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M-B12, Methylfolate & Niacin in the same protocol

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ebethc

Senior Member
Messages
1,901
I was reading Ben Lynch's site and found this advice for stimulating BH4:

Nutrients to support BH4:
iron, B12, methylfolate, niacin, B6, copper, magnesium and vitamin C
http://mthfr.net/mthfr-a1298c-mutation-some-information-on-a1298c-mthfr-mutations/2011/11/30/

Doesn't it seem contradictory to have methyls AND niacin/niacinamide in the same protocol? Doesn't niacin STOP methylation and M-B12 & 5-MTHF STIMULATE methylation?

Also, is niacinamide okay to take in instead of niacin?

thanks
 
PeterPositive

PeterPositive

Senior Member
Messages
1,426
It all depends on the dosages. Very high doses of B3, in whatever form, will act as methyl-group mop, but typically you will have to use hundreds of milligrams.

Depending on how bad your methylation status is, which requires a functional test to assess, you can find a dosage of B3 that will work for you without causing side effects.

Personally I haven't found B3 (niacinamide) to cause any harm when taken in doses <= 100mg/day. And I have a lot of folate and B12 pathways issues.

Since we are all different a bit of experimentation is required, typically you can start with a low dose of 10-15mg and slowly increase it to see if you notice any improvements.

cheers
 
Critterina

Critterina

Senior Member
Messages
1,238
Location
Arizona, USA
I think one of the things we find out is that we are up against a limiting factor of something, and if we supplement that, it makes a world of difference. Of course, then you may hit a limiting factor of something else. You need some of everything in your body, although not always in your diet. Our bodies are supposed to be able to make most of the chemicals we need. It's the same thing with niacin/niacinamide: you need some, not too much. The cure or the poison is in the dose.

On this forum it becomes apparent that each of bodies is unique in the things they do well and not so well. Personally, I like 20 mg sublingual niacinamide, particularly when it's cold outside and my hands and feet don't seem to warm up when I come inside, not for hours if at all.
 
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ebethc

Senior Member
Messages
1,901
Critterina said:
I think one of the things we find out is that we are up against a limiting factor of something, and if we supplement that, it makes a world of difference. Of course, then you may hit a limiting factor of something else. You need some of everything in your body, although not always in your diet. Our bodies are supposed to be able to make most of the chemicals we need. It's the same thing with niacin/niacinamide: you need some, not too much. The cure or the poison is in the dose.

On this forum it becomes apparent that each of bodies is unique in the things they do well and not so well. Personally, I like 20 mg sublingual niacinamide, particularly when it's cold outside and my hands and feet don't seem to warm up when I come inside, not for hours if at all.
Click to expand...
@Critterina - good advice - thanks. I will look for sublingual niacinamide, too. I didn't know that it existed.
 
adreno

adreno

PR activist
Messages
4,841
It's fine to take B3 with the methyl donors, as long as you don't overdo it. You need all B vitamins.

Actually, Lynch's own B complex contains 200mg B3, although I think that is a little high with only 400mcg folate. Perhaps a 4:1 ratio of folate to B3 (e.g. 400mcg folate, 100mg B3) would be better, but I'm just guessing.
 
Last edited:
PeterPositive

PeterPositive

Senior Member
Messages
1,426
adreno said:
It's fine to take B3 with the methyl donors, as long as you don't overdo it. You need all B vitamins.

Actually, Lynch's own B complex contains 200mg B3, although I think that is a little high with only 400mcg folate. Perhaps a 4:1 ratio of folate to B3 (e.g. 400mcg folate, 100mg B3) would be better, but I'm just guessing.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I was going to try it but I was discouraged by the 200mg of B3.
It is indeed a crapshoot because I have no idea if 200mg will do any harm, probably not. Especially because my folate and B12 are pretty high. Still, I wouldn't want B3 to increase the need of other methyl donors.
 
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