Go Banana's !!

Just read on organicfoods website that it is Vit B1 (Thiamin) that stops the mozzy bites, taken in doses of 150mg or above.

I suffer really bad (come up in huge red itchy lumps that last for days) so will give it a go.

Hope this helps someone. According to The Gardian website B12 is not proven and in some cases can increase the likelyhood of being bitten. (I just did a search on the web and this is what came up)

B1 takes about two weeks to work as it puts a mozzy repelling odour on the skin, not sensed by humans, thank God.

Now all I have to worry about are the head pecking birds, the snakes, the spiders and the flies

Jill

Bix

Thankyou Jill, we shall be seeking out the B1.

If anyome is allurgic to it they could try this

LaraandBryn

Believe it or not - an article in the Mail yesterday says that Marmite does work, supplying the B1 that repels mozzies. Can you get Marmite out in Oz? or is that an urban myth? If you can't, I'll bring some over, £10 a jar!!

Bix

You can get an equivalent - vegemite.
We bought some in Asda today to give it a try !

Tazzy

I've tried and tested the marmite theory when I was back packing in Thailand.
I spent around 3 weeks before I went spreading it over my toast every morning.
Being so pale as I am, apparently its like being a flouescent (sp?) light to the mozzies and yes I must admit I did get a couple of bites.
However a guy we met up with on our travels had being practically eaten alive by them, his body was a mess. And no he hadn't had any marmite for breakfast.
So, I'm really not sure about it. I guess once a mozzy has biten you, I reckon its a bit too late. Its not like he's going to spit it out and tell his mates not to bother!!

Tazzy

mlbonner

I would imagine a lot of things may work - Mozzie repellent doesn't actually repel the mozzies, it hides your natural odour so they can't find you. Whoever named it has confused a lot of people

Sandy.l

I was bitten quite badly in Brisbane. The local chemist prescribed a vitamin B supplement (not sure which number) and suggested I had vegemite as well. So although the supplement tasted disgusting and Vegemite is not a patch on Marmite, I made sure I had it every day. The bites still happened but the reaction became less severe.

Hope this helps

sandy

Natbat

Thanks for posting this, I put the question up the other day about how to avoid or lessen the chances of being biten.

I shall go and buy so B1 vitamins and am about to start the Marmite thing in preparation, leave in June :scared:

Thanks again, any hints will help

Bye for now

Nat

Pollster

Vit B is especially needed if you smoke as the horrors in the fags render you deficient in Vit B.

I was told that being bitten by insects was all about pheromones - so basically the hornier you are the more you get bitten.

I get savaged by the little blighters

bondipom

Dengue fever in Townsville now chicken fever in WA

http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/st...toryid=1220534

chippy

Surley marmite hasn't got a total monopoly on vit B1....there must be other foods with it ??..... Anyone?

Phoenixuk2oz

Phoenixuk2oz

ADELAIDE BOUND

No your right I believe the mozzies either love it or hate it.

Go Banana's !!

I believe you have to have a pretty high dose of B1 for it to be effective.
I will be a a lab rat for you all and try it out. Also combats against Alzehmers (spelling ?????)

Jill

Jacqui

Some info below taken from the Choice Guide to Vitamins & Minerals (my free gift for subscribing to Choice, knew it would come in handy one day! Choice is the sister magazine to Which in the UK.)

"Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) - almost all foods (except alcohol, sweets and soft drinks) contain some thiamin. The best sources are pork, cereals, legumes and nuts. A breakfast of fruit, cereal with milk, and toast will provide just over half the RDI for an adult man. If the toast is spread with Vegemite or Marmite, breakfast alone will supply most people's daily needs."

You can buy English Marmite here, but because there is already an Aussie Marmite, they have had to change the name. So the jar and the colours on the label are the same but the name shows "Our Mate". You can bring it into the country ok, as long as you declare it at customs. My husband brought some back last week, a huge jar, the customs official laughed and said "that stuff should be banned, you Poms are always bringing it in". Hubby also brought back some stuff the kids were missing, and it all cleared ok, guess he did the right thing by going through the channel for anything to declare. Quicker too, there was no queue, everyone else was going through the nothing to declare channel and was taking ages.