Vitamin B12 making me feel Drowsy
 

Hello there,
i'm new here btw! :)

I'm 20 and currently studying,
Iv'e been taking vitamin b12 for about a year and a half and for about half a year it's been making me really drowsy through out the day, and i often get head pressure and the front of my head, it's also difficult to concentrate and think straight. when i don't take them for a few days i feel down

Iv'e had blood tests and they came back fine, but i do not know the number's.

i'm currently taking methylcobalamin 1000mcg a day, and 2000mcg during workout days.
i did take the cynide form but i had other reactions to them so i came off them.


Does anyone else have similar symptoms??
any answer's and recommendations are appreciated

Thanks

Methylcobalamin is a cofactor in the synthesis of serotonin to melatonin. Melatonin is the sleep hormone.

You could try taking your B12 every other day, during drowsy times.

Do you take your B12 on an empty stomach? This is the ideal way.

Some people get drowsy when they consume sugar and alot of carbohydrates at meals or snacks. If you eat mostly protein for breakfast and lunch, you should be more alert. Carbs stimulate serotonin, which can make people sleepy. Have more carbs at your last meal of the day...to promote sleep. If you study at night, limit carbs at dinner, and no sugar!

Eating large meals will release high insulin levels, and this induces sleepiness too. Smaller meals with snacks spread out during the day may prevent sleepiness. Snacks that are good are cheese, nuts, nutrition bars like Zone Perfect which are balanced, peanut butter, eggs, etc.

Thanks for the reply!
i am a vegan, for past 2 and half years,
my diet is fairly good i do not have refined sugars or too much carbs,
i eat alot of nuts, bananas, soya and whole foods,
i don't think it's to do with my diet, it's more drowsy the type when you've had medication or something, quite strange. it last's for a few hours and then i gradually feel my self again

i'll try every other day as you suggested, what do you think about taking supplements at night?

currently i take my b12 as soon as a i get up before eating shredded wheat and sliced banana :p

i'm going to see if i can get my b12 number's now.

Thanks again

Just Found out that my vitamin b12 levels are at 452,
iv'e heard the normal is between 200-900,

That is the old normal range. The new range which is about 10 yrs old now, starts at 400.

You have to wait at least an hour before eating that fiberous shredded wheat. Fiber in the GI tract prevents the few micrograms of B12 from being passively absorbed.

A reading in the 400's while you are taking B12 is not a good reading. Something is wrong.
Vegans should probably take higher doses. You don't eat animal sourced foods, so you have no dietary intake at all!

Bananas are very high in serotonin. They are not allowed when people have testing for this neurotransmitter.
Try to eat a different fruit and only have bananas now and then.

Try and get more protein for breakfast. Beans and lentils are a good source and also provide magnesium.

Vegans can become low in the amino acid methionine, which is used to make SAM in the body...the mood helper. Also vegans can become low in zinc. There are supplements for both.
OptiZinc once a day or every other day is good. Will help acne if you have that BTW. Methionine is also available in capsules.

Thanks for your reply and your information.
i think might be a good idea to change my breakfast then and diet change lol
i have been taking meythcobalimin for a few months which i dissolve under my tounge, before i took the cynide type which i swallowed and that was a 500mcg
one thing that might be nocking down the b12 number's i am very sensitive to dairy products (even traces) and get a nasty reaction.

Thanks again