Vitamin B12 Benefits: Boosting Health & Vitality Naturally

I did just find the following: DMSO will not carry anything with a molecular weight of over 1000. I also read that B12 has a molecular weight of 1,355. Is this 1,355 figure correct? Is it true that DMSO cannot carry anything higher than 1,000 correct? I've seen testimonials about the effectiveness of B12/DMSO (even the Dr. Mercola website seems to espouse it). Does anyone know if any of these figures are correct? Thanks again.

Hi, I can safely say that dmso with b12 works really well. I have loads of energy and high mood on a consistent level. Sublingual b12 also worked well though I feel the dmso b12 used transdermally is far more effective. I do take a high potency b complex aswell as they all work together.

I have pernicious anemia and will need B12 shots for the rest of my life. There are several reasons why B12 may not be absorbed by a body, as we age our intestines are less able to absorb nutrients, use of PPIs inhibits absorption of vitamin B12, etc. The most important factor is B12 must combine with intrinsic factor (a protein produced in the stomach) in order to be used by the body. We produce much less intrinsic factor as we age. This is why anyone over the age of 50 should have their B12 levels checked.

Check out a book called "Could it be B12?" by Sally Pacholok, Jeffrey Stuart. She covers B12 deficiency in detail. It's available as an ebook from Amazon.

Thanks, Chickenlady, for the heads up. I'll look up that book. Also, thanks to whomever attached the other posts from December regarding B12 to my question. Very relevant & informative.

Try the B12 patches. They work better for me than the pills or liquid. You can get them online. You will have to add them until you get the results that you want. I started out with one 5000mcg patch daily, but I had to add 3 more until I no longer had the numbness, tingling and stumbling. Now I put on one every three days week and it works for me. They stay on when you shower too.

Thanks TinyDancer. What's funny is I just came across something on the internet about B12 patches for the first time today, and your posting, too. Thanks for the suggestion.

MTHFR gene mutation is a possibility. Your b12 (methylcobalamin) may not be utilized because of this. Taking L-methylfolate(5-MTHF, L-5-MTHF) with your b12 as well as other b's definitely may help. Folic acid is not bio-ready, you would probably do much better with the L-methylfolate and other b's with your b12. The test for the gene mutation is only (from what I hear) about $150.00. We will pay much more than that for a TV or a cell phone, so why not on something as important as our health? :) I recently overloaded on b12, it was very, very unpleasant. Yes, you can do this! Dig deep enough and you'll find some places that acknowledge this. Anyway, hope some of this is helpful, good luck to you :)

This is interesting, my wife seems to have a similar problem. As a long term strict vegetarian she was last year found to be severely B12 deficient. Unfortunately even with 3 x 5000 mcg methylcobalamin sublingual B 12s daily she has not made any noticeable improvements other than blood work outcomes

Her symptoms are much the same, even though she does appear to be absorbing the B12 into her blood, her blood levels increased form 162 up to over 2000 within a few weeks.

They have remained high for over a year but with no improvements in either energy or any other aspect of the condition, it does seem that she is not actually making use of the B12 from her blood.

It seems the body goes into some sort of default mode and does not like to switch back very easily.

Mark: You might want to research "methylation" which would include other nutrients like Folic Acid, TMG, DMG, and Methionine. Maybe supplement an "essential amino acids" to correct possible amino deficiencies. I just recently reintroduced L-Methionine caps 2-500mg daily and my energy went up noticeably. The Methionine and DMG will combine with the B-12 and illicit a multitude of biochemical processes in the body including energy and neurotransmitter or mood chemicals (up-regulation).

Thanks Timh, You might be onto something with the amino acids, although my wife has so far tried about 20 - 30 different compounds and substances along with different B12's so far nothing has made any difference, I will look into amino acids, it could be the missing piece of the puzzle, in fact she does now try to eat some meat for this reason but unfortunately cannot tolerate any meaningful quantities without gas and discomfort

Thanks for the pointer, worst case it's just one more thing to tick off!

