Vitamin B complex for low energy and depression
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free skin care · Thu Aug 22, 2013 9:15 pm

A friend's doctor told her to start taking vitamin B complex for low energy and depression. After two months she said that her hair and skin is softer and her nails have grown faster and stronger.

Ya learn sumthin' new everyday!

free skin care · Thu Aug 22, 2013 9:53 pm

My B levels were very low per my doctor, and I have been definitely feeling depressed. I am trying to increase them, but haven't seen any benefits yet.

free skin care · Fri Aug 23, 2013 12:13 am

I think it can take some time for you to notice any benefit, especially if you have been quite low with your levels, Bethany.

Quite a few years ago ( too many I was a teenager Laughing

) I was feeling low ,awful nails typical teenager stuff but my lovely old family GP decided Not to put me on antidepressants, (I was quite bad) but to try with Vit B.
It worked, but took its time. So hang in there it may just turn out ok!

free skin care · Fri Aug 23, 2013 5:39 am

Thanks...I'll keep taking them and we'll see what happens!

free skin care · Fri Aug 23, 2013 7:42 am

My hubby's doctor put him on Vitamin B's as part of his diet. He also said it helps combat the weight gain.

free skin care · Fri Aug 23, 2013 8:35 am

I had bad post natal depression after my first son was born, and the hospital kept prescribing iron tablets as I was anaemic.
But the depression lasted for months.
Then I read a newspaper article about synergy - the need for vitamins to be balanced by minerals, and vice versa - and it gave an example of iron needing to be taken with Vitamin B.
So that afternoon I bought some Iron Tonic tablets from Boots, as these contained iron and Vitamin B. (These have been discontinued as I *believe* the latest thinking is that iron is better taken with Vitamin C, but don't quote me on that}.
Anyway, exactly 10 days after starting on the Iron Tonic tablets, I woke up feeling lighter and happier, as if a black cloud had lifted from my life.

free skin care · Fri Aug 23, 2013 10:12 am

Oh good...I have not been consistent in taking them, but this will motivate me to do so.

free skin care · Sat Aug 24, 2013 11:44 am

So many things deplete the body of B vitamins too:
BCP and HRT
sugar
alcohol
diuretics
coffee
tea
theophylline
antibiotics
blueberries
antacids
sleeping pills

from What You Must Know About Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs & More2008 edition, Pamela Wartian Smith MD MPH

free skin care · Sat Aug 24, 2013 4:57 pm

I started taking B complex a few years ago, and since then have discontinued all other vitamins, except that one.

I had suffered from depression consistently earlier in my life, but not after beginning with the B's (however, there were a lot of other changes I made around the same time).

The one thing I always said about them is that they made me feel more "grounded".

free skin care · Mon Aug 26, 2013 1:06 am

bethany wrote:

Oh good...I have not been consistent in taking them, but this will motivate me to do so.

Me too! I had been taking vit B complex every day immediately after a chewable vit C - but ran out of the vit C, so forgot to take vit B! Am just getting back on track this weekend.

free skin care · Mon Aug 26, 2013 6:12 am

Good to know, but doesnt chewable C damage the tooth enamel?

free skin care · Mon Aug 26, 2013 10:49 am

I have no idea what kind of B Vitamins ppl are supplementing with but not all forms are necessarily safe or effective especially if you have a MTHFR genetic defect. (or variant) This is not uncommon at all & many (most) docs have no clue about it.

These links have more info :

http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/mthfr/

http://thehealthyelephant.com/misunderstoodz/mthfr/mthfr-folic-acid-vs-l-methylfolate-vs-folate/

free skin care · Tue Aug 27, 2013 9:48 am

fawnie wrote:

Good to know, but doesnt chewable C damage the tooth enamel?

Unfortunately it probably does - but I find a lot of pills too big to swallow - plus I particularly like chewing these! If taking vitamin pills isn't made easy or pleasant, then I end up not taking them - my vit B complex are tiny. (If I have to take medication, then I have to break or grind them up into bits if too big!)

On the plus side, I hardly ever drink soft drinks like cola etc Smile

.

free skin care · Tue Aug 27, 2013 6:52 pm

I took a B complex several years ago while growing my hair. It worked very well. I stopped taking it because my urine turned neon-yellow, I worried about the long-term effects, and I reached my hair length goal.

