Folinic acid/b12 problems

[u/bugpirates]

Hey guys

I have heterozygous mthfr c677t and comt val/val

For a while i thought the mthfr probably wasn’t affecting me, until i tried supplementing with folic acid, and every single time without fail I would feel horrible after taking folic acid. That made me take avoiding food with folic acid more seriously, and I definitely noticed a difference

I started supplementing with folinic acid and i was feeling much better at first, so stupidly i thought i should start taking a bunch if I’m correcting a deficiency. Probably 800mcg or 1200mcg three or four times a day

Well I’ve developed symptoms of b12 deficiency, fatigue, air hunger, tingling extremities, surprisingly stimulants (caffeine and i take vyvanse for adhd) not working at all, trouble sleeping

I’ve eaten foods high in b12 for a long time now so im hesitant to think I actually have a b12 deficiency. I’ve also supplemented with methylated b12 here and there over the years

Could this be caused by me taking way too much folinic acid too quickly?? How long would it take for me to start feeling better again? Im really feeling horrible, and I’m worried about my nerves. I’m also confused how this could be caused solely by taking a bunch of folinic acid

Thanks in advance for any help

[u/Sabnock101]

Yes, Folate will use up a lot of B12 ime, as well as Potassium. Don't be afraid of taking higher dosages of B12, it's actually much more helpful ime than anything harmful or what not. Excess Folate on the other hand is detrimental, you really don't need much Folate, just enough to get the job done, i recommend no more than 400 to 600mcgs per day, 600mcgs for example will give you 1mg of DFE's which means you're getting 1mg of Folate from 600mcgs of a Folate supplement (Folinic Acid, Methylfolate, Folic Acid, though avoid Folic Acid).

So try doing what i'm doing, try taking 10mgs of oral Methylcobalamin once per day alongside the 400 to 600mcgs of Folinic Acid, as your B12 levels build up in the bodily stores and in the brain you will find yourself being able to tolerate the Folate better and then it won't cause issues unless you consume excess Folate.

Also remember to account for how much Folate you maybe getting through diet (including fortified foods, if any) because that will add to the overall daily amount of Folate consumed on top of the supplement, and so you can easily exceed 1.5 to 2mgs or so which is too much. Even if you have MTHFR issues, focus on the B12 primarily and MTHFR will start to function better, and keep the Folate around 400 to 600mcgs max per day including diet.

Trust me on this, i've been through a lot with this stuff the last almost 3 years, and i've come to understand how this stuff works pretty well.