Mark: It's a fact that B-12 needs Methionine and Methionine needs B-12. I would recommend 1000mg daily of Methionine along with your B-12 regimen for 1 month (there should be noticeable improvements in overall health, especially energy). Now add 125mg Dimethyglycine (DMG) daily, and the energy and mental function should improve dramatically.

Ok My wife now seems to be making some headway with this B12 issue at least in terms of understanding where her problem lies, A few weeks ago she sent off for a hair mineral analysis, interestingly the results did not show particularly low b12, what it did show was that everything (all minerals etc. ) was borderline low, even though she only ever ate whole organic fresh fruit and veg in large quantities much of it is not being absorbed in her stomach, the missing link appears to be HCL or stomach acid, this appears to be the culprit and not the B12, basically as a long term vegetarian (35+ years) without eating animal flesh my wife's stomach acid has weakened significantly over the years, apparently this is a natural reaction when little flesh/protein is present in the diet, this does all make sense as since my wife has started to eat some meat again she has discovered she cannot digest it without extremely bad stomach discomfort and bloating, just one tiny cube of meat is enough to cause much discomfort for several hours! , the hair testing company have given a complete explanation of what is most likely at fault along with a suggested method to correct it, this is absolutely the most comprehensive testing and explanation we have received to date, anything her GP has done has been focused on telling my wife it's all in her head or offering another MRI nerve scan because they cannot observe anything at fault with her blood work.

Interestingly much of what Timh from Louisville, Ky mentions appears to have merit, it seems everything is interlinked the report does mention methionine and explains how to get these aspects back on track and functioning normal again, it's still early days yet and the proof will be in the testing over several months but this is definitely the best information we have to date.

Mark, Thanks for the update about what is going on with your wife. I hope this is the right track and that everything will start falling into place for her soon. The human body is so complex that I think for the average doctor he/she is in way over their head.

My best to you both.

To Tinydancer from Dayton, Ohio: I wanted to say thank you for all of your feedback and to mention the method that you used to increase your B12 to feel better, well my wife did try your method and did feel very much better in terms of less pain, unfortunately the patches we have are the ones with 10 other essential vitamins included and it seems that on the higher dose one of these ten appears to be far too high for my wife as she started to notice negative side effects such as a racing heart, dry throat and skin flushing! (probably caused by excess folic acid or niacin) obviously she stopped using so many and her pain returned, We did order the other patches with just the 5000mcg B12 but have since been told by the nutritionist at the hair analysis company (mentioned above) that we should stop using any B12 supplements whilst undergoing their vitamin and mineral ratio balancing regime which my wife is about to start on. Like you say the body is infinitely complex and always seeks balance.

Mark: Thanx for detailing wife's condition, as there are likely other folks suffering similar circumstance.

Betaine (TMG) supplementation will provide the acid lacking from production.

My last hair mineral analysis showed very low in all minerals except very high Calcium and Manganese. For best remineralization, Ionic Trace Minerals from the great salt lake would be ideal. Also, there are other issues concerning mineral levels as relates to high fibre diet. Many food fibers contain phytates which block the obsorption of minerals. It is very important to take mineral supplements away from high fiber foods/meal. There are now broad spectrum digestive enzymes that will greatly improve digestion of fats, carbs, and proteins, while neutralizing the side effects of those nasty phytates.

Another route around the typical oral administration of nutrients is topical. I take a hot bath (at least 1hr) once week with bulk major and trace minerals as well as many drops of Ionic Trace Minerals, and extra sodium bicarbonate and magnesium sulfate. I always feel much energized fallowing the bath.

Hoping continued improvements on your front.

