Derek Enlander recently made a post on methylation that you might want to read.
 

TreePerson

Senior Member
Messages
292
Location
U.K.
Hi @Mary

Is there a reason for the veg juice being low sodium? I am also having difficulties with taking very small amounts of b12 causing me to crash badly. Yesterday energy literally vanished completely with no warning and am now feeling awful. I have been trying electrolytes with sodium and potassium to see if this will help.
 

Mary

Moderator Resource
Messages
17,321
Location
Southern California
Hi @Mary

Is there a reason for the veg juice being low sodium? I am also having difficulties with taking very small amounts of b12 causing me to crash badly. Yesterday energy literally vanished completely with no warning and am now feeling awful. I have been trying electrolytes with sodium and potassium to see if this will help.

Low-sodium V8 has more potassium than regular V8 - low-sodium V8 has about 900 mg potassium per 8 ounce glass, compared to around 500 mg for regular V8. But if you need both sodium and potassium, regular V8 might be best for you.
 

Jackdaw

Senior Member
Messages
127
Location
UK
I've bought some V8 juice. Starting to look into methylation. Interesting that people have same problem with small amounts of B12. Cheers.