Starting B12 deficiency treatment myself

[maiken77]

I am going to start taking B12 supplements. At first, I took cyanocobalamin with very bad reactions; racing heart, diarrhea, brain fog, glossitis, dry mouth, ice cold/sweaty hands and feet and a burning feeling in my stomach. So I want to try MeCbl instead.
I read about Fredds Protocol, and to me it seems, that it is mostly for people, who are very sick, and need a lot of different supplements to get better.
All though my B12 is very low, I dont get a lot of symptoms, my blood test are fine (except for b12 of course), so I dont think, that it has had too much impact on me, yet... So I am thinking of adding fever items to my shopping list, rather than buying everything from the Protocol.
I live in Denmark, so I have to buy all the supplements recommended from abroad, which makes everything a bit more pricey - so I hope to get everything right in my first order

I am thinking of starting up with:
- Pure Encapsulations B-complex (will be taking these for a week, before starting anything else)
- Jarrow sublingual
- Source Naturals Dibencozide
- Potassium

Do I need anything else to get started?

 

[Sherpa]

I think your supplements are OK. I like the B12Oils instead of tablets.

I do not believe Freddd's protocol is ideal for anyone except Freddd. There are millions of other approaches to treating fatigue.

I personally avoid supplemental potassium. It can be downright dangerous to take in my experience, regardless of the dogma on this forum. You don't really hear about it anywhere else. If you feel low in potassium I suggest consuming coconut water, vegetable juice or even potato chips. Much safer.

 

[maiken77]

I think your supplements are OK. I like the B12Oils instead of tablets.

I do not believe Freddd's protocol is ideal for anyone except Freddd. There are millions of other approaches to treating fatigue.

I personally avoid supplemental potassium. It can be dangerous to take in my experience, regardless of the dogma on this forum. You don't really hear about it anywhere else. If you feel low in potassium I suggest consuming avocados, vegetable juice or even potato chips. Much safer.

I appreciate your advice, maybe I will just cross potassium off my list then. You just get the impression in this forum, than you cant do without it. I will try to keep my diet high in potassium instead.
Where can I buy the b12 oil, searching Amazon.co.uk did not give me any results?

 

[Timaca]

Out of curiosity, what is your serum B12? My fasting level was 417 (I think....have to check again....it was under 450 anyway...)....I am taking 1000 mcg twice a week (I cut the tablets in half so I take 500 mcg 4 times a week).

That is the only supplement I take, other than some probiotics. My serum B6 was high (fasting) so I don't want to supplement with that.....

 

[Sherpa]

@maiken77

I would start with the pills (relatively weak) and if you find them therapeutic and healing, I would consider B12Oils (strong) as much more effective

 

[helen1]

I would definitely keep potassium on your list. Some people do have dramatic potassium depletions when starting this kind of protocol. I didn't, but have read of many who have. K depletion is just as dangerous as K overload.

The B12 oils are expensive but they save your teeth and gums from serious damage from sublinguals. You can find them at http://b12oils.com/

 

[maiken77]

Out of curiosity, what is your serum B12? My fasting level was 417 (I think....have to check again....it was under 450 anyway...)....I am taking 1000 mcg twice a week (I cut the tablets in half so I take 500 mcg 4 times a week).

TIMACA: That is the only supplement I take, other than some probiotics. My serum B6 was high (fasting) so I don't want to supplement with that.....

My serum level is 140, so very low. I have been reading about the importance of taking all of the B vitamins together, because they depend on each other. Here in Denmark, we are only able to measure folate and b12 in blood serum, according to my Doctor anyway.

 

[maiken77]

I would definitely keep potassium on your list. Some people do have dramatic potassium depletions when starting this kind of protocol. I didn't, but have read of many who have. K depletion is just as dangerous as K overload.

The B12 oils are expensive but they save your teeth and gums from serious damage from sublinguals. You can find them at http://b12oils.com/

I can see the oils have to be imported from outside Europe, which means, that it is going to cost me a small fortune, unfortunately, it would have been a good alternative.

 

[PeterPositive]

My serum level is 140, so very low. I have been reading about the importance of taking all of the B vitamins together, because they depend on each other. Here in Denmark, we are only able to measure folate and b12 in blood serum, according to my Doctor anyway.

Actually Methyl-B12 is possibly all you need if you're just looking to resolve a B12 deficiency. Methyl-B12 is then converted by your body in many other forms, including adenosyl-B12.

 

[maiken77]

Actually Methyl-B12 is possibly all you need if you're just looking to resolve a B12 deficiency. Methyl-B12 is then converted by your body in many other forms, including adenosyl-B12.

The more I have read about it, I think you are right.
These last two days I have already started taking the B-complex from Pure Encapsulations, and I almost cant believe what it is doing for me. I was actually scared of taking them, based on previous experience with other Cyanocobalamin based complexes. I have taken two pills now, 1 yesterday and 1 more this morning, and i have this weird, but good, sensation many places in my body, but mostly in my head - it feels like blood is coming through, where there was little bypass before, and I am feeling much more relaxed as my heart palpilations seems to be fading. I DO hope I am not just imagining this, and that this is my "magical" pill to proceed with higher doses of MeCbl. Keeping fingers crossed!!!

 

[maiken77]

Actually Methyl-B12 is possibly all you need if you're just looking to resolve a B12 deficiency. Methyl-B12 is then converted by your body in many other forms, including adenosyl-B12.

Still a little confused about one thing. I've been reading elsewhere, that if you take MethylB12 you also have to take methylfolate, and on increasing doses of MethylB12, you also increase your dose of methylfolate, or is this only for those who have methylation issues?