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Choosing between B6 and P5P..?

Messages
43
Hi all,

After reading many posts, I am confused as to choose from which of B6 or P5P? Any mutation to identify the right form of B6 just like for B9 which is methyl folate if MTHFR mutation?

Regards
 

Mary

Moderator Resource
Messages
17,335
Location
Southern California
I don't know about any testing for B6 similar to the MTHFR mutation testing.

I would just try taking P-5-P and see what happens, as I did with the methylfolate. A couple of years ago (after taking a standard B complex vitamin for years and years) I tried some P-5-P and was amazed - it increased my energy noticeably. I started with 25 mg. twice a day and then had to cut back to just 25 mg. a day as the second dose caused insomnia.

I also tried the methylfolate about 4 years ago (after reading about Freddd's B12 protocol) and was amazed - it really helped my energy a lot and I still take it (it also increased my need for potassium)

I've never had any testing for the MTHFR gene but just go on my experience.

I now do take a much better B complex with bioavailable vitamins, and also take methylfolate and methylcobalamin and p-5-p.
 

Critterina

Senior Member
Messages
1,238
Location
Arizona, USA
I supplemented with 100 mg of B6 for a few months. That should cure any deficiency, but it didn't. Lab results confirmed it. So I switched to P5P and the deficiency disappeared. I also use only 50 mg of P5P now.

You can try what I did - take the HCl form and see if it does any good. Or skip it and not waste the time, and just go to P5P.
 
Messages
43
@Mary, @Critterina

What is this NADH? I heard even this is also a form of vitamin b6?
any idea about how to identify its correct form for the body?

NADH is used for BH2 to BH4 conversion.
 

Mary

Moderator Resource
Messages
17,335
Location
Southern California
NADH is a reduced form of B3 - niacin. If you google it , you can find more info. Over 10 years ago I took 20 mg. a day and after about a week had a noticeable increase in energy. It was great, and it lasted about 10 days and then just stopped. It was pricey - about $70 a month at that dose (I think it's gone down in price) but it just stopped boosting my energy. I don't know why. Otherwise I would have stayed with it. It does help some people with energy so I think it's worth a try. And I had to take 20 mg. to notice any effect - less did nothing for me. I've read that enteric coated is the best kind so it won't get destroyed by stomach acid, which may or may not be true.

I now take regular niacin, which helps me with sleep, although it doesn't increase my energy. And I don't know why the NADH boosted my energy so much (albeit temporarily) and regular niacin doesn't.

Here's a link to an article:
http://www.nadh-priceinfo.com/NADH_possible_benefit_CFS_FM.cfm

So sort of the like the P-5-P, I think it's worth a try to see if it helps. It would be very interesting to find out why certain things have increased my energy and stopped the crashing (PEM), only to stop working generally in about a week. In 2002 taking 2,000 mg. of l-carnitine gave me a great boost, for about a week, and then stopped.

It's a mystery! which I hope is solved one day -

Mary