Anyone good with vitamins? Help please x

jaycee76 · February 2010

Hi

I am suffering really badly over the last few weeks with being over tired. I sleep 10-14 hours per night and can find myself needing a nap 1-2 plus hours in the day. My sleep is all dreaming and I put this down to my lack of feeling refreshed too.
I have always needed my sleep but things are getting quite hard the last couple of weeks where I am left with zero energy in my body (mind desperately willing but body just dead). Before anyone jumps in with depression I am already being treated for this and it is not the same kind of tiredness.
I have been today to Holland and Barratt and they said it sounded like a B12 deficiency. So I have got some B12 tablets but she also said I should try CoQ10 and sold me all the benefits and said they are fine to take together.
My question is I have searched the net and although she said its absolutely fine to take both together I cannot find any evidence of this. They are both high doses and although water soluble I still worry about taking them together.
Has anyone got any history of taking them together or any information that I may find helpful please?
Many Thanks
Jaycee x

lotusfromthemud · February 2010

B 12 is in my multi, and I also take CoQ10, no problems.

Are you a vegan? Because that is a group that needs to supplement B12.

Also, for energy levels, I find that vitamin D supplements help. I use "D drops", which my doc. told me are easier for your body to absorb.

Also, how low are your calories? Don't forget that calories = energy...and restricting them too severely can lead to the extreme fatigue you're describing.

All that being said, you should consult your doc. I'm always wary of taking the advice of health food store salespeople. After all, it's their job to sell you vitamins...just saying.:flowerforyou:

epoeraven · February 2010

Call your doctor and ask him/her.

jaycee76 · February 2010

I should have said I will consult my Dr on Monday anyway. I am not a vegan but I am not a big meat or dairy eater either. I am not restricting my calories below 1440 at the minute to try and pick myself up but even before the 1440 I did not go below 1200 and I always eat my exercise calories.
The thing that concerns me with the Dr is they are always Anti supplements.

balance9 · February 2010

Hard to say what your missing in your diet without looking at what you're eating, but supplementing would be the last option before trying to make the changes in what you're eating. B12 supplementation is usually not necessary in young women, unless you're a vegan or have certain types of anemia.

Have you considered that you might be over-training? Your symptoms would fit. Without looking at your diet and exercise routine it would be hard to tell, but you look young and healthy...over-training is often overlooked, but very common in our demographic (fitness focused women!).

dkcj4fox · February 2010

It's fine to take both together. (I've taken both)

Just make sure the b12 is Methylcobalamin and not Cyanocobalamin

I get about 3000mcg (3mg) of B12 per day.

I believe CoQ10 should be between 30 and 90 mg per day and is better if taken with a fatty substance such as oil, peanut butter, olive oil, etc.

lotusfromthemud · February 2010

I should have said I will consult my Dr on Monday anyway. I am not a vegan but I am not a big meat or dairy eater either. I am not restricting my calories below 1440 at the minute to try and pick myself up but even before the 1440 I did not go below 1200 and I always eat my exercise calories.
The thing that concerns me with the Dr is they are always Anti supplements.

Depends on the doctor. Mine is most decidedly not.

You might ask for some bloodwork, to see if you're actually deficient (or even borderline deficient) in anything. IMHO, there's no point in supplementing when you don't need to. Just MHO.

PoisonSugar · February 2010

B12 is prescribed for pts who are anemic. Are you getting enough iron in your diet? If you are vegan/vegetarian, there are other foods (other than meats) that contain iron.

PoisonSugar · February 2010

B12 is prescribed for pts who are anemic. Are you getting enough iron in your diet? If you are vegan/vegetarian, there are other foods (other than meats) that contain iron.

lt_mrcook · February 2010

1: Are you working out a lot? If you're workout hard, and not taking days off you could be overtrained. Cut your training back by 50% for a week and see if that helps.

2: If you sleep too much (yes you can) your body can get used to being asleep, and actually want more than you require. If you try the supliments and reducing your training and it's till not working, try sleeping only 8-9 hrs per night.

jaycee76 · February 2010

Hard to say what your missing in your diet without looking at what you're eating, but supplementing would be the last option before trying to make the changes in what you're eating. B12 supplementation is usually not necessary in young women, unless you're a vegan or have certain types of anemia.

Have you considered that you might be over-training? Your symptoms would fit. Without looking at your diet and exercise routine it would be hard to tell, but you look young and healthy...over-training is often overlooked, but very common in our demographic (fitness focused women!).

LOL The chance to overtrain would be a fine thing!
The last 2 weeks all I have managed is 30 minutes fast walking a day. I have been taking chinese diet tea FEI YAN for about a month now (not really for the diet side of things but it helps me go to the loo iygwim?) and have just noticed that on one website it mentions that laxatives can cause B12 deficiency. I dont know what is in the tea ( it has nothing listed) but some people say it has laxatives (it certainly has a mild laxative effect) Maybe its the tea that is causing my problems?

lotusfromthemud · February 2010

Hard to say what your missing in your diet without looking at what you're eating, but supplementing would be the last option before trying to make the changes in what you're eating. B12 supplementation is usually not necessary in young women, unless you're a vegan or have certain types of anemia.

