Low B-12 Levels
 

Hello Everyone,

I have recently discovered myself being a victim of low B12 levels. My current B-12 level is 116. It feels as if I am living in dreams for past few years. Nothing feels to be real.

After discussing my B12 reports with our doctor; he suggested me to take bi-weekly injections for 4½ weeks. But my family and relatives tell me that a quick recovery to an old problem is never a solution (and somehow I agreed). So, at the moment; I am taking 500mcg pills for Vitamin B12 daily (from past 4 days).

Do you think this medication can bring me out of this situation?

Your response will be highly appreciated.

Rohit. :)

One more thing I forgot to add, I am taking these pills after breakfast (as suggested by my doctor); should I take them on an empty stomach?

You need to take B12 on an empty stomach. It won't be absorbed with or after food.

Without knowing WHY you are so low, one has to wonder if you have
1) inherited pernicious anemia or autoimmune damage to the parietal cells of the stomach?

2) or, taking acid blocking drugs every day, or metformin?

3) or having the MTHFR mutation which is becoming fairly common (up to 40% predicted to have this).

4) malabsorption due to inflamed intestines (Crohn's disease) or
gluten intolerance.

With #3, you would need activated B12, called methylcobalamin.
And activated folate, called methylfolin. (Metafolin)
People with the mutation cannot activate cyanocobalamin in the tissues, so it is useless.

So cut to the chase and use the inexpensive Methylcobalamin.
I'd do 5mg on an empty stomach 1 hr before breakfast daily.

This should raise you up within 3 months to about 1000pg/ml

500mcg a day is very low and one study that measured absorption found only about 9 mcg were absorbed.
This is the table published in the study:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...able/T1/#TF1-4

Taking orally most approximates how B12 is absorbed and utilized from food.

You can do the injections if you choose, but they are invasive and expensive and use the old cyano form, mostly.

You can buy methylcobalamin now at Costco and Walgreen's.
And online at various places. iherb.com or Swanson's, etc.
iherb also has the MetaFolin. iherb is a discount high quality supplier that carries all sorts of brand name products at substantial discount. For many years it was one of the few online sources for methylcobalamin. Now the B12 topic is more disseminated and so other places now carry it too.

Thank you mrsD for your detailed reply. However, how can I find out which of the above causes are responsible for my low B12 levels? :(

Also, I am complete vegetarian (from India) and my brother and both sisters have found to have low B-12 levels in their test. Can it be hereditary?

The vegan lifestyle will contribute quite a bit.

Now that the methyl forms (activated) of both folic acid and B12 are available and inexpensive, there is no reason to use cyano at all.

There is quite a bit of research coming out of India on this subject...in fact before the research here in US... because of the vegan lifestyle.

One can only get B12 from animal sourced foods. Veggies do not supply it.

If you search Google you will find articles like this...using keywords --B12 deficiency India---

http://articles.timesofindia.indiati...cts-deficiency

Hello,

I just learned that my B12 levels are low at 394, so I will get shots temporarily to get my levels up higher to see if I feel better. My vitamin D levels were only 41 so I will keep taking my supplement for that.

My mom had B12 deficiency and had to take shots later in life. I also have off levels for my thyroid but I don't know how to read the test results for that. I think if my B12 was as low as yours I would definitely take the shots for awhile to increase your levels faster. Good luck!

Intentionally Lowering my B12
 

Was wondering if anyone has an educated knowledgable opinion on my predicament. I was diagnosed with MS about 3 years ago after an MRI showed lesions on brain and spine. My symptoms occurred around 2005. It seems like I had about a year during that time where everything seemed to start happening. Loos of left leg control, bladder problems, etc.. Looking back, I also started drinking obscene quantities of energy drinks and 5/hour energy around 2006. I haven't had any progression in symptoms since then. My thought is that maybe I never had MS but had a vitamin b-12 deficiency. The energy drinks have the equivalent of about 1000% of my daily value and I've literally been drinking them daily for the past 8 years. I'm wondering if I was deficient prior to 2006 but it would have never turned up on blood work when I was tested during my diagnosis for MS because the energy drinks, etc., returned my b-12 levels to normal. I don't have any tests on my b-12 levels prior to 2011. I'm actually thinking about stopping my b-12 intake to see if levels get lower and to see if I actually end up deficient. How long would it take for my levels to drop once I stop b-12 intake? Thought? Thanks!