Quote:
Originally Posted by missmetal
I take 1 of these tablets per week :)
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Looks like you are on the right track there missmetal. But you know, I did some intensive reading on the subject of B12 and made the following notes and I'm mentioning this because you have diabetes. And while I don't know what drugs you take for that, you might find the following excerpt interesting.
While lack of animal products, reduced stomach acid production and various disease processes may cause a B12 deficiency, the use of certain medications can also lead to a failure to absorb the B12 that is ingested.
As absorption of B12 is a process that begins with consumption of food and then proceeds through the digestive tract which requires digestive acids, B12 deficiency can also be brought on by the use of acid supressing drugs like Tagamet, Zantac, Losec, Omeprazole. Users should be monitored as a deficiency of B12 can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke in the elderly. ( Ruscin, J. Mark, et al. Vitamin B12 deficiency associated with histamine2-receptor antagonists and a proton-pump inhibitor. Annals of Pharmacotherapy, Vol. 36, May 2002, pp. 812-16)
The problematic medications include the following:
-Prevacid, Prolific, Prtonix, Nexium, Zantac Tagamet, Axid, Alternagel, Maalox, Mylanta, Riopan, Tums (used to treat heartburn and ulcers)
-proton-pump inhibitors (omeprazole and lansoprazole (used for Zollinger-Ellison syndrome gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) Deficiency potentially occurs around the three year mark of using those drugs.
-Hisamine2 (H2) receptor antagonists (Cimetidine, famotidine & ranitidine) used to treat peptic ulcer disease
-Cholestyramine (used to treat high cholesterol)
-Colchicine (used in treatment of gout)
-Glucophage, Glucovance, K-Lor, K-Lyte, Lotrix, K-Dur, Micro-K, Slow-K, potassium chloride
-Metformin (used to treat type 2 diabetes (it is thought that it ties up the calcium that is need for absorption of IF-B12)
-Questran (used to tread high cholesterol
-Neomycin (used to treat infections)
-Para-aminosalicylic acid (used to treat tuberculosis)
-Nitrous oxide (used as anesthetic - and oxidizes and inactivates B12 and inhibits the B12 enzymes)
-Folic acid (taken in large doses can correct a megaloblastic anemia but not correct the underlying B12 deficiency which still leaves the individual at risk of irreversible neurologic damage. Therefore folic acid consumption or supplements should not exceed 1000 mpg/day.)
-Neomycin (an antibiotic )
The Mayo Clinic has also stated that cancer patients should use B12 supplements cautiously as should people with any types of blood disorders, gout, heart, skin disorders, etc., and again, always be followed in conjunction with the advice of your doctor.
Glucophage (or metformin as it is commonly known and taken for diabetes) should be switched to sulfonyluria and followed by taking a B12 supplement for two months can reverse the deficiency. (Archives of Internal Medicine, Vol. 162, February 25, 2002, pp.484-85)
[url]http://b12patch.com/research-studies/[/ur