Can B12 cause migraines?

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  • shano25
    shano25 Posts: 233 Member
    I take a B 100 Complex daily and I have never had an issue.

    For me, headaches come down to my calorie intake. One thing I've learned from tracking my calories here over time, I can't eat less than 1600 calories a day or else I get a severe headache (not a migraine but not a pop a tylenol and feel better one either.)
  • macceral
    macceral Posts: 1
    This is a very old thread but I thought it worthwhile to chime in.

    Yes, absolutely, I get pounding headaches from any of the B vitamins. I've tried multiple brands, dosages and combinations.

    Although they are of great use to probably a majority of people for increasing energy and relieving headaches/migraines, unfortunately some people suffer the exact opposite effect. A person's body chemistry can be annoyingly particular with regard to supplements and medications.
  • SistineKid
    SistineKid Posts: 1
    B vitamins were causing my headaches and migraines. I had been taking B12, B6, folic acid, and/or folate.

    I started taking B vitamins (folic acid, B6, and B12) originally to prevent seasonal affective disorder / depression when living at a very high latitude (with over 20 hours of darkness per day). Then I started getting migraines. I started taking more B vitamins (and more faithfully), which made the migraines even worse. I had even switched to different versions of B12 and used the metafolin version of folate.

    I did read about the sensitivities to the various forms (based on genetics) and the possibilty of a reaction to the "wrong" form or crowd out where the wrong form interferes with ability to use the correct form.

    I am sensitive to MSG, and if I eat too much of it, I will get a headache. But otherwise, since stopping B vitamin supplements, my migraines, head fog, and headaches have stopped.

    After totally cleaning my diet of any/all offending chemicals, I stopped taking vitamins and my migraines have subsided.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    It might cause migraines for you. According to my neurologist, they aren't quite sure what causes migraines, but they know something that triggers it for one person may not trigger it for another.

    For me, I supplement about 700mg Mg and it kills off my migraines.
  • sunflowerhippi
    sunflowerhippi Posts: 1,099 Member
    B12 deficiency can cause migraines... should be getting the reverse situation. Maybe it's something else in the multiviamin??


    This. My Dr. had me on b12 because of my migraines to try to stop them.
  • Lookgalore
    Lookgalore Posts: 1
    I just start taking 2500 mcg B-12 today and notice that I developed a severe headache during night as I slept. I am wondering if this due to the fact that I took it is so late in the afternoon and should be more preferred first thing in the morning. After reading similar reports that the B-12 helps with headache condition makes me curious as to why research has claims it does help headache conditions. Oh well maybe someone can better answer the reasoning and mystery to these issued now reported.
  • willicri
    willicri Posts: 1
    I started B12 shots for energy and they seem to trigger migraines. I have always migraines but thought I was crazy for thinking B12 triggered them.
  • takemoto1
    takemoto1 Posts: 1
    My daughter gets really bad migraines from B Complex vitamins which was ironic because I was giving them to her to prevent migraines. She is also sensitive to MSG and foods high in tyramine such as aged cheese. I am trying to figure out which vitamin is the culprit. I thought it might be the niacin.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    It happens to me. I have to take B12 and B6 because my antidepressants deplete them. Half an hour after taking it, BAM, headache! So I chase the B12 with Excedrin.
  • Stockebrand
    Stockebrand Posts: 2 Member
    B12 has an effect on red blood cells. If you live in a high altitude area (albuquerque, Santa Fe, Denver...) you may have a reaction.
  • Stockebrand
    Stockebrand Posts: 2 Member
    Just an additional bit of information; if you live in a higher altitude area (one or more miles up) you may be prone to polycythemia, which is an over production of red blood cells. Taking high amounts of B12 or biotin will unmask the symptoms of polycythemia. Some of the symptoms include; headaches, nausea, itchy skin and shortness of breath. Most dr's are not trained to identify the symptoms of polycythemia because there simply are not that many people who live in high altitude areas so the occurrence of HIGH red blood cell counts is not as common as low red blood cell counts.
  • samubig
    samubig Posts: 1 Member
    I know this is mostly old posts... but have been searching for others that get migraines from B12 and to find solutions. I am a firm believer it is a result of my MTHFR gene mutations and the form of B12 we are taking. Up to half the population could have some sort of this mutation and not know it! So many of you here, could just be taking the wrong FORM of B12 or in my case, I think the form I am taking is just building up because I am not methylating correctly yet!

    I am have had migraines most of my life and recently found a way to be in ketosis without the strict diet, that has helped decrease my migraines down to maybe 1 a month that I can usually attribute to that time of the month or my B12 issue that I am determined to find the solution!!! I am finally feeling amazing, aside from the occasional migraine when the B12 builds up too much and I don't catch it before it does. I have read that nonflushing niacin may be a solution. I will keep searching.

    For a few of you that are relying on Meds like Excedrin... PLEASE be careful. Look into Leaky Gut and the causes of Autoimmune (because you are setting yourself up for those rapidly but taking so much pain relief pills. I am there already and working on reversing both!)
  • YvetteK2015
    YvetteK2015 Posts: 654 Member
    samubig wrote: »
    For a few of you that are relying on Meds like Excedrin... PLEASE be careful. Look into Leaky Gut and the causes of Autoimmune (because you are setting yourself up for those rapidly but taking so much pain relief pills. I am there already and working on reversing both!)

    Oh please with your Leaky Gut! That's nothing but pseudo science. The only think anyone relying heavily on Excedrin has to worry about is ulcers. I know, I did that to myself twice by overuse of aspirin products trying to control my migraines. But no such thing as leaky gut.
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