B-12 for fatigue? How much and how much is too much?

PKPopcorn

Whenever my fatigue is bad, I take sub-lingual (under the tongue) B-Complex. B vitamins are water soluable, so whatever your body needs it absorbs and you body filters out the rest. I find that it helps. You can but it in liquid or capsul form over the counter.

Sarah

goldenwings

Hiya tk,

Wow, this is spooky. I too have been looking at this. Here in the UK there is a big hue and cry at the moment regarding vitamins and so on. They are not things I normally take, but I thought you might find this of interest.

The best information I have come up with is the following:-

I know this refers to injections, but the content describes all you need to know about how it works and why it may be needed.

Vitamin B-12: Injections
Vitamin B12 (also referred to as cobalamin) helps maintain healthy nerve cells and red blood cells, and is also needed to help make DNA, the genetic material in all cells. Vitamin B12 is bound to the protein in food. Hydrochloric acid in the stomach releases B12 from proteins in foods during digestion. In the diet, vitamin B12 is naturally found in animal foods including fish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk, and milk products. Although most individuals consume recommended amounts of vitamin B12, a deficiency may still occur as a result of an inability to absorb B12 from food and in strict vegetarians who do not consume any animal foods. In particular, individuals with stomach and small intestinal disorders (such as Crohn’s Disease) may be unable to absorb enough vitamin B12 from food to maintain healthy body stores.

Gastric acid helps release vitamin B12 from the protein in food so that it can be absorbed in the intestines. Interestingly, it has been estimated that as many as 30% of adults 50 years and older may have atrophic gastritis. Atrophic gastritis is an inflammation of the stomach which decreases gastric secretion. Less gastric acid decreases the amount of B12 separated from proteins in foods and can result in poor absorption of vitamin B12 from foods (though not from vitamin supplements and fortified foods). For this reason vitamin supplements and fortified foods may be the best sources of vitamin B12 for adults over the age of 50.

Researchers have long been interested in the connection between vitamin B12 and the amino acid homocysteine. Too much homocysteine in the blood plasma is related to a higher risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, peripheral vascular disease and cognitive impairment. Plasma homocysteine levels are controlled by genetic and nutritional factors, notably folate, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 intakes. Studies have found that folic acid and vitamin B12 supplementation lowers homocysteine concentrations .

Studies also show that B12 may have positive impacts on sleep because it causes an earlier release of of the hormone melatonin at night which resets the sleep-wake cycle. B12 acts directly on the pineal gland to provoke a faster release of melatonin.

There are a number of different forms of vitamin B12 supplements: Cyanocobalamin; Methylcobalamin; Hydroxocobalamin; and Adenosylcobalamin. Of the different forms of vitamin B12, Methylcobalamin and Adenosylcobalamin are the naturally active forms while the Cyanocobalamin and Hydroxocobalamin forms require metabolic conversion in the body. Cyanocobalamin is the principal form of vitamin B12 used in supplements but methylcobalamin is also available. Cyanocobalalmin is available by prescription in an injectable form and as a nasal gel for the treatment of pernicious anemia. Over the counter preparations containing cyanocobalamin include multivitamin, vitamin B-complex, and vitamin B12 supplements Several studies have found that the Methylcobalamin form facilitates methylation, the process that creates and maintains nerves and brain chemicals. Research shows that a lack of Methylcobalamin causes degeneration of the brain and spinal cord - a condition known as subacute combined degeneration. In this disease, nerves lose their insulation and begin to deteriorate. This process, known as demyelination, occurs in other neurological diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy.

Similarly, there are several different forms of delivery: oral tablets; sublingual tablets; liquid drops; nasal sprays and gels; and injections. Many B-12 supplements also include folic acid. For decades it has been believed that vitamin B12 injections were superior to oral supplementation, because it was thought oral supplements were not adequately absorbed. However, new research indicates that daily oral cobalamin maintains satisfactory serum B12 levels, and is a much less expensive, more user-friendly approach to supplementation than injections.

Weighted ? 6.7
Effectiveness 6.1
Lack of Side Effects 8.5
Ease of Use 5.4
Effective After Long Term Use 5.8
Cost Effectiveness 6.2

PHYSICIAN/HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL MEMBER RATINGS

I understand though that the dosage taken needs to be calculated against your weight, life style, reason the supplement is needed and so on.


Take care my friend. Let me know how you go on. (Love your type face - I can never change mine - what am I like hey)?

goldenwings

__________________
I am not a medical doctor, I only speak from my own experience of the illnesses I discuss here.

tkgoodspirit

Hey "wings"!

Thanks, lots of info there! I will be looking into it for sure! I think most definately I will try a separate regimine of B-12 and see what happens. Your info is a big help.

As for the type face: I had to make it bigger so I could read it! LOL It's getting harder for me to read the itty bitty standard type face. All you have to do is highlight all the text in your post and go up top where it has the "font" drop down menu and choose a different font, I think that one is Trebuchet MS, and it will add the font symbols to change your font. As for the size, just do the same, highlight everything, even the font symbols, and go to the "size" drop down menu to choose your size. I think that post is set at 3. You can use the "Preview Post" feature to check see if you did it right and see how it looks before you submit your reply. I have tried different colors, but most are too light for here. I used a bright red in a post once just to draw more attention to it. Hey, play around! But just use that "Preview Post" feature so you don't come up with something drastic! LOL


Thanks again, hun.
tk

dpaz

I for one have to take a B12 injection monthly due B12 anemia (a seemingly more common name now than pernicious anemia). I take 1000 mcg monthly now. All doctos don't even agree on what the correct blood levels should be, some say at least 500, some say over 1000. When I first got tested, mine was at 142. It's hard to sort out what symptoms are from fibro and what symptoms are from having such low B12 serum concentrate. I've been doing the shots for over a year and am still below 500. I've also started doing sublingual. Your doctor can test your blood levels easily and if you do your own injections, the B12 is very inexpensive but is prescription only and the syringes are also inexpensive.

goldenwings

My dar tk,

Isn't copy and paste a wonderful thing he he? Still no luck with the type face size. My husband works on a newspaper, I must grab him next time he is home and get him to do it for me.

goldenwings

__________________
I am not a medical doctor, I only speak from my own experience of the illnesses I discuss here.