Comments on: Vitamin B12: Understanding Deficiency and Supplementation

By: Ellyn

Ellyn — Tue, 23 Jan 2018 14:55:20 +0000

In reply to Joe Leech, Dietitian. when i got a b 12 injection my blood pressure went through the roof. what would cause that?

By: Ellyn

Ellyn — Tue, 23 Jan 2018 14:45:28 +0000

Hi Joe!
My husband has elevated b6 levels.

What kind of doctor do we go to get the cause of this diagnosed?

I suspect he has some kind of enzyme deficiency but don’t know best route to figure it out.

he does have neuropathy.

By: Joe Leech, Dietitian

Joe Leech, Dietitian — Tue, 10 Oct 2017 04:37:14 +0000

In reply to Tyler. Hi Tyler, sorry I do not give specific supplement recommendations. Best for your dad to check with his doctor. :)

By: Tyler

Tyler — Mon, 02 Oct 2017 03:21:26 +0000

My dad was recently diagnosed with a condition that requires b12 supplements to help. Is there anything anybody can recommend to take now? There’s a lot of information, but they seem to mostly be for vegans (not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I think that would be more for diet rather than health?).

By: Aelxa Hill

Aelxa Hill — Thu, 28 Sep 2017 03:14:36 +0000

High B12 blood levels can mask a B12 deficiency. How can this be? It is simple, 40- 60 percent of people have one or more MTHFR gene mutations. One copy and the body’s methylation system, that converts chemical vitamins to bioavailable vitamin forms, works at only 60- 70 percent efficiency. Two copies and the methylation system only works at 10-20 percent efficiency.
The methylation system converts ALL vitamins from chemical forms into bioavailable forms. Your body then uses the bioavailable vitamins to make all the enzymes and hormones the body needs to function properly. The same system also detoxifies all chemicals, heavy metals, etc that we get inside the body by eating, drinking, inhaling, and absorb through the skin.
This means your B12 blood levels may show adequate or even high B12 levels, but most of the B12 will be in an unusable chemical form if you have a MTHFR gene mutation.
It also means if you get most or all your B12 from chemical vitamin supplements or fortified food, your B12 deficiency will be so severe that you can develop peripheral neuropathy while having a normal B12 blood levels. Remember, 40-60 percent of humans have this MTHFR gene mutation, and there are other gene mutations that can reduce efficiency of the body’s methylation system even further.