Hi Everyone,

I understand that Vitamin B12 helps increase red blood cells and can help with MG. I'm wondering if people take B12, how much do you take per day? My dad is struggling with low red blood cells, and I know B12 and Iron help.

Thanks!

Dana, I'm sorry your Dad is having a hard time.

The best thing to do is to get him to a hematologist. A low red blood cell count is not a disease but a sign that something else is going on. It can mean any number of things, including colon cancer. A hematologist can run some basic tests like a peripheral blood smear to actually LOOK at the red blood cells and see what's going on with them. There are many types of anemia too, not only iron deficiency anemia. Sure, an internist can run some of these tests but if this is a chronic situation, it's best to go directly to the specialist. That way, you aren't paying for two doctors and two sets of tests!

He should have his vitamin B12 and folic acid levels checked. You need both of those nutrients. Without one, you can get a deficiency of the other and vice versa. Also, they could check for blood in his stool to see if he's losing blood that way (Hemoccult test).

B12 may or may not help. Again, you have to figure out WHY there is a low number of RBC's.

How old is your Dad? People who are older can have a low level of stomach acid. Stomach acid is needed to break down food sufficiently so you can absorb B12 and other nutrients in the small intestine. Another thought is that celiac disease is common in Northern Europeans, which causes all sorts of deficiencies!

I'm sorry but there's not really an easy answer to your question.

B12 does not "help" with MG. What B12 is important for is the health of every single cell in the body. Before B12 supplements were available, people did die of a B12 deficiency. It wasn't until Thomas Addison (yes, he discovered Addison's disease and Pernicious Anemia) figured it out and that high doses of liver could help patients, that patients with a B12 deficiency had half a chance.

I had a severe B12 deficiency in 1997-99. The cyanocobalamin shots didn't do squat for me - my levels did not go up very far. My body was sort of like nature after a drought and the doctors were basically "sprinkling" B12 on me instead of dousing me with it. So what I have taken since 2000 is two 5 gram (5000 mcg) methylcobalamin sublingual tablets twice a day. But that's what I need. Everyone is different. You can't get too much B12. It's not like B6 that can make a neurological condition worse if you get too much. I get mine at www.iherb.com because they have great prices, good brands and free shipping on orders above a certain amount. They are prompt and very professional. I use the Jarrow Formulas brand but Source Naturals is good too.

I could go on and on about this topic. IF your Dad does have a deficiency and WHEN you figure out what is going on with him, come on back. There are a lot of people here who have experiences to share on this topic. But you have to get his doctors to figure out exactly what is going on before you try to "fix" it, okay?

For example, what if my doctor had given me Provigil for being tired and Neurontin for my peripheral neuropathy during my B12 deficiency? I'd be fairly more awake and have less pain but, eventually, I'd be dead! And a B12 deficiency is not a disease in and of itself either, unless it's pernicious anemia. My deficiency was caused by no stomach acid.

I hope you can figure out what's going on with your Dad. A lack of red blood cells, BTW, can reduce the amount of oxygen available for the body. Have they checked his oximetry while he is moving around? A low O2 is very hard on the heart and brain, not to mention that it makes breathing very difficult! Please make sure they are thorough in his care.

Annie

Also, taking iron with vitamin C helps absorb it. Don't take calcium at the same time you take iron because it won't absorb as well. For some people, liquid iron works the best. Too much iron isn't good for you either. Another reason a hematologist is good to talk to.

There are two tests for low B12... Serum B12 measurement and MMA. The elderly should have the MMA in addition to clarify things.

Often the lab range for B12 test is offered with very low numbers as "normal". So you should get the numbers from the test and they should be 400 or over in US. The MMA test is now used in many nursing homes to make sure B12 is being utilized properly in the elderly.

Secondly, low red cells in the elderly can be due to low kidney functions.

And a final reason= bleeding from somewhere. My friend's mom had a tumor in her colon leaking blood, and her anemia became drastic. She had to have transfusions before they could operate and remove the tumor. She did very well finally, but the severe anemia was a red flag no one really paid attention to.

I had the MMA, forgot about that (was normal). My homocysteine was high during my B12 deficiency. And you'd think I'd remember to put the kidney down as a cause, since my Dad had kidney failure.

I get B12 shots every 3 weeks. I was told yesterday there is a national shortage of B12 for shots. My nurse said 4 out of 6 manufacturers quit making it. My Doctor's office has a very small amount left with some on backorder. Anyone else hear this?

I haven't heard about the shot shortage. I do know, however, that taking sublingual B12 is just as good if not better than the shots. I take the Jarrow Formula from iherb (5000 mcg/5 mg) that is sublingual methylcobalamin. It's far cheaper than getting it in stores.

You shouldn't have to get a shot. When I had the shots back in 1999, my B12 did not go up very high and I still had paresthesias. It was only when I started taking the sublingual kind that my numbers went up and I got better.