Need some direction

[megamoxie]

On the probiotics, the nutritionist I consulted told me that the "churn" they can cause indicates that there is an imbalance being corrected. She said that in a person without GI issues, this should only last a day or two, but for someone with other GI issues, it could take more like a week or two to resolve. She said that it would be best to do this experimentation during a time when I don't have too many other commitments.

[Lilja]

Jarrow: Methylcobalamin B-12, 1000 mcg

For this one (the methylcobalamin), you will need to take 2 each day.

CountryLife: P-5-P Pyridoxal 5' Phosphate (B-6) 50 mg

This is the same strength as the one that I used, so you will need to take 1 capsule per day, 2 days in a row, then skip the 3rd day, then start over. IOW, this will amount to 2 capsules every 3 days, in order to average out at 33 mg per day.

Jarrow: Folate Methyl 400 mcg

(6S)-5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid glucosamine salt is the equivalent of L-methylfolate calcium, so for this one (Jarrow Methyl Folate), you would need to take 7 capsules one day, and 8 capsules the next day (for an average of 7.5 capsules per day), if you want to be exact. It probably wouldn't matter whether you took 7 or 8 capsules (the same every day), because either one is close enough to a total of 3,000 mcg (3 mg) per day. 7 would add up to 2,800 mcg, and 8 would add up to 3,200 mcg.

Tex

Tex,
I have followed the above B-vitamin plan for five days now, and I can already feel a huge difference. More energy of course, but one "side effect" I had not counted on, is the psychological difference.

Like many other people I know, the month of December can be a vulnerable time, full of memories and the feeling of loss. Hectic days planning for Christmas, has always filled me with anxiety and no happy feelings at all, only a feeling of duty; something I have had to do for my family.

However, this December I have had much more energy and I really look forward to the holiday season! Food preparations, shopping gifts, cleaning and decorating the house, planning the dinner parties I will launch etc - as I have done all these years - fill me with joy this year!

Maybe I have had this anxiety and felt depressed merely due to lack of B-vitamins all these years? Could it really be that simple?

Could all the previous Christmas holidays have been a more positive and joyful experience, and not so exhausting, if I had known that I was B-vitamin deficient?

I don't know, and I will probably never know, but it makes me think ...

I'm so happy and grateful

Thank you, Tex.

Lilja

[tex]

Maybe I have had this anxiety and felt depressed merely due to lack of B-vitamins all these years? Could it really be that simple?

Could all the previous Christmas holidays have been a more positive and joyful experience, and not so exhausting, if I had known that I was B-vitamin deficient?

Maybe. But remember that gluten sensitivity causes depression, and as our gut heals with a gluten-free diet, our mood begins to improve.

But it's also true that if we are deficient in B vitamins, or if our body is not capable of converting the B vitamins in our food or in our vitamin supplements into the active form, then taking this combination of the active form of vitamins B-6, B-9, and B-12 can definitely help.

This particular combination of the active forms of these B vitamins has other benefits as well. These vitamins help memory and cognizance. One of my past doctors used this to prevent (or at least slow down) the deterioration of his brain as he aged.

These 3 vitamins also treat what doctors call endothelial dysfunction, with is a condition that causes the blood vessels to lose their ability to expand and contract, which leads to blood pressure problems. IOW, these vitamins help to keep blood vessels more flexible and working properly.

You are very welcome Lilja, and I hope that this will allow you to have the best Christmas ever.

Tex

[Lilja]

Maybe. But remember that gluten sensitivity causes depression, and as our gut heals with a gluten-free diet, our mood begins to improve.


Tex

Yes, I agree, but I thought it was like this:

If we have a gluten sensitivity and eat gluten, the gluten inflames our guts and thus inhibits our intrinsic factor to make use of B-rich nutrients, and finally when our B-vitamin deposit is empty, the lack of B-vitamins will make us depressed (together with all the other damage we know about)?

Lilja

PS: Would it be an idea to make a sticky or a separate thread called "The importance of B-vitamins" or something similar, and gather this discussion/information in one place, since B-vitamins are so important to us MC-people? Just an idea

[tex]

Yes, I agree, but I thought it was like this:

If we have a gluten sensitivity and eat gluten, the gluten inflames our guts and thus inhibits our intrinsic factor to make use of B-rich nutrients, and finally when our B-vitamin deposit is empty, the lack of B-vitamins will make us depressed (together with all the other damage we know about)?

That's certainly possible, and it obviously does happen in a few cases, but not enough people develop pernicious anemia to support that as the primary cause of gluten-induced depression. It's generally thought that the effects of various neuropeptides such as corticotropin-releasing hormones (that affect the pituitary) and gluteomorphins (gliadorphins) (that affect opiate receptors in the brain) are responsible for most of the depression-related neurological effects of gluten.

Yes, I'll consider making a "sticky" out of this thread (or the topic of B vitamins), but the problem is that as the list of "stickies" grows, most people tend to be more likely to just ignore them all, and just skip over all of them, because it takes too much time to even read just the titles.

