Vitamin B12: is it safe or will it cause flushing?

[paperbag Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close paperbag]

I'm considering taking vitamin b12 for nerve pain. I just realized that Neurontin, which is commonly prescribed for nerve pain, is causing pretty bad flushing. So I stopped the Neurontin.

Vitamin b12 is usually considered an energy boost vitamin. Vitamin b12 deficiency can cause peripheral nerve pain. Also, I've been a vegetarian for a long time, and I've read that being vegetarian can cause someone to become vitamin b12 deficient.

So I'm seriously considering that I might be vitamin b12 deficient, and taking vitamin b12 could help my nerve pain.

But I'm also really worried that it might cause flushing.

Does anyone have any experience with taking vitamin b12 supplements? Did you have any flushing problems with them, or no problems?

Thanks for any advice.

[Firefox7275 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Firefox7275]

I am qualified in lifestyle healthcare (physical activity, nutrition). In general randomly supplementing individual micronutrients or small groups is not recommended, only with the supervision/ recommendation from an appropriately qualified medical professional. Micronutrients work synergistically and in opposition, you can easily do more harm than good by causing or worsening imbalances. Are you not taking vegetarian specific supplements anyway?

If you are already supplementing that may include vitamin B12, then there is whatever you are getting from the eggs and dairy you consume. If you are not taking anything you may well be deficient in several micronutrients - depending how carefully you balance your diet on a daily or weekly basis. Possible issues include vitamin D and the long chain omega-3s DHA and EPA (all from oily fish), haem iron (dark/ organ meats, fish), magnesium (certain seeds, cocoa, bran), calcium (dairy, but utilised with magnesium/ vitamin D).

There is no one nutrient important for the nervous system any more than for skin health, several of the nutrients mentioned above are highly relevant as well as other B complex vitamins as you note. This is a useful series of guides, there are others on vegetarian charity websites

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Mag...hProfessional/
http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Vit...hProfessional/
http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Vit...hProfessional/
http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Ome...hProfessional/

Not classed as an essential micronutrient but phosphatidylcholine (lecithin from egg yolks, meat) is a building block of nerve cells and skin cells IIRC. As you can see if you are not eating enough dairy and whole eggs for vitamin B12, there are a raft of other key nutrients you may be missing out on. Wherever possible (observing religious beliefs, ethical considerations, allergies) wholefoods are preferable to pills because they supply combinations of micronutrients.

HTH!