B-12 Question

Is B-12 a vitamin that you can get too much of and it be a bad thing?

I am not sure where you got your information but over 2000 is not dangerous, I actually try my best to get my numbers over 2000 because I feel best that way.  Prior to my surgery, I had my levels over 2000 for about 10 years.  Since my surgery, I have been about 1500 or so, and that is great too.  Anything in excess, you will just pee out - so dont let anyone - even your surgeon or PCP tell you any different.  I see a Hematologist and have seen about 4 different ones over my adult lifetime and they have all told me the same thing and so did my Nutritionist and surgeon. You should shoot for the highest level you can.  Higher is best. 

anything below 500 you can get nerve damage and severe cognitive damage.  I also read recently in the B12 literature that is you have B12 deficiency too long you can actually get lesions on your spine.

Thanks!

I was told that you can get toxicity from too much B12. At least that's what they have in my binder from my surgeons office. My level is around 1800 ish & I was told to cut back but I haven't. I don't want my levels to drop so I did not listen to my Dr.

http://wlsvitagarten.com/2009/11/25/b12-overload/

your 1800 is perfect.  Some people say that if you go over 2000 it can be bad, I was told by many Hematologist that you just pee out the excess and they are the specialists.  If you feel nervous going over that fine but there is definitely no danger at 1800. We need high levels due to high level of malabsorbtion.  There is also research that the levels that the US uses are not safe.  In the US, the standard range for non WLS patients is 200-900, in the rest of the world, they start at 500.  They are smart and have figured out that below 500, people are having severe symptoms like nerve damage, cognitive dysfunctions, spinal lesions.  It is really bad.  They are also finding that alot of  early Alzeimers Patients and dementia are actually B12 defient and if they treat them early, some of their symptoms or possibly all of there symptoms are reversed.  No one should have a B12 level below 500 and if possible, ideally over 1000 is ideal.

Probably not.  It's a water soluble vitamin, which means you should pee out anything you can't use.

Thanks!!!

NO, you cant get too much.  How much are you taking and in what form?  DO you know what your levels are in your last blood test?  That makes a big difference in how much you should take.

A minimum baseline is 1000mcg of sublingual B12 daily or a monthly injection.  If you are deficient in B12 then you need alot more and most people do need a lot more.  There is no such thing as too much because any excess over what you supposedly need, you will just pee out but not having enough is very dangerous.

You ideally want your level to be atleast over 1000, but ideally you want to be between 1500 and 2000.  You can even be over that with no danger - I try to be over 2000.  The labs cant usually read levels over that so they will just say over 2000.  The danger zone comes when you are below 500 - that is when you can be at risk for nerve damage, cognitive problems and if you are down even lower for many months or a year or so, I read recently you can get lesions on your spine.  So, please make sure you are taking enough.  If you arent sure, let me know what your last B12 level was and I will make  a recommendation for you.  If you havent had any labs yet, make sure you are taking atleast 1000mcg daily

Thank you so much! I have not had my 1st labs yet. I go the first part of March for them.

I was taking Nascobal but I don't like the way it makes me look like my nose bleeds. I am also paranoid that I am not spraying it properly, etc.

I bought some sublingual tablets last night and they say 5,000 mcg. I guess it would be okay to take them every other day then?

What are your thoughts?