I have no idea.... just about everyone reacts the other way...gets stimulated more or less. I do, with the complex. And I recommend most people take it in the morning because of that.

B6 does affect serotonin synthesis but that is a slow process. Some people are calmed when serotonin increases.

I know B12 helps me sleep..when I take it alone. It really helped my menopausal insomnia. So I always take it at night (even tho I have seen recommendations to do so in the morning with it too.).

Perhaps it is your product/dose. What were you using?

People do differ, however.

I just started R-lipoic acid for PN a few days ago... and boy was THAT energizing....!! Big surprise for me!
I am now only using 100mg in the morning, and if I take it any other time.... I don't get to sleep!

Mrs. D.,

Thank you. That's the problem; I never felt stimulated. Again, I just get very sleepy. But maybe it is because I also take meds that calm the CNS. I have no idea. But those meds alone, and low dose at that, do not make me as tired as the Vitamin B's do. Now, I can say when I had PMS YEARS ago, my RE recommended B Complex for my nerves and it really helped to calm the PMS symptoms down. As for what products I used, I really can't remember since I have tried various ones throughout the years. But the last time I bought just the B12 it was the sublingual one. And once again...sleepy! I was just dragging through the whole day. Sooo...since my B12 level was tested right after that and I was fine I just stopped taking them.

Oh, and please let us know if the lipoic acid helps for the PN. I am very curious about that. For now, all I am doing is taking my regular meds and opting for aqua therapy. And I can say after that first session, the burning in my feet was reduced quite a bit. That relief lasted about 3-4 days; so I will just continue on with PT and see how it goes.

I am interested in that too. Also any reasons why one should not take it. Do you think most people with our issues should take the b complex cause I want to go back to it today. Kathi that is interesting how you feel it makes you sleepy. On th pn forum someone found issues with the supp but then I think overall made them feel better. I may be off base though.

--alpha lipoic acid, and now the isomer R-lipoic acid, have been used for neural pain symptoms, especially from diabetic neuropathy, for many years in Europe, particularly in Germany, where it is a prescription substance.

It has both considerable anti-oxidant and serum glucose lowering properties, and a lot of people (though certainly not all) have reported reduction in neuropathic symptoms while taking it, particularly with burning. Among the studies I've seen, though, the effect tends not to be prominent until fairly high doses of alpha lipoic (1200-1800mg/day), and there is a greater effect if it is administered intravenously (which is not likely to happen in the US). That's part of the reason why I now take 100mg R-lipoic each day--the efficacy is supposed to be in the range of a 6:1 to 10:1 ratio--the equivalent of 600-1000mg alpha lipoic; I'm looking to get near the recommended dosage levels without having to take a ton of pills (which can have an acidic effect).

See:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1...ubmed_RVDocSum

http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi...acare;26/3/770

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/en...indexed=google

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1...ubmed_RVDocSum

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/en...indexed=google

There's a lot more--and not just about neuropathy--regarding this substance; it's been promoted as having salutary effects on metal detoxicity, cardiac regulation, a number of other conditions.

now by empty stomach do you mean like 12 hours or so without food? cuz with me my stomach doesn't feel empty unless it's a certain allotted time. I definitely felt my energy levels go up quick at night once when I didn't eat anything for awhile and took some b12

alpha lipoic acid? isnt that what's in fish oil?

--essential fatty acids, not alpha lipoic acid.

The usual admonition about taking B12 on an empty stomach is due to the fact that the cobalamin molecule is among the largest absorbed and used by the body, and so it is very easy to interfere with its absoption.

Most sources I've seen say try not to eat anythiing two hours before taking B12 lozenges and at least one hour afterwrds.

I've was diagnosed with B12 deficiency about 3 months ago. My level was at 105 I was having severe shooting pains going up my spine and into the base of my skull, also weakness of my legs and hands and extreme fatigue. It took about three months to be diagnosed i was told by three different doctors I just a bad ear infection and a urine infection and that was what was causing my symptoms.

I was put on a course of six injections straight away to bring up my levels. This has seemed to help with the fatigue. But i am still experiencing the shooting pains and weakness of my hands and legs. i see from other posts that people say that it can take a while for the nerves to repair.

I was just wondering whether anyone could help me with a couple of queries, firstly has anyone else experience completed numbness of one leg. My left leg will suddenly go completely numb for no apparent reason, when I walking or just sitting down.

Secondly after having the injection to boost my levels i have come out in what i can only describe a acne. I have spots all over my back, face and chest. I have never been a person prone to spots and now I seem to have hundreds break out after I have one of my injections. Just wondering if anyone else has had this type of reaction to the injections?

Well I do often say omega 3-ALA written on some food products. And the two acids that are supposed to help in omega 3 fatty acids are DHA and EPA.

Vitamin B12 injections usually cause my face to break out a little, but nothing like you describe. But I'm probably a lot older than you, so maybe that has something to do with it.

Welcome to NeuroTalk. Hope you find some answers.

And about the numbness, I sure don't know. I have MS and my left arm is continually numb, but that doesn't necessarily mean you have it.

You sound tenacious, so stay at those doctors so they find out what's going on and how to help you.

really high doses of cyanocobalamin have been reported to cause acne.

You can try the activated methyl form orally, daily instead.
Some people cannot handle the synthetic cyano form because of the cyanide portion of the molecule.

We now can make and use very inexpensively the better form, methylcobalamin. Many of us here buy ours at www.iherb.com
There are several brands to choose from.

To start get 5mg version (only a tiny portion is absorbed) and use daily on an empty stomach. In about 3 months you may be able to coast at 1mg a day as your stores build up.