Is there a good B complex supplement that helps, esp. with neurotransmitters ?

[Bansaw]

I think I need some neurotransmitter help.
I'm taking Metformin (diabetes type 2 med) and it depletes B12 and my blood test for B12 was extremely low.

I've got bad insomnia, but I feel not just serotonin and melatonin lack, but aceytlcholine too.
Taking Aceytl-l-carnitine really helps, for a few weeks until I get habituated to it.

I'm looking for suggestions on a good B complex that might help me with neurotransmitters in general, and sleep in particular. (B12 helps with melatonin for example - I'm taking a Adeno.Hydroxy combo)

 

[heapsreal]

I think I need some neurotransmitter help.
I'm taking Metformin (diabetes type 2 med) and it depletes B12 and my blood test for B12 was extremely low.

I've got bad insomnia, but I feel not just serotonin and melatonin lack, but aceytlcholine too.
Taking Aceytl-l-carnitine really helps, for a few weeks until I get habituated to it.

I'm looking for suggestions on a good B complex that might help me with neurotransmitters in general, and sleep in particular. (B12 helps with melatonin for example - I'm taking a Adeno.Hydroxy combo)

I use Jarrod's brand B Right which has all the B vitamins methylated for better absorption etc. Price is good.

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

@Bansaw

Once I was able to add B-vits back into my life (for a long time, as with many of us, they were anathema), the product that I found best, at least for me (I started in at very low doses, increasing it slowly) is Country Life's Co-Enzyme B-Complex, 120 capsules $26.24 ... for some reason, I remain extremely sensitive to gelatin capsules (go figure), so the cellulose capsule was helpful in my case. I seem to do well on these ....

Here's the content listing ....

 

[linusbert]

Here's the content listing ....

just checked, the composition looks interesting. even cocarboxylase for B1.

they seamed to have cut out some unuseful things like rice bran and sunflower oil and whatever vetetable glaze is. even better



i swallow caps in general without the caps. opening it up , either putting it into my mouth directly or sprinkling it over the food. one less material to worry about.

I'm looking for suggestions on a good B complex that might help me with neurotransmitters in general, and sleep in particular.

idk if there is such a thing. many report sleep problems from active methylated forms.
in general B1, B6, B12 are strongly related to neurotransmitters. but they are in every b complex , so i guess it doesnt matter what brand you get from that perspective. some suggest to use active b6 as p5p.

i would get one methylated and one non methylated (no methylcobalamin, no methyl folat) and try what works for you.

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

i swallow caps in general without the caps. opening it up

Ditto !!!

I pour half a cap in my morning 'tea', which is something that just grew and includes potassium, desiccated liver (yuck), bamboo extract for bones and skin and teeth and a whooooole list of other things, including the 1/2 cap of B .... the other half goes into another 'tea' later, about the same composition, and sometimes I swallow a cap with some food....

It does seem to be the only B-comp that agrees with me ... I had a bad experience with straight-up p5p, so I just stick to the B6 in in this compound, and hope for the best ....

Great minds graze alike !!!!

 

[linusbert]

Great minds graze alike !!!!

in germany we say "Not macht erfinderisch" which roughly translates to "Necessity breeds invention".

. I had a bad experience with straight-up p5p, so I just stick to the B6 in in this compound

it does contain p5p though, and regular b6 and also pyridoxine alpha ketoglurate (never heard of that one before).
maybe its the mixture off all those things that make it better for you.

i put that one into my iherb basket for next order. usually i dont like american products because of the many fillers and unnecessary ingredients. we have in germany a alot of manufacturers which do minimalistic supplements. one of those i often use is sunday natural. though they also put sometimes plant extracts which i do tolerate even less. so there is no one hen which lays eggs (supplements) for every purpose.

 

[ChrisD]

@Bansaw

Once I was able to add B-vits back into my life (for a long time, as with many of us, they were anathema), the product that I found best, at least for me (I started in at very low doses, increasing it slowly) is Country Life's Co-Enzyme B-Complex, 120 capsules $26.24 ... for some reason, I remain extremely sensitive to gelatin capsules (go figure), so the cellulose capsule was helpful in my case. I seem to do well on these ....

Here's the content listing ....

View attachment 50872​

I can second this, the only B complex out of many I've tried that makes a bit of difference

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

n germany we say "Not macht erfinderisch" which roughly translates to "Necessity breeds invention".

Well, we're nothing if not an inventive bunch, with necessity pushing us firmly from behind, no nah?

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

I can second this, the only B complex out of many I've tried that makes a bit of difference

Ohhhhh, I'm so glad !!!! And thank you for chiming in. I trialed a lot of stuff, this was the only one that, as you say, made a bit of difference, and actually helped a bit. Depending on the day ... you know how it goes ...

 

[Busson]

I think I need some neurotransmitter help.
I'm taking Metformin (diabetes type 2 med) and it depletes B12 and my blood test for B12 was extremely low.

I've got bad insomnia, but I feel not just serotonin and melatonin lack, but aceytlcholine too. Taking Aceytl-l-carnitine really helps, for a few weeks until I get habituated to it.

I'm looking for suggestions on a good B complex that might help me with neurotransmitters in general, and sleep in particular. (B12 helps with melatonin for example - I'm taking a Adeno.Hydroxy combo)

@Bansaw If Metformin is giving you trouble (as it did to me) then there are other classes of diabetes medication which may be suitable, such as the gliptins. A doctor will be able to help choose.

