B12 & Where to Go From There

[gracee41]

I've been reading quite a bit on this site but haven't found the info I was looking for. I may have missed it. If I cannot tolerate Methyl B12 and am taking Hydroxy and Adenosyl without issues, when should folate be introduced? Also, should I assume I will be sensitive to Methylfolate as well? If that were to be the case, what type(s) of folate should I take?

 

[Critterina]

I don't think you can assume that you will be sensitive to methylfolate. But you can start with a few crumbs and work up, if that helps.

If you can't tolerate methylfolate in supplement form, you can try foods high in methylfolate. Others can help you out with what those are. The precursor closest to methylfolate is folinic acid, but if you have the MTHFR C677T mutation, your ability to convert it will be compromised. If you have the MTHFR A1298C mutation, taking folinic acid may keep you from having a healthy biopterin cycle (that makes neurotransmitters). How that affects you would depend on your other mutations, but may include depression, agitation, anxiety, sleepiness or wakefulness, or other. You'd just have to look out for them.

Sorry not to be of more help.

Crit

 

[gracee41]

Thanks Critterina. That actually helped quite a bit. I am compound hetero A1298C and C677T. It appears I will need to at least try methylfolate in crumbs as you said.

 

[CFS_for_19_years]

I've been reading quite a bit on this site but haven't found the info I was looking for. I may have missed it. If I cannot tolerate Methyl B12 and am taking Hydroxy and Adenosyl without issues, when should folate be introduced? Also, should I assume I will be sensitive to Methylfolate as well? If that were to be the case, what type(s) of folate should I take?

Dr. Ben Lynch starts with B12 for one week, then gradually adds methylfolate:

You could just subsitute hydroxyB12 for the methylB12 in his protocol. If for some reason you find that methylfolate isn't for you, another way of getting folate is to take folinic acid (not folic acid).

I can't say if Dr. Ben Lynch's protocol is safer or more effective than any other, but at least he is a licensed and credentialed health practitioner (naturopath) whose specialty is treating patients with MTHFR mutations.

I found one article on how he treats C677T mutations and it includes a stepwise protocol about how to use methylB12 and methylfolate - how much to use, when and how to take them, etc.

http://mthfr.net/mthfr-c677t-mutation-basic-protocol/2012/02/24/

If you scroll down to Part II on that page, the first sentence says:
Methylfolate Recommendations for those homozygous for the C677T MTHFR Mutation

From there forward you can see the stepwise recommendations. Dr. Lynch has his own line of supplements, but you can certainly use your own.

What we refer to as "startup" at Phoenix Rising, he calls "detox." I don't know which term is more accurate, but they seem to be the same constellation of symptoms.

 

[gracee41]

Thanks CFS for your reply and the link to Dr. Lynch's protocol. I've been on his site a few times but didn't see that. I will read it and see if I can put the pieces together.

 

[CFS_for_19_years]

Thanks CFS for your reply and the link to Dr. Lynch's protocol. I've been on his site a few times but didn't see that. I will read it and see if I can put the pieces together.

Oh good, I'm glad you took a lot at this. There are quite a few useful comments posted after the protocol too.

If you're going to spend much time there you might find it useful to save his protocols and comments in a document on your computer - I know I did! I would never remember what I read there or and can't count on being able to find the page again.

 

[Critterina]

Thanks Critterina. That actually helped quite a bit. I am compound hetero A1298C and C677T. It appears I will need to at least try methylfolate in crumbs as you said.

@gracee41 - If you are truly compound hetero, the methylfolate may have a huge impact on you, and probably in a very good way. Just being +/- on both doesn't make you compound. You need to have one + on each of your two chromosomes to be compound, and you just can't tell it from 23andMe testing. But let us know how it goes when you try it.

 

[gracee41]

Thanks Critterina. Just started the hydroxy today and so far so good. I will add dibencozide in a few days if I continue to feel okay on the hydroxy. I will add methylfolate into the mix when I am sure I'm feeling stable on the B12. Will let you know how it goes.