HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

B12 and folic acid supplements

Support Forums
>
Lyme Disease
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 9/20/2014 5:34 PM (GMT 0)
I'm trying to find a B12 supplement that has hydroxycobalamin or adenocobalamin. No methylcobalamin. I'd also like to find a supplement that has methylfolate not folic acid or folate.

I'm not having much luck. Any ideas?
Posted 9/20/2014 6:11 PM (GMT 0)
Why do you want the B12 in that form...and not the methyl?
I thought the methyl was the the one to take...especially if you have the MTHFR gene?

(I'm not well-read in this department, so excuse my ignorance if this sounds like a stupid question...)
Posted 9/20/2014 7:21 PM (GMT 0)
I was taking "Hydroxo B12" by Seeking Health for a time. It has good reviews and can be found on amazon too. Ive read that if HyCbl does not work for you after a few months, then you may want to have your blood drawn for glutathione levels. Apparently, HyCbl will not start the methylation cycle without adequate amounts of glutathione (and another precursor called SAMe too). Low glutathione levels in us Lymies is fairly common.

If all of this does not not help, then I would still consider MeCbl supplementation (unless your LLMD or genes tell you otherwise of course). For me, MeCbl and AdoCbl felt stronger and I actually got an energy "kick" out of it. Im staying away from the HyCbl vs AdoCbl vs MeCbl debate, I can only tell you what worked for ME. =-)

With Folic acid, you want the biologically active form, designated by the L form (or 6(S) form) of methylfolate. I am taking a (6S)-5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid form of folic acid in Jarrow Formulas which is pretty cheap.

All you ever needed to know about the types of Folic Acid and what to look for:
http://mthfr.net/l-methylfolate-methylfolate-5-mthf/2012/04/05/
Posted 9/20/2014 7:54 PM (GMT 0)
HyCbl is recommended by some doctors because it allows the body to control the amount of AdoCbl and MeCbl that is needed. So it is considered by these doctors to be safer. The debate is that HyCbl supplementation alone may be inadequate and it requires precursors (like SAMe and glutathione to work). These precursors are scavenged by your body for other things and may be in very short supply if you are sick, have absorption issues, or have other problems with your genes. So these other doctors feel you may not ever get enough HyCbl to convert to MeCbl or AdoCbl basically no matter how much HyCbl you take. Why not just take MeCbl and AdoCbl then? Well apparently, too much can/may? damage the liver or CNS.

My thoughts on all of this are talk to your LLMD about this, get your genetic and blood tests done and stick with what works for you. A good LLMD is your flashlight in all of this, they will tell you what they see working in their clinic and what doesnt.
Posted 9/21/2014 3:11 PM (GMT 0)
We use Swanson Ultra:

Thiamin as benfotiamine 25 mg
Roboflavin as riboflavin 5'-phosphate 25 mg
niacin as inositol hexanicotinate 50 mg
vitamin B-6 as pyridoxal 5-phosphate 25 mg
Folate as quatrefolic [6S]-5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid 400 mcg
vit B-12 as methylcolbalamin 250 mcg
biotin 25 mcg

If you have problems with methylB12, this amount ingested orally may not be problematic, as it is not well absorbed through the gut.
Posted 9/21/2014 11:48 PM (GMT 0)
My LLMD just recommended I start methylfolate and said it can even be found at Whole Foods. I haven't gone shopping there yet but plan to next week.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply