Did you take your vitamins?

[Burning Petard]

In particular B12? The search engine here says B12 was mentioned around here last back in 2011. I am taking a 'B Complex' that contains 12mcg, and a multi-vitamin that has 25mcg.

The NY Times science section today has a note from Jane Brody on more B12 for old people--like many regulars on this board, certainly me.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/06/well/ ... front&_r=0

I have been reading Brody's mostly weekly health column in the NY Times for at least 20 years. She seems to avoid fashionable fads and stick to the basics. Interesting, that for this stuff she says the older people are less able to absorb the natural sources, and her quoted experts indicate to me that I could easily take 10x what I am taking now without being silly.

Any other reflections on the utility of synthetic B12 in daily oral pill form?

[oldr_n_wsr]

My neurologist put me on B12. I developed very sensitive toes (no diabetis diag and the electro thingy he did didn't find any nerve damage) and he said my b12 was low. Hasn't fixed the toes, but seems to give me a a bit of a boost especially in the sex department.

I think mangos are high in b12.

[RayThom]

My neurologist put me on B12. I developed very sensitive toes (no diabetes diag and the electro thingy he did didn't find any nerve damage) and he said my b12 was low...

o_n_w, I have similar problems. I, too, have (diagnosed) peripheral neuropathy mostly effecting the balls of the feet and toes. I was also experiencing some cognitive disorders (a bit of a disconnect between thought and movement) that were somewhat disconcerting.

Now, about a year into B-12 therapy, I feel much improved, but the neuropathy still lingers -- and probably stuck with it for life. OK, here's something that might help. Seeing that you are taking B-12 on a permanent basis I suggest you also take a Lipoic Acid (300mg/2 daily) supplement in tandem with your B-12. This combo has eased said neuropathy where it now only bothers me once in bed. Lipoic Acid is relatively cheap and worth a try -- IMHO. If you go with it the only negative I've found is a sulfur odor when urinating -- just like "asparagus pee."

BTW -- with all my medical issues I do my best to avoid Rx solutions to my aches and pains. The only script my PCP writes is for Levothyroxine due to a HYPO-thyroid condition. (I thought I had low-T but it was thyroid related. A blood test is needed for diagnosis.) Good luck.

[oldr_n_wsr]

Thanks Ray, I'll give it a shot. Scratch that, I'll give it a pill.
I'll check with my pcp to see if it would interfere with my bystolic or zoloft. The b12 countered the zoloft a bit, but I am weening off of them (zoloft) anyway.

ETA
And I have no sense of smell (long story) besides I wouldn't care what my piss smells like anyway.

[Gob]

How much B12 you ancient buggers taking?

Just out of interest....

[rubato]

I take a B12 supplement in my regular daily vitamin. It works out to about 5x the RDA. Seems to be helpful. But absorption of oral B12 is limited so that the effect of supplements decreases with increasing dosage.

Yrs,
Rubato

[Burning Petard]

I am gonna try 500 mcg daily, as chewable pill, and the methyl-B12 form. The absorption problem of oral forms, either by pill or by food, seems to apply the cyano- form, not the methyl. In the B-complex and multi-vitamin pills I am taking now, I get 32mcg of the cyano form.

On the 'food supplement' market, a dosage lower than 500 is hard to find. 5000+ is much more common. The RDA from the feds is only 2.4mcg. It is classed as water soluble. The entry from wikipedia states:

As for safety, the Food and Nutrition Board of the U.S. Institute of Medicine sets Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (known as ULs) for vitamins and minerals when evidence is sufficient. In the case of vitamin B12 there is no UL, as there is no human data for adverse effects from high doses.

snailgate

[RayThom]

I am gonna try 500 mcg daily, as chewable pill, and the methyl-B12 form.
snailgate

I take one 1000 mcg "time release" tab in the morning. With all B vitamins being water soluble the body expels what it doesn't use, so I don't think you can "overdose" on this. My PCP is comfortable with my choice so I'm confident I'm causing no harm.

[Joe Guy]

If anyone is interested, I just received a 15% off coupon (with free shipping on your entire order) from Bronson Vitamins. I've not bought them before and don't know how they compare with others price or quality-wise, but if you're interested and you send me a PM, I'll send the first person who contacts me the claim code.

[oldr_n_wsr]

I think it's 1000mcgs of B12 for me too. Have to check the jar.