Vitamin B for Memory Loss, Headaches, and Brain Fog?

Hi - very interesting....B3 and cholesterol ! - I'm allergic to statins and will now try B3 - thanks for this information ...
I take Beespan = B1, B2, B4 & B12 daily- high potency Vit B complex - will get B3 tomorrow! Am tired if I don't take vit B's.
Is it true that it is better to take one's supplements just before bedtime?
(I've got my right arm in plaster of paris ! Ouch !! it is sore - carpal ligament release and thumb joint fused)
6-weeks in plaster! that means eating Xmas and NewYear with my left hand. After the 6weeks a rest for 4 weeks then I go for the left hand! - so I'll be taking my VitB's daily to help me recover.

The injectable form of B-12 is best, but not available or desired by most of us. As an EMT, I was taught that giving a patient nitro glycerin MUST be sub lingual, under the tongue. If the patient swallows the tablet, it counts as a zero dose. Now, Vit B-12 can be purchased as B-12 DOTS and are supposed to be placed under your tongue and allowed to slowly dissolve. I believe this is a good way to absorb this vitamin. Swallowing B-12 may not count as a zero dose, but you would need a much larger amount to be effective. I believe this works and I have been taking the B-12 DOTS from Twinlab for years. Now, thanks to the info on B-3, I plan to add that as well and improve the ratio between hdl and sdl.
Bill

wlenz wrote:The injectable form of B-12 is best, but not available or desired by most of us.

What would they prescribe injectable B12 for? What are its desired effects?

MusicMan wrote:

wlenz wrote:The injectable form of B-12 is best, but not available or desired by most of us.

What would they prescribe injectable B12 for? What are its desired effects?

It is used to replace low levels of B-12. (Kind of like taking B-12 on speed) It is longer lasting, the level in absorbed over a longer time. By going to the doctor for it he can make his car payment. The effects are the same as taking B-12 only longer lasting and stronger dosage. Jim

I'd like a few bottles!

Marietjie wrote:Hi - very interesting....B3 and cholesterol ! - I'm allergic to statins and will now try B3 - thanks for this information ...
I take Beespan = B1, B2, B4 & B12 daily- high potency Vit B complex - will get B3 tomorrow! Am tired if I don't take vit B's.
Is it true that it is better to take one's supplements just before bedtime?
(I've got my right arm in plaster of paris ! Ouch !! it is sore - carpal ligament release and thumb joint fused)
6-weeks in plaster! that means eating Xmas and NewYear with my left hand. After the 6weeks a rest for 4 weeks then I go for the left hand! - so I'll be taking my VitB's daily to help me recover.

There are two types of B3 ... need to make sure it is niacin (nicotinic acid) form, 500 mg just before bedtime. It may cause flushing/hot flashes (has not for me though) ... however only very temporary if it does.

Some people don't digest b-12 from their food as well as other people. So, people who don't benefit from an oral/sublingual supplement might have to have shots. I have to use a sublingual liquid because b-12 in tablets doesn't affect me at all.

Some people don't digest b-12 from their food as well as other people. So, people who don't benefit from an oral/sublingual supplement might have to have shots. I have to use a sublingual liquid because b-12 in tablets doesn't affect me at all.

100% right about B-12 and digestion. Older people tend to have digestion problems and are at risk for B-12 deficiency. Also, if you take antacids, Nexium, Prilosec, or any similar drug that shuts down the acid pumps, you are at risk for low B-12. I have read articles of permanent damage to the nervous system caused by lack of B-12. Some doctors may test elderly patients for B-12.
Also, there is talk of increasing the daily recomended dose for Vit-D. This is a very important vitamin and you can find many articles on how this vitamin has a huge effect on our health.

gumbiemama wrote:Some people don't digest b-12 from their food as well as other people. So, people who don't benefit from an oral/sublingual supplement might have to have shots. I have to use a sublingual liquid because b-12 in tablets doesn't affect me at all.

What effects have you personally received from B12? (Or anyone else.)

Also, where can you get the liquid form of B12?