Tex

[brandy]

Hi Lilja,

Glad the B vitamins are working! My neighbor (who is a psych nurse at Shands/Univ of FL) has her elderly mother on high dose of B12 for depression as she said that there are a lot of studies in senior citizens that high dose of B12 is as effective as anti depressants.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15671130 , http://www.cornellwomenshealth.com/stat ... taminB.pdf

If you google there seem to be a lot of studies linking low B12 to depression.

Brandy

[tex]

Brandy,

Thanks for the links.

Tex

[Lilja]

Hi,

Some 30 years ago doctors would recommend B-12 to all elderly people with health problems, but something happened in the 70-80's, and doctors never even think of B-12 as a deficiency any longer, whether it be old or young people.

I found this video 1 year ago, and I was frightened! The video lasts for 51 minutes, but you will not regret having spent a small hour on this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvEizypoyO0

There is also this one by Chris Kresser: "The Silent Epidemic":

http://chriskresser.com/b12-deficiency- ... nsequences


NB: Those of you who suspect a B-12 deficiency, should look further up in this thread where Tex recommends B-12 in the form of metylcobalamin taken with the special form of folate (methyl folate) and B6 pyridoxal 5' phosphate, and also the ratio between the three.


Lilja

[tex]

Lilja,

Thank you for listing those links. They appear to be excellent.

Tex

[nerdhume]

I tagged the video to watch later on my TV.

The article was good.
Wouldn't most senior citizens have most of these risk factors? considering how freely PPIs are prescribed and older folks have trouble with meat (affording it, chewing it, digesting it).

In general, the following groups are at greatest risk for B12 deficiency:
•vegetarians and vegans
•people aged 60 or over
•people who regularly use PPIs or acid suppressing drugs
•people on diabetes drugs like metformin
•people with Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, celiac or IBS
•women with a history of infertility and miscarriage

[Skyward]

Wow- That video was so scary and tragic!! I empathize so much with the horsewoman featured near the end of the story- and she has LC! Thank you Lilja for sharing that. Thank you so much. It's just crazy that even AFTER they figure out what it is and what they need that so many people still have to fight to get the treatment!

[nerdhume]

I watched the video yesterday afternoon. It was very informative. I had no idea B12 deficiency was that prevalent.

[Lilja]

Hi again,

The video also says that Nitrous Oxide, the gas used during surgery, can deplete our deposit of B-12.

So called child birth depression within women who have just given birth is very common. What is also common, is that women are given laughing gas (nitrous oxide) while they are giving birth, to easen the pain.

Maybe child birth depression "simply" is a lack of vitamin B-12.

Lilja

[Lilja]

Wow- That video was so scary and tragic!! I empathize so much with the horsewoman featured near the end of the story- and she has LC! Thank you Lilja for sharing that. Thank you so much. It's just crazy that even AFTER they figure out what it is and what they need that so many people still have to fight to get the treatment!

Skyward,

Like in most situations in life, one has to take things into one's own hands.

No doctors told me that my pains, tingling, gait problems, brain fog, nausea, lack of appetite, weight loss and depression were due to the lack of B-12.

Why? Because my B-12 level was "within normal range".

When I started my new diet and thanks to Tex' B-vitamin plan, I'm now getting my life back. Little by little

Lilja

[Lilja]

Jarrow: Methylcobalamin B-12, 1000 mcg

For this one (the methylcobalamin), you will need to take 2 each day.

CountryLife: P-5-P Pyridoxal 5' Phosphate (B-6) 50 mg

This is the same strength as the one that I used, so you will need to take 1 capsule per day, 2 days in a row, then skip the 3rd day, then start over. IOW, this will amount to 2 capsules every 3 days, in order to average out at 33 mg per day.

Jarrow: Folate Methyl 400 mcg

(6S)-5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid glucosamine salt is the equivalent of L-methylfolate calcium, so for this one (Jarrow Methyl Folate), you would need to take 7 capsules one day, and 8 capsules the next day (for an average of 7.5 capsules per day), if you want to be exact. It probably wouldn't matter whether you took 7 or 8 capsules (the same every day), because either one is close enough to a total of 3,000 mcg (3 mg) per day. 7 would add up to 2,800 mcg, and 8 would add up to 3,200 mcg.

Tex

Hi Tex,

I ran out of methyl folate, the box contains only 60 capsules, which means that they only last for 7-8 days. I was too late to order anew, so I went 10 days without them, but I continued taking the other two B-vitamins.

I have never experienced such pains, constant pain in the buttom and in my legs, which deprived me for night sleep.

The new batch arrived today, and after having taken 7 capsules of methyl folate, after 1 hour the pains disappeared! This pain must be due to what they call "neuropathic" damage, but I have also read that it is reversible.

I am convinced that there is a correlation between the pains and the lack of methyl folate, and perhaps the two others gave the opposite effect when they were not taken along with methyl folate. I don't know.

The only sad thing is that the box from Jarrow only contains 60 capsules. Do you know if there is another brand with more methyl folate per capsule, or if there are bigger boxes on the market? I have tried to google it, without result.

Eternally grateful,
Lilja