Someone found my site today by searching for "b12 bad 200 mcg" -- So I thought I should say that "b12 200 mcg" is not necessarily bad.

If someone is young and pretty healthy a small amount of B12 like that will be good.

I worked with a 16 year old girl who had remarkable improvement using simply the cyanocobalamin in a B Complex vitamin she bought cheap at Wal*Mart.

The thing is, once we have absorption problems vitamin tablets cease to work as well as lozenges, and cyanocobalamin isn't as effective as methylcobalamin.

If someone has serious nerve problems due to low B12, like numbness, memory loss, depression, there are just so many problems that derive from low vitamin B12, then a small amount like 200 mcg is not going to make very much difference.

The more difference you can make early on, the better things are because the longer it takes to get B12 replacement the more danger there is of some of the nerve damage becoming permanent.

I hope that clarifies a bit.

I just wish I knew how much I am supposed to be taking... my Dr. was not clear... all he said was to take a vitamin B12 pill. I thought there was only one level... silly me.

If your doctor says you should be taking it, I would start with 1000mcg. Make sure you get methylcobalamin in a sublingual. I use Jarrow, and have used Country Life, which is very good too. I started at 1000mcg, then went to 3000mcg, and now I take 5000mcg. I have neuropathy, and found the B12 has helped significantly slowed the progression of the neuropathy. While taking the 3000mcg, my B12 level dropped 200 pts, so I switched to the 5000mcg. The best B12's, usually can not be found in the store. I shop at www.iherb.com

Hello,
Originally Posted by ConsiderThis
Someone found my site today by searching for "b12 bad 200 mcg". I visited your website immediately. It's very interesting! One question about a statement you made and I'll quote from the b12 malabsorption link: "The inevitable result of undiagnosed and untreated B12 Malabsorption Illness is permanent nerve damage."

YIKES!! my malabsorption (intrinsic factor antibodies present and first blood test of B12 was 68) went undiagnosed for a very long time. We know it takes about 5 years to deplete the stored B12, and my symptoms go back much farther than that. I do have extensive nerve damage but people keep saying, "See how you feel after a year of the suggested supplements," which I am taking. My neuro just said a couple of days ago, "If the nerves regenerate it could take as long as two years, but probably it will be a case of your learning to live with it and not noticing it as much."

I still have been hopeful that the damaged nerves in hands, legs, feet, cervical spine and brain will get better. It sound like you are saying, "Sorry, they won't." Is that so?

Thanks! I've been taking 500mcg... I'll have to think about uping the dose.

Hey,

Where is cyanocobalamin supposed to be found naturally?

--it isn't, to my knowledge.

Cyanocobalamin is a commercial preparation of B12; it is not the form in which B12 is naturally found in foodstuffs. The process of creating it involves bacterial fermentation and activated charcoal; it si added to make the cobalamin more chemically stable in air (for increased shelf life).

See:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanocobalamin

The reason 200 mcg or 500 mcg are not good doses: If a person malabsorbs severely, they will get very little or nothing from those doses. If a person can absorb normally from B12 in supplement form, but does not have enough stomach acid to break B12 out of food, they would get more from 20 mcg than some would get from 1000.

To be reasonably sure of getting enough B12, 1000 mcg (or more) is best. It is safe, so thank goodness the larger dose is not a problem.

And as Glenn posted, methylcobalamin is a better bet when available.

The repair process can continue for several years.

rose

Hi, I'm new to this forum, I have to get B-12 shots every 3 to 4 weeks, my doctor told me that my system does not absorb B-12. I am going to be 60 years old in July. My doctor said that my body is that of someone around 90. I have lots of nerve damage. Matter of fact I was told that I have CIDP "Cronic Inflamtory Demilating Polyneorphty" Sorry I really chopped the spelling up!! My legs and feet never stop hurting! I cannot walk at all and my arms and hands are in pain also. As for pain meds I have tried them all. I am coming off the Duragesic Fentanyl Patches at the present, I wear 2 patches a 100mch/h and a 75mch/h and I have been on these for about 7 years. So try'en to come off of them is rough. I am taking OPANA 20mg ER 3 times a day and Hydromorphnon 8mg for brake thru pain!! Because of the nerve damage I have had 3 total knee replacements on my left knee, if this one fails I may loose my leg. But I try not to think about that! I have several other health issues. My doctor said that my B-12 must have been low for years because of all my nerve damage. Take Care God Bless

You may be surprised at what is actually due to the B12 deficiency. And I hope you sill supplement your treatment with shots. Oral in at least 1000 mcg per day is usually as good or better than periodic shots.

Best wishes,

rose