I found a big deficiency in B1 (Thiamine) a couple weeks ago. But again there was still something missing. I think that missing piece was Folate. In my researching about B1 I read that you can become deficient if you are deficient in Folate.
I may have been deficient for a long time. It's been a few years since I did full-on SMP supplements (Early 2015) and was up to 9mg of Folate. I really didn't feel like I was getting anything out of it and my genetics don't indicate that I have a methylation block. But not shortly after I had an entire 2+ months of complete remission of all my CFS symptoms and I really don't have any other reason for it.
But afterwards I started finding deficiencies. First was Potassium and Tryptophan and I went on the hunt for other minerals. Then I started adding other things but stil searching for missing pieces that weren't there before I started my high dose SMP protocol.
By the end of 2017 I was having some real issues and not finding my solutions. I assumed I did some permanent damage by taking the SMP supplements. I felt the fatigue part of CFS big time and on and off treated myself for Adrenal Fatigue.
So recently I suspected and then confirmed by supplementing again MFolate. One day I was feeling particularly bad and popped an entire 800 mcg tablet in my mouth. Within about 10 minutes I felt great. This is how it goes for me if I'm very deficient in something and manage to take the right thing. The first time I took a Copper tablet same thing happened for example and many other times. I've some to the idea it's best to at least take some of each to cover your bases. But for what you're really deficient in you will need for for a while.
I'm all for the Nutrigenics testing for find deficiencies. I intend to do this very soon.
What is working for me now....
I'm feeling good and maybe in the first time I'm taking supplements I'm getting a repeatable and reliable cause and effect from taking my supplement regimen.
Here's what I'm taking now:
In the morning with food (and I'm almost always taking my supps with food now)
Every morning
Every other or 3rd day
Vitamins A, E and D
I might also take extra Selenium, Manganese, Boron and Molybdenum
Probiotics also to help my gut (Jarrow IBS Plantarum and Syntol AMD). Gut issues can cause deficiencies also.
Notice I haven't mentioned Folate, Potassium or Tryptophan. Here's where it gets a little tricky...
I'm usually feeling pretty good after this round of supplements. At some point in the day I'll start to slip down slowly. Then the trick is to identify as a Folate or Potassium/Magnesium deficiency? They both are similar but have a different feel.
For me at least the B12s seem to drive the need for Folate. (And the Folate drives the need for the B12s) So I'll usually take an 800mcg of Solgar when I feel that coming on and that usually is later in the day after lunch. I might take another or a half in 15 minutes of the 800 didn't do the job completely.
Potassium deficiency might come on before or after the MFolate. I will take 2 or 3 of the 99mg Potassium Gluconate Tablets and 100mg or 200mg of Magnesium Glycinate.
If I've taken the MFolate close to bedtime I'll leave an ACbl on the night stand on the watch for Methly Trapping. I haven't had to deal with MethylTrapping too much just yet as I'm keeping a pretty steady dose of everything. But If I've taken more MFolate than usual I watch for methyl trapping. For me that's probably the worst thing of all as it really messes with my mental state and dreams in a very horrific way.
Last but not least is Trytophan. I posted about this a while back that methylation can eat up available Tryptophan which probably will reduce your Serotonin production. So I'm on the lookout for that as well. If I'm feeling some depression come on I'll take a 500mg Jarrow capsule in the morning with my other supplements. Tryptophan needs the P5P to help make Serotonin.
So basically are 4 "states" I'm on the lookout for and I've gotten pretty good at know which is which and what to take for it.
Again I'm not sure if I knocked something out of whack with high dose SMP supps but and was thinking for a long time that I did some permanent damage to my system but I'm doing pretty good now.
::Update::
Note to self:
I may have been deficient for a long time. It's been a few years since I did full-on SMP supplements (Early 2015) and was up to 9mg of Folate. I really didn't feel like I was getting anything out of it and my genetics don't indicate that I have a methylation block. But not shortly after I had an entire 2+ months of complete remission of all my CFS symptoms and I really don't have any other reason for it.
