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B12 deficiency

Messages
17
Hello,
I'm 29 years old male, suffering from B12 deficiency.
I don't suffer from ME/CFS, though I do have symptoms of fatigue, lack of energy, no energy to exercise.
Three years ago I had been through a stressful two years in the university, which ended up in a burnout.
Since then I have recuperated somewhat, but not 100%.

Lately I caught the flu, and few weeks after it, I'm still feeling not well, so I went to do a blood test.
My vitamin b12 level is 284ng/ml, folate - about 10ng/ml. (I know serum level isn't accurate to determine deficiency).
Doctor prescribed 1000mcg B12, I have been taking it for the past 4 days (cobalamin by solgar, I placed an order for Jarrow methylcobalamin 1000mcg), I feel increase in appetite, and a little bit tingling in my lower leg muscle, my mood seems to be better. Moreover, my lower leg muscles are stiff most of the time, and since supplementing with B12 it seems they became stiffer.
I also experience energy swings.

I ran into this great forum through a random search, started to read and explore it, and I got lost with all the information.
Can someone please tell me if B12 supplement is enough for my situation? should I take a B-Complex?

Thanks you very much!
Alon
 

caledonia

Senior Member
Right, the serum B12 test is not the greatest, but if it tests low, you're low. The problem is, it can test normal and be low or it can test high and be low too! But anyway - you are low in B12.

The only sure way to know what you need is to do vitamin and mineral testing, such as with the Nutreval test, but in general, you should supplement the B vitamins as a complex.

Then, whether you know it or not, you're getting into manipulating your methylation cycle. Then it gets complicated.

The best simple advice I can give is to make sure to take methylfolate (L 5 methyl tetra hydro folate) or Metafolin or Quatrefolic and NOT "folic acid" which is a synthetic. Folinic acid may or may not be ok. Also avoid "folic acid" fortified breads, cereals and grains.
 

Martial

Senior Member
Messages
1,409
Location
Ventura, CA
You need b12 injections on top of those sub lingual's. If your deficiency showed as that low then it is necessary to use something more concentrated to build levels higher, and in less time... Try and get at least bi weekly shots if possible, there is many places that offer injections if you look around your local area.. Even Nutrition clinics, and Dermatology centers offer b12 injections. It is not hard to come by and pretty cheap, but far more effective in your case. When you take the sublingual b12 also remember to take some methyl folate twenty minutes after to help in getting the b12 into the cells. They are dependent on eachother for absorption, also always take b12 on an empty stomach at least twenty minutes before food, and always use methyl or hydro b12 form NO CYANO, that goes for injections too.
 
Messages
17
Thinking of injections makes me feel not so good.. I have patience to build it up with the sublinguals.
First thing in the morning I eat a banana, b-complex pill, and the rest of my meal.
Is it still necessary to take folate? because the b-complex contains it.
I plan to take the mb12 after the meal for 45 minutes like I read in the forum, is it okay?

Many thanks,
Alon
 

Martial

Senior Member
Messages
1,409
Location
Ventura, CA
Thinking of injections makes me feel not so good.. I have patience to build it up with the sublinguals.
First thing in the morning I eat a banana, b-complex pill, and the rest of my meal.
Is it still necessary to take folate? because the b-complex contains it.
I plan to take the mb12 after the meal for 45 minutes like I read in the forum, is it okay?

Many thanks,
Alon


I don't know what you mean about building up patience with the sublingual's, however if you were that deficient in b12 and have neurological issues from it like described you need injections. This is because it is a much more concentrated dose and will help heal your nerves much faster. You don't want to wait longer with nerve involvement because if it goes after a certain period of time with deficiency there can be permanent damage.

Now really they say permenant but really it is more like takes a fricken LONG time to fully reverse everything if you wait around too long, the nerves start demyelinating if they don't have enough b12 usually over a period of six months. So when you start b12 again you get really intense symptoms because the nerves are coming back to life so to speak. It is not an upward recovery in terms of symptoms, sometimes you will feel really good and other times you might be hit harder with symptoms of healing.

I hope this helps and also keep in mind that b12 is completely non toxic, you could get daily injections and in a perfect world that would be most ideal. If you are taking sublingual though you will need at least 5,000mcg a day, 30,000mcg a day of sublingual is the equivalant of one 1000mcg injection.
 

Martial

Senior Member
Messages
1,409
Location
Ventura, CA
If you mean Yasko, when she refers to "all three" she means hydroxycobalamin, methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin. And that's only for people without the worst COMT mutations.

Cyanocobalamin is a synthetic and not well converted in the body.

It is also binded with cyanide which is super toxic for our bodies lol
 
Messages
17
Thanks you Marital, I will try to look for a clinic to get injections.
The neurological issues are so mild, that they're barely noticeable. I think I've started to feel them since I started to supplement.
The main issues now are tiredness, fatigue, which I think get worse, is that normal?
 

Martial

Senior Member
Messages
1,409
Location
Ventura, CA
Thanks you Marital, I will try to look for a clinic to get injections.
The neurological issues are so mild, that they're barely noticeable. I think I've started to feel them since I started to supplement.
The main issues now are tiredness, fatigue, which I think get worse, is that normal?

You should even if it is only mildly there, the benefit of injections is very high, and not getting it done soon enough has a bit of risk with longer healing...

THat is absolutely the norm though, everyone goes through it that I have seen.. its an up and down thing but it is hard to say why it is that way exactly, you get hit with really high times of feeling amazing, and then symptoms come on and you crash, but its gradually going in an upward direction.
 
Messages
17
Should I add dibencozide into the mix?
I've noticed that Source Naturals dibencozide contains 8.6mg vitamin b12, whereas Jarrow methylb12 contains 1mg.
Is this ratio right?
 

Martial

Senior Member
Messages
1,409
Location
Ventura, CA
Should I add dibencozide into the mix?
I've noticed that Source Naturals dibencozide contains 8.6mg vitamin b12, whereas Jarrow methylb12 contains 1mg.
Is this ratio right?

It definitely helps, hmm I only use anabol natural though you can find it on Iherb, I would stick with Anabol Naturals, 10,000 all dibencozide, you can cut pills in smaller pieces for lower doses and it is very cheap!
 

Martial

Senior Member
Messages
1,409
Location
Ventura, CA
It could be spasms and cramping from low potassium, this can tighten the muscles for hours without even realizing it. I would get a topical form of magnesium for absorption, and some regular magnesium pills for the regular nutrition, potassium in a supplemental powder form, and eat high potassium foods. That should help but some symptoms may just need to be ridden out, unfortunately again its a very up and down process and healing can even sometimes be very painful/feel debalitating, though your issues aren't as severe as others on here.

The B complex actually is very good! Surprised they have such low doses, and those herbs are also very helpful! Just be aware if you ever have tingling in hands and feet, or stuff like that you may want to cut out any synthetic b6. That is a really low dose of it though.
 
Messages
17
I read the different protocols in the forum, and I notice that some of them recommend titrating up to 25mg methylb12 a day, is it really necessary to reach these higher levels to insure healing?
can't I just stick to 1-5mg mb12 sublingual a day, and give myself the time necessary to heal?
 

Martial

Senior Member
Messages
1,409
Location
Ventura, CA
I read the different protocols in the forum, and I notice that some of them recommend titrating up to 25mg methylb12 a day, is it really necessary to reach these higher levels to insure healing?
can't I just stick to 1-5mg mb12 sublingual a day, and give myself the time necessary to heal?


Again you need higher doses because you had actual documented b12 deficiency.. That is why I kept talking about the shots, 30mg a day is the same as one 1000mg injected shot.. It is cheap especially if you use anabol naturals b12 for half the days amount, and the other half through jarrows, or country life 5000mg.. You really do want to keep higher levels especially in the beginning. Your case is different then a person just supplementing a bit of b12 a day to stay healthy.. There is no upper limit of toxicity with methyl b12.
 
Messages
17
An update, it has been 10 days since I started to take the supplements: New Chapter B-complex, solgar 1000mcg sublinguals (as cobalamin) 3 a day, vitamin C.
I'm waiting for Jarrow 5mg mb12, Source Natural Dibencozide and Newchapter multivitamin to arrive by mail, I'm sure they are going to kick start my system much effectively.
First week symptoms: warm throat for a day, light tingling in lower calves muscles and calves stiffness increased a tad, fatigue increased and wiped me out every now and then, feeling my muscles are empty of energy, anxiety and tension attacks.
Last few days, my appetite increased pretty much, I'm eating better, hopefully gonna start to gain weight, have periods throughout the day when I feel happy and my well-being really increases.
Moreover, I have overslept in the last two years, for 10-11 hours each night, in the last two days I wake up automatically early, is it because melatonin regulation?
 
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Messages
17
Woke up today in the morning, had a light diarrhea, and some nausea throughout the day, is it normal?
read some scary stuff about potassium deficiency, please advise.