Can taking b vitamins without niacin cause niacin deficiency?
- Thread starter jwat87
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Gondwanaland
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Yes
It will only be detrimental to methylation when it is in excess. AFAIK it should be taken proportionally to other Bs. Be sure to take the co-factors as well like magnesium, zinc, potassium.
Can you tell me if this is a good ratio of b vitamins? This is what is found in the "swanson's activated bcomplex" that I have. I take one of these with an extra 1mg methylb12 (sublingual) tab. Is there a consensus on the correct ratios?
Thiamin (vitamin B-1) (as benfotiamine)25 mg
Riboflavin (as riboflavin 5'-phosphate)25 mg
Niacin (as inositol hexanicotinate)50 mg
Vitamin B-6 (as pyridoxal 5-phosphate)25 mg
Folate(as Quatrefolic® [6S]-5-Methyltetrahydrofolic acid) 400 mcg100
Vitamin B-12 (as methylcobalamin)250 mcg
Biotin25 mcg
Choline (as choline dihydrogen citrate)25 mg
PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid)25 mg
Pantethine (coenzyme A precursor)(from Pantesin® 55% pantethine)25 mg
Inositol (from inositol hexanicotinate)12.5 mg
Gondwanaland
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I think it's different for everyone. If you have read Freddd's recommendations, he says to keep B1, B2 and B3 below 50mg, preferably around 30mg, and most folks here tend to agree with that.
No.
I have the same supplement at home and many people here like it. But it does not contain a free form of niacin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niacin#Inositol_hexanicotinate
This sounds excellent to me if you tolerate it. Are you feeling better or worse on it?
I feel better on it, but I haven't been taking it every day. Combined with SAM-E and TMG, even better.
TMG seems to help with high heartrate and constant thirst feeling that I get sometimes, almost like a hypertension feeling. I'm not sure what causes it, but it seems methylation related. Could this be high homocysteine?
Gondwanaland
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Take the way that makes you feel best.
Check your urine pH, it sounds like high acidity to me. Could also be hyperthyroid (a little more B1 would help). Could be electrolyte imbalance (magnesium and potassium would help).
I used a PH strip on my urine, it was neutral. Everything came back normal on the thyroid test. I feel much better after taking b vitamins, I'm guessing it has to do with folate deficiency (I have the double mutation for converting folate).
Gondwanaland
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@jwat87 If you want to follow Freddd's protocol, check the files in @caledonia, @ahmo signatures and @sheclimber 's blog. @Sherpa started several useful trouble shooting topics.
I think it's pretty good ratios and comprehensive formula. There is some debate as to whether coenzyme forms of B vitamins, as found in this formula, are "better" than standard ones... But I find they work OK. However I think methylfolate can be quite strong for some sensitive people so I like to take it separately... So that it can be skipped on some days, dose adjusted, etc.
whodathunkit
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I think it depends on what your diet is as to whether or not you will become unbalanced. I can't seem to take any form of supplemental niacin at all (even in a B complex) without having problems, thus always take my B's individually (separate pill for B2, separate pill for B6, etc.). Never any niacin, and I do fine. But then I drink milk and eat some whole wheat and other grains which probably helps me get enough niacin, and I know a lot of people here can't have milk or grains.
FWIW, I needed some supplemental B's (but again, not niacin) when I first started doing methylation, even with my milk and grain consumption. But now things are relatively stable for me so don't really need to take them any more. Most days I don't take B's except mB12 injections.
My take: if you're worried about niacin shutting down methylation, experiment a little bit. You should be able to know if it affects you adversely or not. If it does, and you eat a B-vitamin rich diet, you should be fine skipping it.
FWIW, I needed some supplemental B's (but again, not niacin) when I first started doing methylation, even with my milk and grain consumption. But now things are relatively stable for me so don't really need to take them any more. Most days I don't take B's except mB12 injections.
My take: if you're worried about niacin shutting down methylation, experiment a little bit. You should be able to know if it affects you adversely or not. If it does, and you eat a B-vitamin rich diet, you should be fine skipping it.
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I just made the mistake of taking this one on an empty stomach - hello niacin flush! Lucky I knew what was happening otherwise I would have been terrified. My new plan is to take my last MeB12 and Folate dose with dinner and have the B-minus before bed with a little snack.
Why does that one have so much niacin in it? 180mg seems like way too much.
Does taking everything with niacin make you tired? I've actually been feely drowsy, I'm not sure if it's too much mb12 or the niacin.
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I don't know it seems strange to me too, but I thought I'd try it since the Pure Encapsulations B-complex seemed to be boosting my need for folate. The B-Minus at night with food still causes a little flushing, so I'm assuming that's going to shut down methylation, which is clearly the opposite of what I'm going for. I am, however, trying to minimize the number of supplements I have to buy, but I may have to break down and do the Bs separately. NatureMade is my next experiment.