Someone who emailed me recently was having cramps from vitamin C, in much, much smaller amounts than those I have been taking.

So I set out to read up on what might cause that... and found this completely lovely news article about a doctor in England... and his use of vitamin B12 with his patients...

see what you think:

http://www.health-boundaries-bite.co...MPRESSIVE.html

And one worth testing for beyond the standard B12 serum testing--as Rose and Mrs. D have been pointing out for years, the serum measurement is just the grossest of tests, only revealing the amount of B12 currently in the bloodstream--not in the tissues where it is most needed. The homocysteine and MMA tests are better indicators of B12 deficiency--not perfect indicators, but better.

Two things should be mentioned, however--injections are not the only way to go, as there is substantial evidence that sublingual mass B12 dosing can help rebuild stores just as well, and is far cheaper. (The reason for the mass dosing, in amounts 1000mcg or higher, is to allow for the 1-2% passive absorption capable even in those with no intrinsic factor to break the vitamin out of foodstuffs.) Secondly, many of the injections out there are composed of the cyanocobalamin form of B12 (as are many commercial supplements), and while most can rebuild stores on that, some who have inherent errors pertaining to methylation biochemistry would do better on one of the other forms, such as methylcobalamin, which doesn't have to jump through as many metabolic hoops to be utilized.

cramping and GI distress in doses as low as 1 gram a day, for some people.

Once you get into megadosing with it -- it becomes a DRUG.

It also changes the pH of the urine, and may affect excretion of other
drugs.. may prolong some in the body and decrease others.
It acidifies the urine, and can cause burning urinary symptoms in very high doses as well.

The cyanacobalamin shots are extremely cheap when given by oneself with a doctor's prescription. I think my B12 is running about $6 or $7 for 30 shots from Wal*Mart. Needles are another 26 cents each.

I understand that there may be side effects from the cyano part of it, and that had me particularly worried when I had a brown spot in my field of vision which was quite large, it looked like an eigth or an inch or a quarter of an inch.

But I noticed yesterday that it was gone.

So it could be that the Milk Thistle I've begun taking has "cleansed" it out of my system.

The only problem I have with the sublinguals, from my experience, is that if you are very sick where it's hard to get up or be up for very long, then the sublinguals which are very sweet can be bad for your teeth. I think that in a small way, second to stress, they have contribued to tooth decay and dental related pain that I've been having.

I think that taking them at night is probably the worst thing I did.

But other than that, since Methylcobalamin is so readily available, I think it's a great opportunity for people.

Did you LOVE the story about the doctor in England? or what. I just loved it, and am still smiling from it.

I don't know... the megadosing thing seems more of a worry to people who aren't needing it. My doctor had me having a shot a day and that made a huge HUGE difference to my peripheral neuropathy. And the numbness in my thigh, too. It had been so painful.

I think the doctor I had been seeing who was very whole person oriented had given me a prescription for a shot a day, too. But she didn't explain and I have a bit of brain damage so I don't always work things out.

But that prescription lasted a long long time, many refills, so I think it was for a shot a day over some period of time, and I didn't realize what I was supposed to be doing.

I would love to be able to talk without so much difficulty again. So for me, I'm sticking with more than one shot a month, which is about the same as one of the 1,000mcg sublinguals a day.

From my experience I think that a 5mg methylcobalamin sublingual is minimal if someone has significant nerve problems. Or maybe it's nerve problems and stress that creates the need for so much more.

But thanks for your thoughts.

It has been over 30 years since proven that about 1% of large doses of B12 (even the worst form) will be absorbed by those with the most severe malabsorption. Since then it has been shown (to the satisfaction of some very good medical textbooks) that daily oral doses of 1000 - 2000 mcg is as good or better for most with severe malabsorption.

One who is taking methylcobalamin will do even better. And, of course, in that case many times more can be taken with total safety.

Dissolve, chew, or swallow.

rose

In the case of people with pernicious anemia if either the common B12 or Methylcobalamin is swallowed rather than dissolved under the tongue, none will get into the system for want of intrinsic factor.

This article is so... eye opening.

Please read it.

It's about a doctor who thinks, as I do from experience, that B12 is too little prescribed and that the low for B12 is too low.

I also have an article about a study on the low for B12:
http://www.health-boundaries-bite.co...B12-Level.html

it's worth reading.

Mrs. D, I wish you would read the article. I'm beginning to think you were only responding to my phrase about vitamin C... not the content of the article.

Well over 30 years ago it was proven that about 1% of a large dose of swallowed cyanocobalamin B12 will get through when intrinsic factor is not present.

In fact, even if the stomach is gone, about 1% of the 1000 mcg dose will get through whether swallowed, chewed or dissolved.

rose

Good for Dr. Chandy (even though some information in the article is incorrect). If he is treating people with B12, he is helping a lot of people. Those who are not helped will not be hurt by the treatment.

The article you refer to in post #8 is incorrect on some very important points. Pernicious anemia is NOT a blood condition (megaloblastic or macrocytic anemia some people with B12 deficiency develop). Pernicious anemia is the lack of intrinsic factor.

Not only that, but many develop severe damage without any sign of megaloblastic anemia (what the article incorrectly refers to as "pernicious anemia").

And many are damaged severely while blood B12 remains at or well above 200.

rose