Mb12 and anxiety

[James1324]

I was feeling down and out for a few months because I was hit with EBV and couldn't do much of anything but rest. I have Hypothyroidism with mild adrenal fatigue. Before I was hit with EBV, I was decently healthy.

I was taking glutathione supplement and NAC, high doses. I was hit with EBV at that time, I used to feel bad on that concoction but I just kept doing it and thought it was die off or something like that. Could I have made myself sick from that?

Fastforward to recently and I was feeling low on energy and motivation. I took NOW brand Cyanoconbalamin b12 500mcg, Folic Acid 50mcg, halved the pill. That day, I had the worst insomnia and racing thoughts I've ever had, with tiny anxiety. Felt awesome for the whole week the next day, lots of energy and motivation.

That feeling went away and so I wanted that feeling to come back but without the racing thoughts, so I tried mb12 500mcg. Got the motivation but lots of anxiety, heavy head feeling, cant concentrate and its been persistent for a couple of days.

I definitely have a problem with methylation because of high doses of NAC, any thoughts on how to go about doing this protocol?

 

[TheChosenOne]

Looks like you are mixing a lot of stuff at the same time.

I was taking glutathione supplement

Glutathione should only be used once oxidative stress is under control. The use of it early in on is not adviced.

Folic Acid

The use of folic acid may be counterproductive, whereas natural folate (lots of vegetables) or methylfolate are better forms.

low on energy and motivation
That day, I had the worst insomnia and racing thoughts I've ever had, with tiny anxiety. Felt awesome for the whole week the next day, lots of energy and motivation.
Got the motivation but lots of anxiety, heavy head feeling, cant concentrate

Looks like you might have COMT mutations. MethylB12 makes mood swings worse. HydroxyB12 is better in that regard. People with COMT can safely take AdenosylB12 since it does not manipulate neurotransmitters. Methylfolate is also a good idea, but you have to be careful that you don't end up in a methyltrap.
Gaba and magnesium are excellent for treating anxiety. In 'emergency' situations niaciamide can be used (be careful, because this can make you feel depressed if you take too much).
Do you have family members with bipolar?

 

[James1324]

Thanks for the reply. I had no clue about this protocol, I was just trying out NAC and gluthathione because I thought it would help me with adrenal fatigue and detox. I remember getting sick and flu like symptoms on the supplements but thought they were die off and then out of the blue I was hit with EBV and whooping cough, I'm 24 but the doctor detected both those in my blood. That was 6 months ago. I only tried b12 and folic acid 2 weeks ago because I was in such a slump and found this site by luck, googling b12 side effects. I even have inflamed gums which, tend to bleed if I brush hard or floss, I read that it is a folate, b12 deficiency, caused by my high intake of NAC for sure.

I just read about COMT mutation and it described my health almost exactly, especially with sleep and autoimmunity. I will definitely order methylfolate, any good hydroxyb12 brands? iherb only has one brand. Do you think I should also get potassium?

 

[Mary]

@James1324 - I think potassium is definitely a good idea. When you start to treat a B12 and/or folate deficiency, it can increase your need for potassium rather suddenly, as cells start to heal and multiply etc. And low potassium can make you very tired, among other things.

When I first started methylfolate (I'd already been taking methylB12), I had an increase in energy within a couple of days, it was great, and then a few days after that hit a wall - severe fatigue, cased by low potassium. Fortunately I had read about this so I started taking potassium, worked up to 1000 mg. a day and that awful fatigue went away. Through trial and error I've since learned I need to take about 1200 mg. of potassium a day in divided doses. I take potassium gluconate (potassium citrate caused a bladder infection).

low-sodium V8 is a good source of potassium - 900 mg. per 8 oz. glass. I have trouble getting enough potassium in food though you may not.

You might want to check out this link:
http://forums.phoenixrising.me/index.php?threads/active-b12-protocol-basics.10138/

 

[Critterina]

@James1324 ,

You might want to try the hydroxy form of cobalamin - eliminate the cyano form, making your body dispose of the cyano group, and avoid the instantaneous startup of the methyl form by making your body convert it to the methyl form, which happens more slowly.

The good news is that you are getting some response, so it's just a matter of figuring it out.

I would remind everyone that it's inappropriate to tell someone what they must do or never do in this forum. That message goes to those doing the telling and those being told. We are all different and have different needs, and most of us are not medical professionals, and even if we were, we don't have the information about each other that we would need to dictate a course of action. Rules, friends.