The brand I took was Douglas labs--the one without metafolin. I chose that brand because it was high in Biotin. (Most B-complexes are low in Biotin):

http://www.amazon.com/Douglas-Labs-Ultra-Complex-Tablets/dp/B001102O0W/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1377654502&sr=8-3&keywords=douglas+b+complex

Our Health Co-op also makes a B-complex that is high in Biotin, but I've never tried it. Theirs, though, is much more affordable than Douglas':

http://store.ourhealthcoop.com/B-100-Plus-p/b100.htm

free skin care · Tue Aug 27, 2013 7:00 pm

Many less expensive multi-vitamin complexes are painfully low on the B vitamin side of things; some B's missing altogether. B's are more expensive and so might be skimped on in a multi.
I've always found them best taken as a separate entity. Either in a complex or as separate altogether. I take a high mg biotin by itself as well as B complex.

free skin care · Tue Aug 27, 2013 7:23 pm

Veronica,

I have purchased all my supplements from ourhealthcoop.com for many years and have been very happy with them. They are one of my favorite vendors because they 3rd party test all their supplements to make sure you are really getting what the label says.

I also like their Constant Health high-nutrient protein powder...low carb, no artificial sweeteners, etc

free skin care · Tue Aug 27, 2013 9:37 pm

bethany wrote:

Veronica,

I have purchased all my supplements from ourhealthcoop.com for many years and have been very happy with them. They are one of my favorite vendors because they 3rd party test all their supplements to make sure you are really getting what the label says.

I also like their Constant Health high-nutrient protein powder...low carb, no artificial sweeteners, etc

Very important to have a third party testing - this is not likely on Walmart brand etc vitamins. Independent testing is almost always the case on higher end brands to verify potency, dose etc.

free skin care · Tue Sep 03, 2013 1:08 am

SoftSkin wrote:

A friend's doctor told her to start taking vitamin B complex for low energy and depression. After two months she said that her hair and skin is softer and her nails have grown faster and stronger.

Ya learn sumthin' new everyday!

I've been taking a sub-lingual B Complex for about 6 months now. I just can't handle the smell of B vitamin pill; the scent of them makes me extremely nauseous. But the sub-lingual liquid is great and it only costs about $4 at Wal Mart for a month's supply. I got some at our local Grocery Outlet for about a dollar less than Wal Mart recently.

free skin care · Tue Sep 17, 2013 7:13 pm

brewer's yeast is a good source of the b complex. I try to take this everyday.

free skin care · Thu Sep 19, 2013 4:41 am

bethany wrote:

Veronica,

I have purchased all my supplements from ourhealthcoop.com for many years and have been very happy with them. They are one of my favorite vendors because they 3rd party test all their supplements to make sure you are really getting what the label says.

I also like their Constant Health high-nutrient protein powder...low carb, no artificial sweeteners, etc

bethany,

I'm glad to hear that you like OurHealthCoop supplements. How did you find out about them?

Given that there's scarce information on the Internet about them, I thought OurHealthCoop was an obscure company. Yet, I'm pleasantly surprised to hear that a fellow EDSer likes them. Maybe they're more popular than I had initially assumed.

free skin care · Thu Sep 19, 2013 9:36 am

I heard about them on a different forum many years ago. They have a partnership with Dr. Rodier and also Bill Henderson so they can't be that obscure.

free skin care · Thu Sep 19, 2013 10:02 am

Ginseng for low energy.

For depression cayenne is relaxant,valeriana the same,st johns and gink biloba is said to help.

Thu Sep 19, 2013 7:50 pm

I'm consistently on a low mood but I am resisting any anti depressants; instead opting for a healthier lifestyle and diet route. B vitamin is one of the natural supplements, as well as Fish oil that I'm taking, in trying to maintain my mental well-being

To date, I haven't really noticed indications of better mood, but it's probably my cycle making me overly hormonal and chemically unbalanced more than usual

free skin care · Fri Sep 20, 2013 2:16 pm

St Johns Wort helps with depression & anxiety & PMS. Takes a few weeks to start helping. I don't think i'll ever stop taking it! I've been taking it for about 2 or 3 years now. Bonus is that i don't get sore nipples/breasts before my period. I accidently ran out of SJW for a couple of weeks, a few months back & i wondered why my breasts were so sore. Back on the SJW & no pain since!

free skin care · Sat Sep 21, 2013 9:08 am

St John's Wort (Hypericum). Some people are allergic to this herb. In extreme cases where someone has a sensitive brain, it can even cause a seizure.
Try it out slowly and gradually.

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