[bob26]

Hi, I tried the search feature and I Googled this, no luck. I'm trying to find a sugar free methyl B12 , all of the sublinguals I found have either fructose or sobitol (sometime both) or other sugars ( Twin Labs even bragged sugar free and then listed sorbitol ). Does B-12 have to be taken sublingualy to get the desired effects? If not can anyone recommend a product ?

Thanks in advance .

BOB

[rose]

Methylcobalamin can be swallowed. The important thing is to get enough at one time---at least 1000 mcg to cover possibly severe malabsorption.

There was one without sorbitol or mannitol, but I don't remember what brand it was.

For most people that small amount wouldn't be a problem, but I realize there are rare individuals.

rose

[mrsD]

Can you share with us why you are asking this question?

[bob26]

A couple of weeks ago I was taking a "NOW" brand sublingual B12 and I was feeling lousy, real lousy, my diet was/is GFCF, very basic safe foods, the only culprit I could think of was the B12 and other supliments , while researching I stumbled on fructose malabsorption and info on sorbitol. The first 2 ingredients in my B12 were fructose and sorbitol , which in combination are even worse. Within 48 hrs of my last tablet I was fine. Not exactly the scientific method but I'm sticking with it . So just to be safe I thought I would find a sugar free, swallow it whole type of B12.

Thanks
Bob

[rose]

It may be that you do need a sugar-free B12, but I would guess it might have been another additive in one of the supplements or that your body was reacting because you were getting what you needed.

Wish I knew.

rose

[bob26]

Thanks Rose and Mrsd for the input, just to on the safe side I'm gonna find a sugar free B12 but keep in mind it maybe the " you'll get worse before you get better thing" that happens so often.

[rose]

Here's hoping!

rose

[rose]

That was shown decades ago to be false. And, in fact, at least several years ago lab results proved that for most people who malabsorb severely, the proper daily oral dose is more effective than shots.

Unfortunately, most doctors and even some medical reference materials are that far behind on this issue.

And even the least efficient type of B12 (cyanocobalamin) was shown as good or better than shots. We are fortunate now to have methylcobalamin B12 which is much better.

By the way, the patch I just looked up on the web contains cyanocobalamin. That is the old less efficient form of B12. It will work for most people, but before it can be used the body has to be capable of converting it to methylcobalamin. Cyanocobalamin is not useful until converted. Massive quantities of cyanocobalamin in the blood will do a person no good unless they can convert it and move it too tissues and nerves.

Most of the information I read on the site I found was accurate. However, there was a lot of hype (the most immediately seen would lead a person to believe that anyone who has fatigue, etc., will benefit from the patch. Not true. Everyone will not even benefit from the best forms of B12. The patch I saw is also much more expensive than 1000 mcg methylcobalamin tablets. A very good brand of 5000 mcg methylcobalamin tablets (2 months worth) can be had for between $18 and $24 in the USA and in some other countries.

rose

[shiney sue]

I started seeing the b12 patch ads a month ago,they are expensive
and they 3 i saw all promised no more FATIGUE,it sounded like hype
to me over priced hype. Sue

[mrsD]

The parent company has a flashy website with virtually nothing on it.
I have my take on its validity here:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...ight=B12+patch
post #6

Their testing to see if it works? 6 people! Whup Whup. This is NOT a clinical trial:

A small clinical trial was conducted in August 2003. Six volunteers ( 4 male and 2 female between 20-48) had a baseline blood sample. A B-12 Patch was placed behind the ear of each volunteer after the baseline sample was taken.

It is more like an experiment!

Water soluble drugs are difficult to formulate into patches... I don't see this
little company doing it.... search the parent company... the sites are all superficial.

Here is another study on oral effectivenss:

1: Fam Pract. 2006 Jun;23(3):279-85. Epub 2006 Apr 3.Click here to read Links
Oral vitamin B12 versus intramuscular vitamin B12 for vitamin B12 deficiency: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

* Butler CC,
* Vidal-Alaball J,
* Cannings-John R,
* McCaddon A,
* Hood K,
* Papaioannou A,
* Mcdowell I,
* Goringe A.

Department of General Practice, Cardiff University, Wales, UK.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin B(12) deficiency is common, increasing with age. Most people are treated in primary care with intramuscular vitamin B(12). Several studies have reported equal efficacy of oral administration of vitamin B(12). OBJECTIVES: We set out to identify randomized controlled trial (RCT) evidence for the effectiveness of oral versus intramuscular vitamin B(12) to treat vitamin B(12) deficiency. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review searching databases for relevant RCTs. Outcomes included levels of serum vitamin B(12), total serum homocysteine and methylmalonic acid, haemoglobin and signs and symptoms of vitamin B(12) deficiency. RESULTS: Two RCTs comparing oral with intramuscular administration of vitamin B(12) met our inclusion criteria. The trials recruited a total of 108 participants and followed up 93 of these from 90 days to 4 months. In one of the studies, mean serum vitamin B(12) levels were significantly higher in the oral (643 +/- 328 pg/ml; n = 18) compared with the intramuscular group (306 +/- 118 pg/ml; n = 15) at 2 months (P < 0.001) and 4 months (1005 +/- 595 versus 325 +/- 165 pg/ml; P < 0.0005) and both groups had neurological responses. In the other study, serum vitamin B(12) levels increased significantly in those receiving oral vitamin B(12) and intramuscular vitamin B(12) (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The evidence derived from these limited studies suggests that 2000 microg doses of oral vitamin B(12) daily and 1000 microg doses initially daily and thereafter weekly and then monthly may be as effective as intramuscular administration in obtaining short-term haematological and neurological responses in vitamin B(12)-deficient patients.

PMID: 16585128 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

I Googled this patch again... spammers have been very active putting it out in many popular venues. Buyer beware. Remember... this is an OTC nutrient....no data of effectiveness is logged anywhere with studies or the FDA to assure you are getting anything out of that patch. Patch technology is very complex, and expensive.