Question for Veterans - Complex B or B12?

Good morning,

You take B12 or B Complex?

How is your dietary suplementation of B vitamin?

I am worried about this, because my equipe don't agree a respect. My bariatrician talk about complex B, my nutricionist about B12. In the appointment with endocrinologist (covert for insurance) she says: I dont know about bariatrician patients. She dont know about citrate of calcio!!!

I spent all my money in appointments. The endocrinologist especialized coust 500 dolares. I cant pay now. I pay the psichologist, nutrionist and various blood tests because the insurance dont cover all vitamins in Brasil.

We cant lipossomal vitamina D3 disponible in the brazilian market, for example. 12 months of cirirgy and I dont take an satisfatory vitamin suplementation.

Is necessary an big proactive actitude of patient. Your experiences dont are prescritions, but help me in the appointments.

Thanks and sorry about details.

I take both. There IS B12 in B complex vitamins, but we don't absorb it well. To absorb it, you need a sublingual version - or an injection. So you really need both.

Here's what the ASMBS recommendations say (source):

• You should take Vitamin B1 (thiamin) above the RDA-- at least 12mg daily, and preferably 50mg. This can come from a B-complex supplement, or a multivitamin.
• For vitamin B12, if you're taking it orally, you should get between 350 - 500 ug daily

I went and looked up the nutrition facts on a Centrum multivitamin, which many people take (label here). A double-dose contains 3mg of vitamin B1 and 25mcg of vitamin B12. That's not enough to meet recommendations.

I checked out a B-complex multi (label here) and it actually does not contain enough B12 to meet recommendations either; one pill is only 6 ug B12. To get sufficient B12, you'll need to take a dedicated supplement like this one that contains ONLY B12.

Thanks for your help!