MusicMan wrote:

gumbiemama wrote:Some people don't digest b-12 from their food as well as other people. So, people who don't benefit from an oral/sublingual supplement might have to have shots. I have to use a sublingual liquid because b-12 in tablets doesn't affect me at all.

What effects have you personally received from B12? (Or anyone else.)

Also, where can you get the liquid form of B12?

I get my sublingual b-12 from Walgreens. they have it in a liquid and they also have tablets that dissolve under the tongue. These seem to be better absorbed by me than tablets that I have to swallow. Some people don't have the right enzymes in their digestive system to be able to use b-12 found in food/tablets. If the sublingual stuff ever stops working for me I'll have to go on injections.

Taking a supplement when you aren't deficient won't help a whole lot, but if you are deficient, it could take weeks or months to start seeing improvement. It took me about 3-6 months to start seeing major improvements with b-12 supplements. So, it would be best to find out if you are deficient before investing in several months of sublingual b-12. Mine runs around $10 a month.

I was B-12 deficient before I started taking it, and I was having numbness in my fingers and toes (peripheral neuropathy). This was discovered by my neurologist, as I didn't even know that I had lost the sensation until he started doing the pin prick test on my fingers up to my arms. We found I was much more sensitive in my arm than I am in my hand, and it really should at least be about the same. I also didn't feel the vibration test for very long at my toes. I also had really jumpy reflexes, especially in my feet. Also, whenever something "fell asleep" (like when you sit on your leg or lean on your arm too long) I felt excruciating pain for an abnormally long amount of time afterward. Sometimes it would anywhere from hours to weeks to recover.

Since treating my OSA and going on b-12 I have been able to stop taking antidepressants, which I had been off-and-on for over 10 years, I have more energy than ever before, I no longer feel a mental fog, and my memory has improved. I also used to get paresthesias (numb/tingling sensations) before being treated. My EMG test results have improved as well. Before b-12 supplementation my conduction speeds were very slow, and they have picked up quite a bit. I still have polyneuropathy, but it seems to be under control. I also don't have such a rough time from limbs "waking up" when I lean on my arms or legs too much anymore, but part of that could also be attributed to avoiding the cause For instance, when I use cpap, I am not inclined to roll onto my stomach in my sleep, propped up on my arms, just to be able to breathe. Doing that on a regular basis can cause permanent damage over time, not to mention all the horrible effects of (sleep apnea) needing to do that in the first place.

I imagine some of my improvement has been attributed to improved sleep. We started the b-12 therapy about 2 years before CPAP and the doctor saw neurological improvement on my test results within the first year, so I think the b-12 also plays a big part. If my nerve conduction was so poor before, and my brain is just a big web of nerves, there had to be improvement all over, not just in my hands and feet.

I am supposed to take 1000 mcg a day, but sometimes i take double that every other day. This keeps me up in the "normal" range of b-12. From all the literature I've read, and my doctor's own words, you can not take too much b-12. There aren't any side effects.

Just be careful with b-complex vitamins, because some vitamins in them ARE associated with side effects in large doses. If you need only b-12 and you can find it alone in a supplement, then I would take only that.

Your doctor can do a blood test to see where you stand with b-12. My neurologist recommends supplementation even for those who are borderline low if they are having symptoms that could be improved with b-12. Folic acid is another one that can cause similar symptoms if you are deficient.


I've also read web sites that say that b-12 deficiency can be linked to a number of non-neurological problems such as thyroid disorders, high cholesterol, etc. I am not sure about everything I read on the internet, but it is enough to make me want to keep up with my regular checkups and routine tests.

Raj wrote:Research on rodents with a specific form of B3 (nicotinamide) has been so promising for reducing the effects of Alzheimer's that human trials are already getting started. Lots of reports on this such as this one: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/128297.php. But one thing this article didn't mention is that nicotinamide seemed to increase memory function in normal rats. Alas, I don't think plain old niacin has this trick up its sleeve.

Raj,

"Plain old" niacin (nicotinic acid) has been proven effective for lowering LDL and raising HDL and is prescribed for such. It also has good anti-inflammatory effects.