 

[James1324]

Do you have family members with bipolar?

Yes an older brother with bipolar.

Thanks for the replies, I'm ordering all the supplements needed for the methylation protocol but tweaked from here.

 

[cobain_justinsane]

@James1324

You said that you first tried cyanob12 and had a reaction to it? Then you tried methylb12 and had a similar reaction to it?
Did they both have folic acid in them?

I also find it strange how you had high dosages of b12 shots in the past and didn't have any problems with them. You said you had gotten 20g of b12 shots? That seems like a lot!! Did you mean 20mg??
I'm assuming they were cyanob12 shots.

I think it would be a good idea to have your genetics tested with 23andme if you could afford it. It might give you a better idea of what is going on with MTHFR, MTR, MTRR, COMT MAOA.

 

[James1324]

@James1324

You said that you first tried cyanob12 and had a reaction to it? Then you tried methylb12 and had a similar reaction to it?
Did they both have folic acid in them?

I also find it strange how you had high dosages of b12 shots in the past and didn't have any problems with them. You said you had gotten 20g of b12 shots? That seems like a lot!! Did you mean 20mg??
I'm assuming they were cyanob12 shots.

I think it would be a good idea to have your genetics tested with 23andme if you could afford it. It might give you a better idea of what is going on with MTHFR, MTR, MTRR, COMT MAOA.

Yes, I tried cyanob12 500mcg with folic acid, 50mcg. Had only one day of feeling hyper with racing thoughts, then felt amazing for a couple of days

Then tried methlyb12 500mcg on its own and have had 3 days of the worst anxiety I've ever had before.

My bad it was only 20mg, don't recall what brand of b12 exactly

 

[cobain_justinsane]

@James1324

To be honest your best bet would probably be to have the 23 and me test done to see what's going on with your genetics. It would probably be best to do that before you try introducing any more supplements.

 

[James1324]

@James1324

To be honest your best bet would probably be to have the 23 and me test done to see what's going on with your genetics. It would probably be best to do that before you try introducing any more supplements.

I've ordered a 23 and me test kit which will be coming soon and set an appointment with my doctor. It's been 2 weeks since I took methyl b12 and most of the anxiety from it is gone but its left me with a little bit of tinnitus. Anyone know any reason why that would happen?

 

[James1324]

I just received my genetics from 23and me and put them into genetic genie. I'm also working with my doctor at this point in time. I understand some of these mutations but any insight would be appreciated.

 

[TheChosenOne]

I can see why you have problems.
MTHFR C667T: Converts dietary folate into methylfolate.
MTR: Takes a methyl group from methylfolate and attaches it to homocysteine to generate methionine. It uses B12 to do that.
MTRR: Recycles B12. The A66G version is the most important one.
BHMT: This is the shortcut in the cycle. It converts homocysteine to methionine without using methylfolate or methylB12.
COMT: Breaks down dopamine. High levels of dopamine inhibits the receptors as well as the enzyme that helps to make dopamine. This leads to mood swings.
MAO: Breaks down serotonin. Also causes mood swings as well as aggression.
VDR Taq: You have the +/+ status because Genetic Genie shows the wrong mutation.
You probably cannot tolerate methyl donors. You need methylfolate. I would avoid methylB12. Maybe you can try low doses. HydroxyB12 is much better in this case. I'd also consider GABA and magnesium for COMT. Lithium orotate is an absolute must!
BHMT is most likely not all that relevant.

 

[James1324]

^^
Thanks for the insight. I took a methyl-b12 shot way before I tried using it sublingually and had no problem, which suprised my doctor as well. I take magnesium orotate and feel the best on that, funnily enough I also used to take creatine a few years back and felt really good on it and that increases GABA.

I'm genuinely suprised at how you're guessing the right things, my older brother is on lithium for bipolar, not the orotate brand though.

 

[Valentijn]

MTHFR C667T: Converts dietary folate into methylfolate.

Actually vegetables are a natural source of methlyfolate which does not need to be converted, though they can also be a source of a form which does need to be converted. This is why eating vegetables can be as effective as supplementation in reducing health risks associated with MTHFR variations.

 

[TheChosenOne]

Actually vegetables are a natural source of methlyfolate

I did not know that.