Timh from Louisville, Ky, Usa

Thanks for the valuable feedback, My wife has just started on her supplement regime and has managed to eat a fair amount of meat (her choice) without too much stomach bloat and discomfort, her meal had quite a lot of tuna along with boiled eggs and amazingly she did not suffer with anywhere near as much gas, bloating and pain as she has previously with just a small forkful of meat, my wife has already stated that this does at some level prove that she is lacking in quality stomach acid, obviously the HCL tablets have made all the difference, fibre wise, well it could be an issue as my wife does eat a large amount of fruit and mostly veg, hopefully over time she will be able to find a suitable balance with slightly less veg, a little more grain and some meat, interestingly the hair testing /diet company have recommended a particular diet for her which does have more meat and grains with less veg, as it was put to her from them she takes more notice of it and is trying to follow it, when I mentioned this issue a few years back she kind of ignored me and continued with all her veg only diet! I suppose it has taken her a couple of years to realise that her strict vegetarian diet lacks lots of essential nutrients and is actually not that healthy for her in the long run. Right now we both have high hopes for her recovery on this new diet and supplement set up and will keep you/this site informed as it may be beneficial for others also suffering in a similar way.

I think the problem with developing high blood counts of b12 without accompanying correction of the weakness, etc has to do with the fact you are only taking methyl b12--we also need the other active form, dibencozide (adenylcobalamin)--differing mechanism of action for each form--the dibencozide works in the mitochondria, the cells powerhouse; without it, you don't generate energy.

I was wondering if Mark from Newton Abbot , Devon Uk would be able to tell me where he got the hair test in the UK.

Many thanks

Richard

Happened to read your post and am wondering how your wife is doing now. I used to have same sort of problems/symptoms so a friend recommended taking B12 which helped a little but not enough. An older Aunt of mine from a South Pacific Island suggested I try eating goat meat once a week so I did. After doing that for a few months my body began digesting the meat well and now I eat fish, goat, lamb, and chicken 1-2 times a week. The spices in the food probably helps as well besides the food tasting very good. I am 57 now and go on mission trips keeping up with the young adults without any problems. I used to have severe allergies all year round but not anymore and another benefit is my hair and nail growth is amazing. Blessings!

I was wondering if you got any feedback as my cells aren't absorbing the b12 either.

Supposedly, gluten can block cell absorption of B vitamins.

In a recent House episode, a tapeworm was collaring all the vit B12, leaving the patent deficient, even after it was administered. Possibility?

You should get genetic testing which would reveal if you have the MTHFR gene mutation. I too have the same issues you are speaking of - have struggles with it for years. Turns out that I have a genetic mutation which doesn't allow me to process regular forms of B12 or folate. Actually I have to avoid folate. I have to take vitaming b12 in the form of hydroxocobalamin. I have just started this regimen. I also have to focus on healing the gut and avoid gluten.

Debbie: Supplement the amino acid Methionine as it utilizes B-12 in converting to other compounds in the body, such as SAM-e and Carnitine; in all, very good fat burners. I wouldn't worry much as the "normal" in standard medicine for nutrition is always a way to low number.

Hi Debbie ; If you are not supplementing B12, then some other possibilites could be : bacterial overgrowth, liver trouble, ( as you have written), or, the lack of transport proteins, such as transcobalamin.

I haven't been tested for tanscobalamin deficiency, it's a phenomenon I've read about, and suspect in myself. There are many of us who must keep our B12 levels extremely high to prevent the destruction of our nerves. ( Neuropathy) ( My levels are above 3000.)

I don't know what your symptoms are, if any, so, if there are none, then I would recommend the dietary suggestions made here by Ted, Bill, Lisa, and many others.

hello Connie--My symptoms are very similar if not identical. Can you please help and tell me what test did you needed from your MD.Thanks----usanydpadgmaildotcom