I personally find a B-complex gives me a boost but that doesn't seem connected to my old Metformin nor to B12 deficiency, which I have some genetic problems with.

I found it tricky to find a B-Complex which has the balance I want, so I take the B vitamins seperately even though it's a bit of a chore. I use Greg's oils for B12 from www.b12oils.com and I take folinic acid rather than methyl folate. Biotin (vitamin B-7) is really important for adenoB12 deficiency.

 

[linusbert]

I'm taking Metformin (diabetes type 2 med) and it depletes B12 and my blood test for B12 was extremely low.

the metformin somehow flew under my radar.
as diabetic i can say that i also did not tolerate it a bit. made me much worse within days.
i use pioglitazon (which is somewhat anabolic). metformin is catabolic.
and jardiance (makes you pee out glucose - catabolic).
that is my personal opinion: its good to combine drugs so if you have one anabolic you should take also one catabolic. to counteract the sideeffects of too much chronic anabolism.

Ohhhhh, I'm so glad !!!! And thank you for chiming in. I trialed a lot of stuff, this was the only one that, as you say, made a bit of difference, and actually helped a bit. Depending on the day ... you know how it goes ...

aaaall right aaall right , i just did order it as well.
and if i am not recovered by end of this month i sue you guys for import tax!
btw, i ordered the "new" formula without the sunflower oil and vegetable glaze (why this needs to be in any supplement...).

 

[cheeseater]

The amino acid L-Methionine rarely gets mention. The only supplement of any sort that a can say I truly "feel" when I take it. Usual suggestion for amino acid supplementation is to take on an empty stomach, to increase absorption. I feel the methionine in my head. My brain seems to like it.

 

[Belbyr]

I had to stop taking B vitamins even though I felt like they helped a little. Turns out you can get too much in your system and it can cause issues, permanent issues if you're not careful.

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

and if i am not recovered by end of this month i sue you guys for import tax!

I welcome the distraction. As do my cadre of highly gifted, conscienceless attorneys and hit men ....

btw, i ordered the "new" formula without the sunflower oil a

I can tolerate sunflower oil, but soy oil screws with my system bigly .....

Hey, lemme now how you do on the B-vits, yes? They really helped me, in small but important ways ...

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

Turns out you can get too much in your system and it can cause issues, permanent issues if you're not careful.

You'd have to take an awful high dose for a pretty long time. They're water soluble, and generally, unless you have a genetic glitch, your body can sweep 'em up and out pretty effecively.

But I did have some pretty violent reactions to B-vits until I stabilized my GABA/glutamate stuff, which took around 2 years .... and those reactions were on minute doses ....

 

[linusbert]

But I did have some pretty violent reactions to B-vits until I stabilized my GABA/glutamate stuff, which took around 2 years .... and those reactions were on minute doses ....

can you elaborate more on that GABA/glutamate stuff how you fixed it, and what your symptoms were in that regard?

You'd have to take an awful high dose for a pretty long time. They're water soluble, and generally, unless you have a genetic glitch, your body can sweep 'em up and out pretty effecively.

very true. also afaik if vitamins mess you up you notice this pretty fast. you really have to ignore and push through it hard... thats why i am no fan of any "herxheimer" and "startup" explanations. for some it might work, but i think its general safer to stop, restart on lower dosages until a healthy equilibrium in body physiology has been reached.
B6 and retinol can mix you up over prolonged times, giving bad neurological symptoms or even death. but those at polar bear liver like levels. B3 at some point can become toxic too. also too much folate (in unphysiological levels) is related to cancer.
i dont think at RDA levels that too much can happen. there is possibility of mineral deficiencies and imbalances and electrolyte imbalances.
i also recommend to take "breaks" or doing vitamins every other day like monday + thursday + sunday or monday + friday. i do sunday (D K) + thursday (B + friends) + (sometimes tuesday same as thursday)
that gives body time to restore balances.

As do my cadre of highly gifted, conscienceless attorneys and hit men ....

and hit men? i'd like that!

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

and hit men? i'd like that!

.....

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

can you elaborate more on that GABA/glutamate stuff how you fixed it, and what your symptoms were in that regard?

Wow. This is a lot, and right now my poor brain is struggling against fog, cog, and total bog ....

Will be back. I know I've posted all this info in other threads, and I'll try to find it, rather than reconstruct all the details with a currently flailing thinking apparatus ....

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

i also recommend to take "breaks"

I agree. I think that 'pulsing' stuff can be helpful by allowing the body to focus on other things, and to establish homeostasis ...

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

OK, I did a quick search, and this my post from last year, with a short version of the GABA/glutamate issue and how I dealt with it ...

"In terms of dealing with the effects of stress, like severe anxiety and panic, for me the magical fix was patient application of mag glycinate, along with a small amount (0.25 mg) of melatonin, and about 250 mgs of Vit C .... all work at blocking the NMDA receptors, and reducing the dominance of glutamate/glutamic acid.

It wasn't a quick fix, but by taking it steadily, in small amounts (50 mgs of mag) at very tight intervals (sometimes 1 hour apart), I defused the panic/anxiety attacks, and have continued to use mag glycinate, Vit C and occasional melatonin, to keep stress responses at bay ever since, while also boosting my calcium ..... mag and calcium compete for absorption, so it's essential to maintain a decent balance of calcium. The tricky part is that calcium can also trigger stress responses, because things like the NMDA receptors and AMPA receptors are calcium ion-gated .... so continuing with the mag gly at spaced intervals with whatever form of calcium you chose, is essential ....."