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(Right off the bat, i havent been dx with ms) But im going through the motions.

I have been taking vitamin b-12 to see if it is a b-12 deficiency. And they say there is no unsafe amounts to take it and the excess will be flushed resulting in bright yellow pee. I have been taking 5000 mcg of methyl b-12 and 1000mcg of cyano b-12 (which i think equates to 90,000% over rda!)
Pee NOT yellow whatsoever. In fact my pee is almost clear. I wanted to take the b-12 serum test panel lyndacarol reccommended. I feel that if i take it now, it will be misconstrued. But i think i may be severly lacking b-12 if no change in pee is happening at THAT level of b-12 intake. What are your thoughts, has this happened to you?

ShirleyTemple wrote:(Right off the bat, i havent been dx with ms) But im going through the motions.

I have been taking vitamin b-12 to see if it is a b-12 deficiency. And they say there is no unsafe amounts to take it and the excess will be flushed resulting in bright yellow pee. I have been taking 5000 mcg of methyl b-12 and 1000mcg of cyano b-12 (which i think equates to 90,000% over rda!)
Pee NOT yellow whatsoever. In fact my pee is almost clear. I wanted to take the b-12 serum test panel lyndacarol reccommended. I feel that if i take it now, it will be misconstrued. But i think i may be severly lacking b-12 if no change in pee is happening at THAT level of b-12 intake. What are your thoughts, has this happened to you?

You are correct: taking vitamin B-12 before testing will skew test results and make the results unreliable.

You are also correct that any amount of B12 that your body does not use will be flushed out in urine – B-12 is a non-toxic, water-soluble vitamin. You could swallow a whole bottle of B12; and if your kidneys are working properly, there should be no problem. I have not noticed that my urine is bright yellow while taking vitamin B12.

However, it is my understanding that excess riboflavin (vitamin B2) and excess folic acid (another B vitamin) will turn urine bright yellow – almost neon yellow when excesses are excreted. When I took a B Complex (which has vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and folic acid), I DID notice this bright yellow – I believe it was caused by the folic acid. Many experts I have read prefer the natural form, folate, and discourage the use of the synthetic form, folic acid.

The methyl form of B12 is readily absorbed by the body. Cyano B-12 is less expensive and must be decyanated before it can be used in the body. I know that the B-12 injections given in US doctors' offices are the cyano form (I suspect this is the form used because it IS less expensive.).

Lyndacarol, how far in advance should one stop taking B vitamins before a blood test?

ElliotB wrote:Lyndacarol, how far in advance should one stop taking B vitamins before a blood test?

The general consensus seems to be that a washout period of at least 2 weeks before testing is a good idea. As I recall, jimmylegs has made this specific time recommendation. My feeling is "the longer the better."

Pee turns bright yellow from riboflavin in B complex, not from B12.

Thank for that info. Hmm when i look at the bottle riboflavin is at 100% rda. So i guess depending if i am deficient or not it may not be enough to notice a change.

My question about the wash out period because i never understood why...... what exactly is the point of taking the vitamins if in 2 weeks you will essentially be back to (pre vitamin ingesting) values. Like i understand not all of it stays in the system. I am assuming that some does stay in the system to bring your low levels up. But if you were ingesting any large amounts of vitamins, wouldnt the test be skewed anyways regardless of washout period because your low levels will not be as low before. And thus not being able to identify if you did in fact have a deficiency.

ShirleyTemple wrote:My question about the wash out period because i never understood why...... what exactly is the point of taking the vitamins if in 2 weeks you will essentially be back to (pre vitamin ingesting) values. Like i understand not all of it stays in the system. I am assuming that some does stay in the system to bring your low levels up. But if you were ingesting any large amounts of vitamins, wouldnt the test be skewed anyways regardless of washout period because your low levels will not be as low before. And thus not being able to identify if you did in fact have a deficiency.

My brain must not be working well today; I don't understand your question. I'm sure another member here can handle this better than I can.

Lol it is a bit confusing now i look at it.

In condensed version. I am asking why take vitamin supplements if in 2 weeks (the washout period) they would essentially be back to the levels BEFORE you took vitamins. Wouldnt your test levels be skewed regardless because some stays in your system?

So either A) your levels are not your true levels after all (regardless of washout period)

Or B) Your body (if something is wrong with your system), doesn't absorb vitamins no matter how much you take and after 2 weeks you are back to where you started.

with the washout you assess circulating levels based on tissue stores, vs recent ingestion.

there's all kinds of contradictory info out there such as:

'There are no body stores of zinc and so daily intake of zinc is needed' http://patient.info/doctor/zinc-deficie ... ementation

compare: Zinc content and distribution in the newborn liver. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8856577

or,

'All the B vitamins are water-soluble, meaning that the body does not store them.' https://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/s ... riboflavin
"The water-soluble vitamins — C and the B-complex vitamins (such as vitamins B6, B12, niacin, riboflavin, and folate) — need to dissolve in water before your body can absorb them. Because of this, your body can't store these vitamins." http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness ... erals.html

compare: Biologic Turnover Rate of Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12) in Human Liver
http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article ... ultclick=1
There are several previously reported observations which suggest that this rate might be much slower for cyanocobalamin than for some of the other watersoluble vitamins, such as thiamine, nicotinic acid (niacin), and ascorbic acid. The interval between total gastrectomy and the development of megaloblastic anemia is usually several years.

etc

Hmm so from this it seems like the consensus is that for the most part the body does not really retain its vitamins. I'm not inferring this is the case, but maybe everybody has different natural levels we absorb vitamins and some of us our bodies just doesn't absorb as much as others or rather, keep in our bodies.

clarification - actually i was indicating that there is not a consensus. specifically where cobalamin is concerned.

http://www.clinsci.org/content/46/2/163

3. In normal and control subjects, Ado-B12 predominated in all samples except plasma, in which Me-B12 was the predominant form. Me-B12, Ado-B12, OH-B12 and CN-B12 were found in normal erythrocytes, leucocytes and bone marrow and the proportion of each cobalamin was fairly similar in all these tissues. In liver, kidney, spleen, brain and pituitary, the proportions of the cobalamins were more variable. No CN-B12 was detected in these organs.

so cobalamin is distributed throughout the body, and yes it will clear over time with no dietary intake. but the article in the previous post indicated that the process occurs more slowly in cobalamin's case, ie "The interval between total gastrectomy and the development of megaloblastic anemia is usually several years."

another example of a water soluble, unstorable vitamin:

Acute post-ingestion changes in plasma ascorbic acid concentration: Relationship to dose and to existing body stores
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ar ... 1796002503
"Results indicate that i) response to ingestion of vitamin C is dose dependent and independent of body stores of the vitamin"

experimental scurvy in man
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/22/5/535.full.pdf
"The deficient diet was fed until convincing evidence of mild clinical scurvy appeared and until, on the 99th day, the body pool of ascorbic acid had been largely depleted. ... It is estimated that clinical symptoms began to appear when the total body pool had decreased to approximately 300 mg and when the rate of catabolism of vitamin C had fallen to less than 2.5 mg daily."

I did notice bright yellow urine having been taking B vitamins etc. I also notice ringing in ears which I have not been able to equate to taking or not taking riboflavinoids. I am trying these avenues to help the fatigue and balance. Have not found the right thing yet.

sahsh, curious.. are you saying you do associate b-vits in general with tinnitus though?