Hi Coco; A CBC, complete blood count, may be somewhat helpful. A vitamin B-12 blood test status may also be helpful. In my CBC results, my MCV, (mean corpuscular volume), becomes high normal to above normal. But this can also indicate low folate and low B6. However, when there are concurrent neurological symptoms, It usually indicates a B-12 deficiency. Low folate and low B6 usually don't manifest with such extreme symptoms as I described before. I also tend to have high MCH, HGB, HCT, and lowered PLT. Some of these numbers can be affected by dehydration and liver function. Symptoms should always be addressed, but they can be confusing as well. A blood test for B-12 status can be affected if you are already taking a B-complex or B-12, but it's still worth getting. By the time I got a test, I had been taking sublingual methylcobalamin 5000 mcg to 10000 mcg daily for a month. The results showed an above normal amount by American ranges, but were in the high normal range by European and Japanese ranges. I've read that Japan has some of the world's lowest rates of dementia. Many people may have the strong negative symptoms of B-12 deficiency, even when their test numbers are well within normal range here in America. Doctors often refuse treatment because of this. Shame. Even though my test revealed high status, it took many more months of B-12 loading to improve symptoms. I did decrease B-12 loading to 1000 mcg to 5000 mcg daily during those months with great results. All my best to you, Coco, I will try to find answers if you have more questions.

I was diagnosed with pernicious anemia a few years ago and have been supplementing B12 ever since. It has raised my energy level and made me much more calm.

What I found interesting was the handout my doctor gave me. Apparently high levels of nitrous oxide deplete B12 in our bodies. The catalytic converters in modern cars turn carbon monoxide into nitrous oxide thus filling our atmosphere with high concentrations of this b12 draining gas.

Is it any wonder we have the neurological problems we have. It even makes me wonder about road rage.

There is so much depression and so many mysterious ailments making us tired, depressed achy, nervous and anxious. One has to look at environmental effects.

I am glad to find such a diligent group of people who are looking out for their health in a natural and balancing way. Thank you for sharing your insights. I have used a few of the remedies I found here and they are working for me.

I have heard that a good remedy for pernicious anemia is a raw egg dropped in a glass of grape juice and drunk down whole. Once or twice a day. Make sure the eggs are free range from healthy chickens or organic.

TO: Justin from Port St. Lucie

You mentioned 5-HTP and how it lifts your mood in a great way in just an hour after taking it....Could you tell me how much
you take to get that effect? Also, what time of day you take it, and how often, to get that mood lift? Does it ever make you feel groggy, or sleepy? Thanks so very much for your help! God Bless, Michael

When the blood is to thick it is very hard to collect it. You can thin the blood by drinking more water and by eating each day a clove of garlic. On earth clinic you can find a recipe for blocked blood vessels, based on lemon, garlic and honey, that will also help with the blood thinning.

Swedish bitter is helping with digestion -it improves liver and pancreas function.

For all the pain symptoms you have to consider Lyme disease.

I also recommend to read the book by Maria Treben, Health through God's Pharmacy. Look into stinging nettle, yarrow, calendula and horse tail tees.

Hi Mark; I commend your caring efforts to help your wife. The symptoms you've listed do pertain to B12 deficiency, and it's possible that the brand and type you are using may not be effective.

Early last year, jarrow changed its formula, and it became much less effective. Some of us contacted them because we noticed the problem together. Unfortunately, there are other brands of B12 sublinguals that seem to be less effective. ( I've had this same problem-many symptoms returned .)

Here is a link to a website devoted to treating the condition of ME/CFS: http://forums.phoenixrising.me/index.php?find-new/6570495/threads

There are many treatments discussed on this site, including B12. Some people respond to certain brands of sublinguals, others do not. Some people have resorted to injections, because they don't feel anything from sublinguals, etc.

Another site to visit is the Pernicious Anaemia Society. Org, or b12d. Org. Many folks with PA, or B12 deficiency will also be deficient in Folate and Iron. (It would be a good idea to have folate and ferritin levels checked in case.) Not everyone with B12 deficiency will have the same, but some testing is recommended. Other B vitamins may be needed, so, a B complex is recommended. Starting with a low dose is a good idea, then see if extra individual B's are needed.

It's true that co-morbid conditions may exist with B12 deficiency, often times stomach acid is low, so digestion/absorption is weak. Many people here are helped by taking Apple Cider Vinegar, or lemon juice to aid digestion. Some people are taking hydrochloric acid supplements.

