Vitamin B12
Sep 15th 2017, 11:50 am
#16
Oscar nominated
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Moncton, NB, CANADA
Posts: 50,868
Sep 15th 2017, 12:14 pm
#17
Nuther day in paradise.ca
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: Ajax, Ontario
Posts: 7,263
Re: Vitamin B12
My B12 is at normal levels at the mo. Been on B12 supplements for almost 2 years now.
Sep 15th 2017, 12:37 pm
#18
Muskoka, Ontario
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 3,045
Re: Vitamin B12
We take B12 supplements as a family as we eat a mostly plant based whole grain diet. I have had my B12 blood levels tested and it was normal, and I aced my cholesterol blood work
Sep 15th 2017, 12:42 pm
#19
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Nov 2009
Location: Somewhere in Hamilton, ON
Posts: 4,307
Re: Vitamin B12
The Home Doctor book by any chance? Something like this?
https://pictures.abebooks.com/MWBOOKS2/11358653209.jpg
https://pictures.abebooks.com/MWBOOKS2/11358653209.jpg
Sep 15th 2017, 12:45 pm
#20
Crazy Cat Lady
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 65,493
Re: Vitamin B12
The Home Doctor book by any chance? Something like this?
https://pictures.abebooks.com/MWBOOKS2/11358653209.jpg
https://pictures.abebooks.com/MWBOOKS2/11358653209.jpg
Sep 15th 2017, 1:41 pm
#21
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: South of Calgary
Posts: 13,375
Re: Vitamin B12
So some basics!
Iron deficiency anemia is NOT the same as B12 deficiency anemia
A celiac will often be low in both. But treated differently
You can be low in B12 for 2 main reasons
Vegans- don't eat meat products. They need to supplement with an oral tablet which they can swallow.
Pernicious anemia- autoimmune- so celiacs often have it as well as being celiac.
Your stomach cannot absorb B12.
It has to be given either by injection IM not IV or sublingually. I used to think injection was better but it seems S/L B12 gives a more even dose. The formulation given IM in the UK was better but is hard to get in Canada and expensive, so here we use the cheap , nasty stuff!!!
As far as I'm aware pernicious anemia is as common in the UK as Canada. Its an important vitamin and can cause extreme tiredness and memory loss so extreme that dementia could be suspected- so should always be checked with memory loss. We had lots of patients popping in to see the nurse for their injections in the UK. We tested as much in the UK as Canada.
Lastly,it became very "trendy" to have B12 infusions at one point- various "stars" had done selfies whilst having their infusion. I doubt there was any good reason and it caused a shortage for quite a while, harming those with genuine need. Fortunately the idiots seemed to have moved on!
Zero reason to take for period pain as far as I know- 1st time I've heard that one!
Iron deficiency anemia is NOT the same as B12 deficiency anemia
A celiac will often be low in both. But treated differently
You can be low in B12 for 2 main reasons
Vegans- don't eat meat products. They need to supplement with an oral tablet which they can swallow.
Pernicious anemia- autoimmune- so celiacs often have it as well as being celiac.
Your stomach cannot absorb B12.
It has to be given either by injection IM not IV or sublingually. I used to think injection was better but it seems S/L B12 gives a more even dose. The formulation given IM in the UK was better but is hard to get in Canada and expensive, so here we use the cheap , nasty stuff!!!
As far as I'm aware pernicious anemia is as common in the UK as Canada. Its an important vitamin and can cause extreme tiredness and memory loss so extreme that dementia could be suspected- so should always be checked with memory loss. We had lots of patients popping in to see the nurse for their injections in the UK. We tested as much in the UK as Canada.
Lastly,it became very "trendy" to have B12 infusions at one point- various "stars" had done selfies whilst having their infusion. I doubt there was any good reason and it caused a shortage for quite a while, harming those with genuine need. Fortunately the idiots seemed to have moved on!
Zero reason to take for period pain as far as I know- 1st time I've heard that one!
Sep 15th 2017, 2:18 pm
#22
Oscar nominated
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Moncton, NB, CANADA
Posts: 50,868
Sep 15th 2017, 2:25 pm
#23
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Dec 2012
Location: British Columbia
Posts: 3,263
Re: Vitamin B12
I read a study which concluded that taking B12 in tablet form provided just as good outcomes as injections. And of course it's cheaper ...
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3922551/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3922551/
Last edited by Snowy560; Sep 15th 2017 at 2:30 pm.
Sep 15th 2017, 2:27 pm
#24
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: South of Calgary
Posts: 13,375
Sep 15th 2017, 2:29 pm
#25
Back in US & happy!
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 505
Re: Vitamin B12
Excess B vitamin comes out in urine - it will turn it bright yellow! That's because it is a water soluble vitamin.
I also recently got tested as my cousin back in uk has been told all the females on my Mum's side of the family could have a deficiency - so heredity! My Aunt, her daughter and her granddaughter are all having b12 injections now. I am on tablets now.
I also recently got tested as my cousin back in uk has been told all the females on my Mum's side of the family could have a deficiency - so heredity! My Aunt, her daughter and her granddaughter are all having b12 injections now. I am on tablets now.
Sep 15th 2017, 2:34 pm
#26
Nuther day in paradise.ca
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: Ajax, Ontario
Posts: 7,263
Re: Vitamin B12
I use the peppermint flavour strips, they melt on ya tongue
Sep 15th 2017, 2:36 pm
#27
Back in US & happy!
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 505
Re: Vitamin B12
My guess - and it's only a guess - is that period pain involves the nerve system - all pain does of course. I started taking b complex on the advice of a neurologist to help with nerve damage from an accident and it certainly seemed to help with the pain. Or maybe it was just fixing the problem! As I said - just a guess!
