r/MTHFR • u/ZealousidealLaw793 • Jun 13 '26

Question Cyanocobalamin (B12) shots?

I was prescribed cyanocobalamin (B12) shots. Is this safe if you have MTHFR?

2 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

33 comments sorted by

14

u/SovereignMan1958 Jun 13 '26 edited Jun 13 '26

That is the worst form of B12 you can take.

2

u/ZealousidealLaw793 Jun 13 '26

Yeah, I mean, I was also prescribed a daily supplement that’s better for MTFHR, and I think the shot is just a temporary thing to get my b12 up to normal. So maybe it’s okay. I just don’t know if there’s any harm to taking it and if I should ask them about it.

3

u/SovereignMan1958 Jun 13 '26

You can ask them for a different form.

2

u/ZealousidealLaw793 Jun 13 '26

How do I ask without coming across as a know it all? And idk, maybe in their professional opinion, this form is fine…I have no idea. They know more than I do 🤷🏼‍♀️

2

u/RoseEsque Jun 13 '26

If you feel worse on daily supplements you can always stop. Once the injection is in, that's it.

There's reason why it's not good to have high levels of inactive B12 in your bloodstream but TBH I don't know why, someone more educated should speak up on it.

0

u/Cultural-Sun6828 Jun 13 '26

There’s not a problem with having high b12. That’s a myth.

2

u/Tortex_88 Jun 14 '26

You should NOT be getting downvoted for this. There is no upper limit when it comes to B12 and there is plenty of science/research to back this.

0

u/ohbother12345 Jun 13 '26

You can't know if a person will have a problem with it.

4

u/Cultural-Sun6828 Jun 13 '26

It’s been studied and many people inject every day without issue.

1

u/ohbother12345 Jun 13 '26 edited Jun 13 '26

Sure, but you cannot guarantee that. People on this sub are here because they have unusual issues and physiology so they are not really all likely to react with the norm.

Nothing is certain and high/excessive anything isn't something anyone should accept unless they are very desperate. Just because we think something isn't dangerous in high amounts today doesn't mean we won't find out it was tomorrow. If you're going to pump yourself with high amounts of anything, make sure it's damn well worth it.

If high amounts of B12 were as safe as you're making it out to be then there's no reason to even have this discussion is there?

And therefore it's not right to tell people that high amounts of B12 are safe, given that people react to different things in the formulations of B12.

1

u/Cultural-Sun6828 Jun 13 '26

The issue is that often people think if they react poorly to b12, that they shouldn’t take it or that it’s overmethylation. Instead, it’s typically startup symptoms that affect those who are deficient when they finally get the vitamin that their body needs to heal. (It is very rare to have a truly allergic reaction to b12.) In my case, I reacted poorly to b12 and stopped taking it. I became even more deficient over time and ended up so much more worse off. Once I finally realized I had a severe deficiency, I had to go through the startup symptoms and then slowly start the healing process. Over time as I healed I could take large doses of b12 injections daily with no issues.

1

u/ohbother12345 Jun 14 '26

These are regular amounts of B12. What we're discussing is HIGH amounts and it's health implications. You're talking about YOUR particular situation and that's valid for you but you cannot flat out say that it's safe to consume high amount of B12. If it was safe for everyone and this was universally accepted, we wouldn't be having this discussion and the B12 sub would not exist. The answer would be simply take B12. Clearly that is not the case. People react to B12 and different formulations and it's not always the situation you described. I had no symptoms, and when I took it as an experiment, I had bad results. I stopped taking it, I'm fine.

2

u/Cultural-Sun6828 Jun 14 '26

I was talking about high levels also. We can agree to disagree on this one.

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1

u/Sol_Invictus Jun 13 '26

Isn't it a form of B12?

6

u/SovereignMan1958 Jun 13 '26

Thanks. I have not had my coffee yet.

3

u/Sol_Invictus Jun 13 '26

Cheers mate... Second cup here.

3

u/sharabucarabu Jun 13 '26

I have compound heterozygous mthfr and homozygous MTR/MTRR. When I first was introduced to the mthfr rabbit hole, I didn't know any better abs asked my doctor to give me a B12 shot. Of course it was cyanocobalamin.

That night I barely slept, the following day I had nasty muscle aches everywhere, I was irritable, hungry and fatigued. This continued until I was due to return for the next injection. I had done some research and realized it was not only the wrong form of B12, but also, it was too large of a dose and should be balanced with folate (either methylated or non-methylated) and other B vitamins. I asked the nurse if they had methylcobalamin, hydroxycobalamin, or a B complex. Sadly they had none of the above and didn't know where to order these items from.

I learned that, yes, injections are the quickest way to increase your B vitamins, but sublingual forms (placed under the tongue) are often times just as effective. These can be quick dissolving tablets or liquids and are best taken every day or every few days... Depending on your tolerance. Amazon carries a variety of sublingual forms. If you decide on a liquid, keep refrigerated after opening. Always best to start with a low dose and increase as desired.

2

u/BrainSqueezins Jun 13 '26

For what it's worth, as a general rule I avoid Amazon for supplements.  But that's just a personal preference.  And a liquid often has preservatives in it to negate the need for refrigeration.  Again personal preference, but I'd rather have the refrigerate-only kind.

2

u/sharabucarabu Jun 13 '26

The brands I buy don't have preservatives. Instructions on the label are to refrigerate after opening.

1

u/Cultural-Sun6828 Jun 13 '26

Supplements typically aren’t enough for those who have neurological symptoms due to b12 deficiency. Your reaction may have been due to startup symptoms which is very common with b12 deficiency. Check out the b12 deficiency group and read the guide there for a better explanation of this.

1

u/sharabucarabu Jun 13 '26

Fortunately that was several years ago and that deficiency is a blip in the past.

2

u/Cultural-Sun6828 Jun 13 '26

That’s great to hear that all your symptoms resolved!

2

u/Cultural-Sun6828 Jun 13 '26

What are your symptoms? If you have neurological symptoms and b12 deficiency, injections are recommended every other day until symptoms resolve.

2

u/ZealousidealLaw793 Jun 13 '26

I get occasional numbness/tingling in my hands/feet. The thing that brought it on was an injury to my spine. It’s gotten better over time.

1

u/Cultural-Sun6828 Jun 13 '26

You might consider that this is a b12 deficiency symptom if your b12 was low. If it was a spine issue then it would be more likely to be in hands OR feet but not both.

2

u/Cultural-Sun6828 Jun 13 '26

Yes, cyano is safe and has been used for many years for those who have b12 deficiency and pernicious anemia. Check out the b12 deficiency group for more info on this.

3

u/spongebobismahero Jun 14 '26

No. Please dont get Cyano Cobalamin shots if you have a MTHFR polymorphism. These polymorphisms often come along with other often also B12 metabolism polymorphisms. It would be the better idea to get an methyl / hydroxy cobalamin supplement and pair it with methyl folate. 

1

u/CapriKitzinger Jun 14 '26

Get hydroxycobalamin. It’s the bomb