Have you considered that you might be over-training? Your symptoms would fit. Without looking at your diet and exercise routine it would be hard to tell, but you look young and healthy...over-training is often overlooked, but very common in our demographic (fitness focused women!).

LOL The chance to overtrain would be a fine thing!
The last 2 weeks all I have managed is 30 minutes fast walking a day. I have been taking chinese diet tea FEI YAN for about a month now (not really for the diet side of things but it helps me go to the loo iygwim?) and have just noticed that on one website it mentions that laxatives can cause B12 deficiency. I dont know what is in the tea ( it has nothing listed) but some people say it has laxatives (it certainly has a mild laxative effect) Maybe its the tea that is causing my problems?

Stop the tea! That is most likely senna, a natural (fairly potent) laxative. It can cause chronic dehydration, which can lead to both B12 deficiency and extreme fatigue.

Also, you become dependent on the tea to make your bathroom visits. Not good.

jaycee76 · February 2010

Hard to say what your missing in your diet without looking at what you're eating, but supplementing would be the last option before trying to make the changes in what you're eating. B12 supplementation is usually not necessary in young women, unless you're a vegan or have certain types of anemia.

Have you considered that you might be over-training? Your symptoms would fit. Without looking at your diet and exercise routine it would be hard to tell, but you look young and healthy...over-training is often overlooked, but very common in our demographic (fitness focused women!).

LOL The chance to overtrain would be a fine thing!
The last 2 weeks all I have managed is 30 minutes fast walking a day. I have been taking chinese diet tea FEI YAN for about a month now (not really for the diet side of things but it helps me go to the loo iygwim?) and have just noticed that on one website it mentions that laxatives can cause B12 deficiency. I dont know what is in the tea ( it has nothing listed) but some people say it has laxatives (it certainly has a mild laxative effect) Maybe its the tea that is causing my problems?

Stop the tea! That is most likely senna, a natural (fairly potent) laxative. It can cause chronic dehydration, which can lead to both B12 deficiency and extreme fatigue.

Also, you become dependent on the tea to make your bathroom visits. Not good.

I think we have a result! Its the Tea!
I have just checked and it has been just over 5 weeks I havebeen on it and for the first 2 weeks I was fine but the last 2 and a half weeks have been seriously hard work!
Can you suggest anything I can use to help with my toilet visits as this is tea is the first thing that has worked at keeping me regular in months (I try high fibre diets, fibogel etc and nothing works)

lotusfromthemud · February 2010

Hard to say what your missing in your diet without looking at what you're eating, but supplementing would be the last option before trying to make the changes in what you're eating. B12 supplementation is usually not necessary in young women, unless you're a vegan or have certain types of anemia.

Have you considered that you might be over-training? Your symptoms would fit. Without looking at your diet and exercise routine it would be hard to tell, but you look young and healthy...over-training is often overlooked, but very common in our demographic (fitness focused women!).

LOL The chance to overtrain would be a fine thing!
The last 2 weeks all I have managed is 30 minutes fast walking a day. I have been taking chinese diet tea FEI YAN for about a month now (not really for the diet side of things but it helps me go to the loo iygwim?) and have just noticed that on one website it mentions that laxatives can cause B12 deficiency. I dont know what is in the tea ( it has nothing listed) but some people say it has laxatives (it certainly has a mild laxative effect) Maybe its the tea that is causing my problems?

Stop the tea! That is most likely senna, a natural (fairly potent) laxative. It can cause chronic dehydration, which can lead to both B12 deficiency and extreme fatigue.

Also, you become dependent on the tea to make your bathroom visits. Not good.

I think we have a result! Its the Tea!
I have just checked and it has been just over 5 weeks I havebeen on it and for the first 2 weeks I was fine but the last 2 and a half weeks have been seriously hard work!
Can you suggest anything I can use to help with my toilet visits as this is tea is the first thing that has worked at keeping me regular in months (I try high fibre diets, fibogel etc and nothing works)

Lots and lots of water. I try to have water first thing in the a.m. (before my beloved coffee) and I find this helps, um, get things moving. Also, make sure that a good percentage of your fibre is coming from fruit and veg. (I try to get most of my carbs from these sources). For me, too many grain carbs sort of plug me up. Also, be sure you're getting enough fat in your diet. My never fail go to when I feel not regular: an avocado. Works every time for me.

Too much fibre without enough liquid actually can lead to constipation.

Now you have another thing to ask your doc about.

jaycee76 · February 2010

Thanks

Anyone good with vitamins? Help please x

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