When taking measures to increase stomach acid, one may also need to strengthen the stomach lining and tissues to protect them from damage. Amino acids, such as proline, glycine, etc, are needed for this. Bone broth is a good gelatinous food to strengthen collagen, helping the gut.

When digestion is weak, minerals may also not be absorbed well. ( vegetarians may be low in zinc, but there could be other low minerals.)

It's also true that B12 deficiency can be from a lack of transport proteins, in addition to malabsorption. Transcobalamin deficiency may be the cause. It is treated with very high dosages of B12, until symptoms resolve. The B12 serum test does not indicate a good status in these people. They must rely on how they feel. The practitioner must be amenable to this type of treatment.

BTW, it may also be helpful to check for low thyroid function, it's another condition that accompanies B12 deficiency.

Mark, I have experienced many of your wife's symptoms and the only things that work for me are the B-12 patches. At first try I had to really load up on them daily and take over the recommended amount. I would wake up in pain and numbness every morning until I got started with the patches. It took less than a week for me to see results. I still have some numbness in fingers on right hand but it is mild compared to what it was. I have tried the under the tongue pills and shots that were expensive but had no results. My doctor said my B-12 was in range and I had no problems but the only peace that I got from pain and fear that I was going blind was the B-12 patches.

Tinydancer from Dayton Ohio: Just wondering if there was a particular brand of patch that worked best for you, there are so many to choose from and we don't want to be starting all over again.

Mark, I get my B12 patches here- http://www.drdavidshealth.com/b-12-mega-patches/#.UZptkthhphA

Mark, I put the link to where I get the patches in another reply. I just wanted to add that I had to put about 4-5 patches on my body before I got relief at first. I must have been severely deficient in B12. It took about a week for me to find the amount that was right for me. I put them on my arm. They will stay on during a shower. I now use about one per week and sometimes two. Whenever I start to feel the tingling in my fingers I know it is time to apply a patch. I pray that your wife will have good results like I did. They will work, tell her not to give up.

Tinydancer from Ohio: Thanks for the link to the patches, I wanted to check really as my wife is already using these, she's has been on them for around 4 weeks or so but I will suggest she ups the amount she uses, thanks again for the tip.

Mark, You are welcome. Tell me, is your wife using the highest strength patch. (5000 mcg) Make sure she is. I started out using the 1000 mcg and it went nowhere. Before I gave up I tried the 5000 and it made all the difference in the world. Tell her I have felt her pain and to not give up. Has she read the book "Could it be B12" by Sally Pacholok? It might interest her. God Bless!

Tinydancer form Ohio, Thank you for your kind responses, Yes I bought a big pack of the 5000 mcg with other essential vitamins included my wife has been using one approx. every 5 days, along with the Jarrow 5000mcg sub lingual 2 x daily, not really sure how many she should need bearing in mind she only weighs around 105 lbs.

You mention that you used 4 or 5 patches before you felt relief. Did you use them all at the same time or one each day or other?

Mark, So glad that I was able to offer some advice to you and your wife. I started out using 1 patch and the next day I would remove that one and then put two on.... And then I would add three at a time and so on... I ended up with five full strength patches on at one time before I felt any hint of relief. By the seventh day I was feeling no pain. I then started removing one (after about another week of wearing 5 patches per day) patch at a time until I didn't feel the numbness and tingling. I am not a vegetarian but I don't eat meat on a regular basis and I think that is why my B12 is low and also I take a diuretic and that will lower your B12 too. See if the library has that book I told you about, there are a lot of medications that will lower your B12 and you would never know it until you get really severe symptoms. And it sounds like your wife's symptoms are really that severe. I would suggest that she keeping adding a patch until she starts seeing some results.

My Best to you both.

