is it ok to take B12 with folic acid? please help.?
please read the whole paragraph. i have started to take B12 500mcg and folic acid 400mcg together? can i get upset stomach with these 2 vitamins? i have the gastritis so i take prilosec otc in the morning to reduce the stomach acid and i believe which causes B12 not to absorb properly and my hemoglobin level is 12.7 which is lower than normal. HCT IS 41.7 which is little lower than normal. RBC is 6.62 which is little higher than normal. MCV is 62.9 lower than normal. MCH is 19.2 lower than normal. RDW is 19.0 higher than normal. now does all this indicate that i am anemic? well i asked the lab person he says that i have little anemia but i believe its not iron deficiency because the RBC level is higher than normal. the lab guy said that i have minor thalassimia so RBC's are smaller than normal and he recommended me to take B12 with folic acid and my questions are can i take take them together and why dont i need to take IRON tablets? why only the B12 abd Folic acid? thanks alot.
July 10th, 2010 - 10:44
Yes you can take B12 and folic acid together – they come together in a "B vitamin complex" formulation which tells you it is okay.
I don’t know why the lab person told you to take them because it doesn’t make any sense unless your folic acid and B12 levels are low.
As for the thalassemia minor – it is just something that should be properly diagnosed and you shouldn’t be treating it yourself until you have been diagnosed. By your lab work you likely have two populations of cell sizes (RDW is high) and you have plenty of RBC’s just low on the content of hemoglobin. The MCH and MCV point to iron deficient anemia but that is because of the Thalassemia minor.
Iron isn’t going to help you in with the Thalassemia because iron isn’t the problem. You likely have enough iron and if you do, and you take more you can get iron overload. When they check your out for the Thalassemia they will likely do a Ferritin which is the indicator of your iron stores. If your Ferritin is fine then you definitely don’t need iron.
Good luck to you
July 10th, 2010 - 10:44
Are you sure its 400 mg. of folic acid? I have never heard of anyone needing that much, usually it’s 1 mg. folic acid a day. anything else talk to your doctor, check that 400mg. of folic acid, something doesn’t sound right.
July 10th, 2010 - 10:44
Thalassaemia -is NOT an irondefiiency anemia but a haemaglobinopathy and therefore does not need iron.In fact extra iron can be harmful.
.B12 is indicated for B12 deficiency anaemia -Pernicious anaemia.
Folic acid is used in pregnancy and for treating megaloblasic anaemia as( B12 also can cause a megaloblastic anaemia).
You do not have a megaloblastic anaemia
By self treating you are confusing the picture.DO NOT do so
See your doctor/haematologist for definitive diagnosis.
You are making specific diagnosis harder.
Your body has B12 stores for several years before you become deficient
July 10th, 2010 - 10:44
I’ve been taking Vitamin B complex for a very long time which has both of those in it. It is safe to take them together.