excess B to treat peripheral neuropathy?
 

Does one of the B vitamins cause burning to peripheral nerves that are damaged? A naturopath gave me quite a large quantity of B complex to treat nerve damage and after a few days it felt like it was doing more harm than good. Any ideas?

In just a few days, I do not think that the B Complex could be doing much at all for your nerve endings. Yet, when they are healing, they sometimes feel much the same as they do when they aren't. They burn and tingle when healing too. Weird huh.

Whether or not the B complex would provide enough B12 to make a difference for you would depend on how severe your malabsorption is.

If it is severe, the B complex would not provide a bit of B12 (unless it is a very unusual B complex with many many times more than is in most).

However, if you malabsorb from food but can still absorb vitamins normally, there would be enough B12 to get through for you, and some people do show a response to treatment within a few days.

Yes, worsened symptoms can result from repairs.

If I were you, I would also take at least 1000 mcg B12 each day (not timed or extended release), just in case you are headed toward severe malabsorption. That happens to many, so the lower dose is not suggested by medical people who know anything about B12 malabsorption.

Best wishes,

rose

From what I've read it seems that too much B-6 would cause the problems your describing. But I don't remember how much is too much. B-12 isn't known to cause those things except during healing/nerve regeneration.

I'm currently taking 2500 mcg's of B-12 a day I believe it is. Supplied by a sublingual type of B complex, a B-complex tab and a B-12 tab plus a 400 mcg tab of Folic Acid. I've been taking this for about 30 days and within the first week had enough of a reduction in my PN pain that I could actually get to sleep with no problems. At this point I have many periods of no PN symptoms at all and only a tiny bit of hot/cold burning type sensation at night.

B6
 

It is rare for B6 to cause peripheral neuropathy symptoms, and when it happens it is usually after way more than 200 mg per day for a long period of time. Still rare. And stopping usually allows it to quickly reverse.

But to be conservative, one should keep B6 no higher than 100 mg per day, and even better would be to use 50 mg P-5-P type (as MrsD :) trained us years ago).

rose

Too much b6 will cause nerve damage. I have taken too much b6 and felt the effects. I get pain in the nerve in my check or near one of my teeth. (I have a b6 dependency so I must take high doses of b6 of around 2,000 mg a day.) But taking too much of the p-5-p form of b6 may cause this problem too.

I also get tingling sensations in my feet which I think is from low riboflavin levels. Riboflavin is needed to convert pyrodixine into the p-5-p form of b6. I have also taken too much riboflavin and have gotten the same problem as taking too much b6, pain in my check or near one of my teeth. That is the experience I have had with too much b6 (or riboflavin) which is referred to as nerve ending damage. It goes away after you stop taking those nutrients. I have never thought it caused any permenent damage.

My b complex I think has 250 b12. Can someone tell me why they suggest b complex but not just to take b12? It seems if that helps they should.

As B complex's go, that is a better dose than usual. However, if a person malabsorbs severely, it is barely enough to keep some of them afloat (assuming they aren't deficient and use and store efficiently). Not a safe bet.

Ironically, it's not nearly enough for many to make use of, and for all the rest it is way more than they need.

If you read my website (not a lot to read) you will see the answers to your questions, including why most medical people don't have good information.

Aside from the B12 issue, it is a good idea to take a B complex too because the B vitamins work closely together, and if you are low in any, others may not work as well as they should.

rose

I bought a 1000mcg b12 and I was wrong my b complex has only 15mcg. I also take a vitamin one a day women tht has 6mcg. Now I think like I said I have high b12 unless I was mistaken but like I said was told to take a break from the b complex for a week but my symptoms are getting worse since stopped unless a fluke.I have the other leg and now my arm is numb a little tender but not the pain as in leg. So if not an issue with too high b12. Do I take the 1000mcg of b12 plus the others or just that? What would you do?

If I were you, I would take a B complex (I would look for one that has better doses than that one appears to have), a multi-vitamin, and I would take 5000 mcg methylcobalamin per day.

But I would take the methylcobalamin alone, not with any other supplements. And to get the most out of it, I would take it without food.

Make sure you are getting iron-rich and potassium-rich foods.

And I would do a lot of reading on this forum, for nutrients especially good in supporting nerves.

rose