Tiny dancer thanks for all you're really good tips, my wife is keen to try the method with the patches that you mentioned, fingers crossed it provides some relief or signs of it helping in anyway, we do have the book could it be B12 , a good book but so far it's not helped much as there is only so much we can try ourselves, her Doc has not offered any B12 jabs or anything of much use at all really, just test after test. All inconclusive, we have just done our own hair analysis and are awaiting for the results, she also has an MRI scan scheduled shortly, In the meantime thanks for your tip we will be giving it a try, we live in hope!

Mark, You are so welcome. I did want to mention one more thing. It's kind of a nasty word but I would feel amiss if I didn't bring it up. During my research trying to find out why I was experiencing such pain and why my vision was so blurry after having a new prescription for glasses that was less than 6 months old. I ran across a article that said that parasites can cause you to be deficient in vitamins. Tapeworms were said to compete with you for the B12 in your body. I asked my doctor to check me for parasites and she (with resistance) sent my material to the lab and it came back that no eggs were present. I later found out that this does not mean you don't have parasites that it just means that there were no eggs in that particular specimen. To make a long story short, I did a parasite cleanse and I will do one at least every 6 months. The brain fog start to lift after the parasite cleanse and that was before I used the patches. I drink clove tea because this is suppose to kill off any parasite eggs before they hatch. It's worth a try, we are on our own and have to heal ourselves.

Don't give up!!

To Tinydancer from Dayton, Ohio,

I have brought up the parasite issue with my wife on several occasions in the past but she always insists this is not her problem, how she knows Is a mystery to me, I often think she dismisses potential causes out of hand then after several more months of suffering finally decides to explore the issue a little, as you say there is no way of knowing if they are present without an actual test, I will speak to her about taking one so that the thought grows in her subconscious as that's the only way it might work with my wife, maybe in 4 -5 months if her current supplement regime is not starting to help she might then take a test, in the meantime I will try offering her a few cups of known parasite and bug killing drinks, once again thank you and everyone else on this awesome site for all your valuable feedback.

Mark, I think that you are a jewel for helping your wife with her health issues the way you do.... Kudos to you. Would you like to sign a release form giving me the right to clone you? LOL Stay healthy my friends, God Bless!!

Mark, this is info for your wife Jo--she needs to also take the dibencozide form of B12--there are two active forms, methylcobalamin (which she is taking), and dibencozide (adenosylcobalamin)--the two forms are NOT interchangeable, differ in mode of action. Dibencozide works in the mitochondria of the cell, which is where Energy is made via the Krebs cycle--without dibencozide, the Krebs cycle energy production is impaired--so continue with the Jarrow methylcobalamin, but add sublingual dibencozide (Country Life has this)--I take them at separate times, but not sure if this is necessary.

You should have this person checked for gene mutations, like MTHFR, that can inhibit a persons ability to utilize some b vitamins... Or simply try the "methyl" forms of the vitamins... See if makes a difference.

Have her check for fibromyalgia.

Mark, B-12 deficiency symptoms can eventually become permanent. It's critical for nervous system development, so pins/needles etc., declining cognitive function, may stay. So sorry.

Dear All, In starting my vitamin b12 level was 122pgml & I had all symptoms, depression, severe anxiety, mood swings, numbness & heaviness in hands & feet etc. But now I stopped I supplements & injection because I hv not got any relief. I checked my b12 level & it came very high its now 2000 > pgml even I'm not taking any supplements from last 1. 5 years

My current b12 level is 2000> & my vitamin d level is very low its 4. Pls help & advice what cud be the reason of my symptoms & high b12 level? thanks

Vitamin D and B12 need magnesium to be utilized. Magnesium deficiency is very common even when you eat enough green leafy vegetables. It's missing in our soils. You need at least 600 mg of magnesium citrate or bisglycinate taken throughout the day. Also never take b 12 alone . Take a good multi .

Vitamin D and B12 need magnesium to be utilized. Magnesium deficiency is very common even when you eat enough green leafy vegetables. It's missing in our soils. You need at least 600 mg of magnesium citrate or bisglycinate taken throughout the day. Also never take b 12 alone . Take a good multi.