Nicotamide is not known to treat lipid levels or inflammation.

So what's a guy to do? Take one and avoid a heart attack to live as an Alzheimers patient? Or take the other and die from a heart attack before it saves you from Alzheimers?

BTW, excuse me if I incorrectly have assumed you are of Indian descent. I visited my sleep doc this week and had a discussion that I never had with another doctor. This lady is an Indian native and now U.S. citizen. She opened a discussion about what vitamins and supplements I take and encouraged me to continue them. I am pre-diabetic and she recommended a 1 mg cinammon tablet each morning. She is optimistic that my fasting blood sugar may drop to normal after some weeks on the cinammon regimen. Do you have any experience with cinammon as a supplement for blood sugar control?

DreamStalker wrote:.......
There are two types of B3 ... need to make sure it is niacin (nicotinic acid) form, 500 mg just before bedtime. It may cause flushing/hot flashes (has not for me though) ... however only very temporary if it does.

I need to take it in the morning because I cannot stand to put the mask on my face when it is tingling.

As far as the flushing goes, I kind of like it. I get asked, "Have you been out on your yacht?" and I answer, "Every chance I get."

DS, Are you taking otc niacin or prescription? Does the doc do a liver function check regularly? How often?

I've recently been hearing more about B-12 and folic acid issues. I'm definitely not an expert but do take vitamins. I found out about another discovery. Folic acid is added to so many foods these days (the "fortified" ones) that in theory, people shouldn't have folic acid deficiency. However, apparently it has be go through several chemical reactions in the body before it's usable. The final result is l-methylfolate which is the only form that crosses the blood-brain barrier and it is critical for the production of neurotransmitters norepinephrine, serotonin and depamine. What I've read is that many people's bodies don't do that conversion well and can have a deficiency even if the original folic acid form is sufficient. Supposedly 50-75% of depressed people don't do that critical conversion.

http://www.deplin.com

The above web site gives more info on this. Note that it is a drug company website so take with cupful of salt, imho. I have gotten my pdoc to prescribe it for me and am just under a week into trying this.

Also, as far as b-12, I've heard of some people being mis-diagnosed with Alzheimer's when they actually have a b-12 deficiency.

Mindy

Rooster, your assumption is logical but in my case, untrue. I'm not of Indian extraction, but suffered a strange accident with a bowl of ghee and a nuclear reactor and wound up with an odd name, Rajnar, shortly out of college. If we ever chance to meet in the real world, I'll be happy to tell you the true story.

As to your questions, why not take both forms of B3? Just make sure you don't risk your liver by taking over three grams a day of the amine. And as to cinnamon, that's been part of my Metabolic Syndrome avoidance program for years. I do have to space the dosages out during the day because if I take too much at once it gives me a stomach ache. BTW, there's an odd facet to taking fish oil: it can raise LDLs considerably, but the effect is more than nullified by the way it reduces the colesterol particles and the net benefit is entirely positive (unless you happen to be allergic).

Dreamstalker, it will be interesting to see if you observe any cognitive improvements or memory enhancement after you've been on B3 for a while. Should take three to six weeks before changes, if any, really kick in. Please report back.

Raj wrote: ........ If we ever chance to meet in the real world, I'll be happy to tell you the true story.

.......

Raj, It would be my pleasure to hear that story. If you are ever coming to Charlotte, NC, please let's arrange it.

Raj wrote: ........
Dreamstalker, it will be interesting to see if you observe any cognitive improvements or memory enhancement after you've been on B3 for a while. .......

I think even more interesting would be if we observe any cognitive improvements or memory enhancements in DS. Best signs would be if he joins the Libertarian party and suddenly remembers that our precious U.S. Constitution is an unsurpassed document for self-governing a good people.

When I had my sleep study and was diagnosed with mild PLMD along with the apnea, the dr. suggested a deficiency in B12 as one possible cause for the PLMD. My levels were ok when they did a blood test, though. But low iron was another factor and that was a bit low so I was taking extra iron for a while.
Trice