But afterwards I started finding deficiencies. First was Potassium and Tryptophan and I went on the hunt for other minerals. Then I started adding other things but stil searching for missing pieces that weren't there before I started my high dose SMP protocol.
By the end of 2017 I was having some real issues and not finding my solutions. I assumed I did some permanent damage by taking the SMP supplements. I felt the fatigue part of CFS big time and on and off treated myself for Adrenal Fatigue.
So recently I suspected and then confirmed by supplementing again MFolate. One day I was feeling particularly bad and popped an entire 800 mcg tablet in my mouth. Within about 10 minutes I felt great. This is how it goes for me if I'm very deficient in something and manage to take the right thing. The first time I took a Copper tablet same thing happened for example and many other times. I've some to the idea it's best to at least take some of each to cover your bases. But for what you're really deficient in you will need for for a while.
I'm all for the Nutrigenics testing for find deficiencies. I intend to do this very soon.
What is working for me now....
I'm feeling good and maybe in the first time I'm taking supplements I'm getting a repeatable and reliable cause and effect from taking my supplement regimen.
Here's what I'm taking now:
In the morning with food (and I'm almost always taking my supps with food now)
Every morning
- B1 (Natures Way) 100mg
- B2 (Natures Way) 50mg
- B3 (Natures Way) 50mg
- B5 as Pantethine or Pantothenic Acid (Jarrow, full capsule for the former and half cap of the latter)
- Biotin (Jarrow 1/2 of a 5000mcg capsule)
- 1/4 P5P tablet (Source naturals sublingual 25mg)
- 1/2 ACbl (Anabol Naturals Dibencoplex 10,000 sublingual)
- 1/4 MCbl (Enzymatic B12 Infusion 1,000 mcg)
- 1/4 HCbl (AOR Hydroxy B12)
- Jarrow Multi Minerals or Natures plus Mega Mins.
Every other or 3rd day
Vitamins A, E and D
I might also take extra Selenium, Manganese, Boron and Molybdenum
Probiotics also to help my gut (Jarrow IBS Plantarum and Syntol AMD). Gut issues can cause deficiencies also.
Notice I haven't mentioned Folate, Potassium or Tryptophan. Here's where it gets a little tricky...
I'm usually feeling pretty good after this round of supplements. At some point in the day I'll start to slip down slowly. Then the trick is to identify as a Folate or Potassium/Magnesium deficiency? They both are similar but have a different feel.
For me at least the B12s seem to drive the need for Folate. (And the Folate drives the need for the B12s) So I'll usually take an 800mcg of Solgar when I feel that coming on and that usually is later in the day after lunch. I might take another or a half in 15 minutes of the 800 didn't do the job completely.
Potassium deficiency might come on before or after the MFolate. I will take 2 or 3 of the 99mg Potassium Gluconate Tablets and 100mg or 200mg of Magnesium Glycinate.
If I've taken the MFolate close to bedtime I'll leave an ACbl on the night stand on the watch for Methly Trapping. I haven't had to deal with MethylTrapping too much just yet as I'm keeping a pretty steady dose of everything. But If I've taken more MFolate than usual I watch for methyl trapping. For me that's probably the worst thing of all as it really messes with my mental state and dreams in a very horrific way.
Last but not least is Trytophan. I posted about this a while back that methylation can eat up available Tryptophan which probably will reduce your Serotonin production. So I'm on the lookout for that as well. If I'm feeling some depression come on I'll take a 500mg Jarrow capsule in the morning with my other supplements. Tryptophan needs the P5P to help make Serotonin.
So basically are 4 "states" I'm on the lookout for and I've gotten pretty good at know which is which and what to take for it.
Again I'm not sure if I knocked something out of whack with high dose SMP supps but and was thinking for a long time that I did some permanent damage to my system but I'm doing pretty good now.
::Update::
Note to self:
- If you take B12 you'll need to take extra Potassium and Magnesium and maybe Folate.
- If you take MFolate you must take B12!
- If you have taken B12 and MFolate you will probably need to take Tryptophan and more B3
- If you drink alcohol you are probably depleting B1, B12 and MFolate (among other things: Molybdenum, etc.)
