B12 Levels

Hi,

In my Sleep Apnea discovery I've had my B12 checked as it is suppose to relate to Vit D deficiencies per Dr. Gominak.

Source

D deficiency is the most common sleep disruptor but B12, B5 and iron deficiency also play a role. Most people become B12 deficient because they are D deficient. Low D make the parietal cells of the stomach produce less intrinsic factor. Intrinsic factor is a special protein that binds to the B 12 in our food to help us absorb it. Low D leads to low intrinsic factor and then to low B 12. People with known B12 deficiency should also have their D checked and replaced. If only the B12 is replaced, usually the sleep does not improve. B12 shots are not better, that belief has been disproved. Daily oral dosing of 1000mcg per day is better. We gave the B 12 shots monthly because medicare paid for it monthly, but the patients report that they need to give the shots at least weekly to see the improvement last, and if the D is given properly the stomach recovers and absorbs a daily pill without difficulty, so take the pill daily to make the sleep normal nightly.

My B12 is 347pg/mL. Dr. Gominak says it should be greater than 500. Does this jibe with other's experience?

Thanks
Que



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/04/2015 12:25AM by Que.

I have not at all heard that oral B12 is very effective Que... Sublingual methylcobalamin of hydroxycobalamin are the preferred forms and avoid cyanocobalamin.

2mg to 5mg sublingual each day will usually do the trick over time. I would view the oral recommendation with real skepticism until and unless there is more robust confirmation from a wider source of B12 experts.

Shannon

Hi Que - I am unable to locate the last B vitamin evaluation that would give my B 12 values… but I was low … just can’t quote the number or range. It’s here somewhere in a very tall stack of lab reports.

Of course, there can be individual differences in absorption efficacy in B supplements. In my case, I had been taking 5,000 mg B12 (sublingual) in the form of methylcobalamin daily for years, but still measured low…( although my Vitamin D was in the 65 – 70 range.) My FM MD prescribed weekly B12 injections for 6 weeks to get the level she wanted to see. I’m tested periodically to see if that's holding. If not, more injections as she finds that works more effectively… at least in my case.

I continue using the 5,000 mg B12 sublingal activated form of methylcobalamin designed to deliver B12 through the mucous membranes in order to bypass the need for intrinsic factor as an absorption aid. Methylcobalamin is better absorbed and has a higher retention rate in the body’s tissues plus eliminates the need for the liver to convert cyanocobalamin to the active forms of vitamin B12. The sublingual form is absorbed directly through the mucosal tissue in the mouth.

She tests the Functional markers, such as the methylmalonic acid (MMA).

Hope this helps.

Jackie


FYI..

Signs and symptoms of B12 deficiency
• Fatigue
• Depression
• Dementia
• Pernicious anemia
• Red burning tongue
• Muscle weakness
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness
• Numbness (fingers, toes, etc.)
• Heart palpitations
• Bleeding gums and mouth sores
• Nausea
• Poor appetite

All great points on B12 Jackie, but I think you meant 5,000mcg/day sublingual rather than 5,000mg. An easy typo I make all the time too. :-)

Cheers!
Shannon

Thanks Shannon and Jackie.

I would still be interested to learn what the preferred blood test value is. As I mentioned I was at 347pg/mL and the lab quotes a reference range of 211 - 911 pg/mL, which indicates that I'm at the low-end. I did find a new FM doc here in SF, Dr. Griffin at CPMC Heath and Healing Center. She seems quite knowledgable. I will check with her.

All the best,
Q



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/05/2015 07:32PM by Que.

Que - I finally located the metabolic profile (called NutrEval by Genova Diagnostics) that gave my levels of all the forms of vitamin B...including the B12, but their report just indicates whether you are in normal range, borderline or in high need... and then places a value in each category for how much you need to increase daily intake. For my Cobalamin or B12, I was in the Borderline category (this was 12/12/14) and I subsequently had two forms of B12 injections.

So... this test isn't helpful for you to correlate with your results.

Sorry.

Jackie

Thank you Jackie for looking in this. It's really kind. I'm going to meet my Functional Med doc tomorrow. I'm sure that she will have the numbers. I'll report back.

BTW: I've been on vit D now for about 2 weeks and I'm starting to feel much better. Better sleep, more relaxed, better sense of smell. I wonder if the impact could be that quick.

Que - I'm sure your FM MD will have all the numbers and ranges you need. I'll be interested in what you learn.

On the Vitamin D - definitely, having optimal vitamin D levels helps in many areas for improved health.... including brain health and mood improvement that helps eliminate the tendency for depression. Because my levels were so very low, I began to notice small improvements almost immediately as well but the significant improvements came later when I increased to 5,000 IU and more daily.

Jackie

Hello,

I met with the Functional Medicine doc and she indicated that Vit B12 levels below 500 pg/mL require supplementation of 1000mcg. She recommended Methyl Balance from ProThera, which is oral. I will follow up and see what she says about sublingual B12. I think some of her thinking was due to the fact that my homocysteine levels were high.

All the best,
Que



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/19/2015 06:09PM by Que.

Que - Thanks for the report. Definitely if your homocysteine is elevated, then the other nutrients involved in the methylation cycle come into play. Increasing your B12 to 1,000 mg may do it, but I found even with 5,000 mcg B12, it wasn't enough - thus the B12 injections. She'll probably have you back for more testing.

Klaire Labs is a professional grade product and should be effective...although the amounts on that particular complex are quite low if you have a significant need. Time will tell if you need to use higher dosing amounts.

You're off to a great start with your new MD.

Be well,
Jackie

Thanks Jackie, I appreciate the advice.

All the best,
Que