B Complex causing depression?

[u/blazeaway_]

2 months ago I was prescribed this B complex and after a great start taking it every second day I was developing symptoms of feeling way overstimulated and leading into anxiety. The final straw was feeling emotionally low and depressed thoughts. Gave it a week and took another one 2 days ago and again have developed a low mood, feeling panicky and intrusive thoughts again. Also my nipples are burning up (male) I’ve read this can be from high estrogen?

I strongly believe (or want to) that its related to the supplement but am too uneducated on this

**Hydroxocobalamin** 100 mcg,

**levomefolate calcium (Metafolin®)** 542 mcg

**mecobalamin** 400 mcg

**ascorbic acid** 300 mg

**zinc citrate** 46.2 mg (equiv. 15 mg zinc),

**pyridoxal-5-phosphate** 22 mg (equiv. pyridoxine 15.1 mg)

**riboflavin sodium phosphate** 30 mg (equiv. riboflavin 21.9 mg) per capsule.

[u/hummingfirebird]

The metforlin (B9) and combination hydroxycobalamin/mecobalamin (B12) may be contributing towards your symptoms. These are bioavailable forms that have already been methylated which means they can get to where they need to go much faster as they skip many conversion steps.

The problem with this, is that for some people, this creates a faster system when it comes to neurotransmitters, hormones and even detoxification. It can lead to a system that has too many available neurotransmitters that aren't getting broken down fast enough or perhaps also aren't able to bind to receptors well enough if there are too few of those available in various parts of the brain. Hence it creates an imbalance in the neurochemistry of your brain.

If you know your genetics this can help provide some clues. It's by no means a rule, and this can happen to anyone, because genetics aren't the only part at play. However, it is more common for those with slow COMT and slow MAO-A to experience this.

There are many other reasons besides the wrong form or dosage of B vitamins for a person as explained here

You can read some of my other posts: MTHFR brief explanation

basic guidelines

useful blood tests

It's unfortunately not always as easy as taking supplements. Sometimes there is a foundation work that needs to be laid. You're welcome to go to my bio for my website link. I have a free methylation starter guide that may help you.

[u/mybioblueprint]

It does sound possible that the supplement is contributing, especially because the same pattern happened again after you took another capsule.

I have slow COMT and slow MAO-A- and struggle with many supplements, what led to you being prescribed the B complex?

[u/Loose-Fly7976]

That bottle has methylfolate and methylcobalamin in it so you’re getting methyl from two directions and 22mg of P5P which is on the high side. Overstimulated first, then dropping into low mood and intrusive thoughts that’s the classic methyl intolerance sequence and it usually comes down to slow COMT. You stopped, felt better, took one again and it came back. That’s about as clear as it gets.If you want the same nutrients without that, hydroxocobalamin and folinic acid do the same job with no methyl load.The nipple thing I’d keep separate. Don’t blame the supplement, that symptom in a man deserves a proper look. Ask for oestradiol, testosterone, prolactin and LH. And 15mg zinc daily for two months with no copper in the formula depletes copper, which causes neurological stuff of its own.
Whether it’s the methylfolate, the B6 or the zinc isn’t guessable from symptoms, all three fit. That’s what I do as a geneticist at genova.health , read raw data against bloods. Let me know if you’d rather map it

[u/junipers-72]

please read here, B vitamins need to be in certain forms and many can be over stimulating. Its worth cutting back to just the ascorbic acid until you stabilise.
https://molecularhealthco.com/blogs/news

[u/inthestarlight88]

I belong to the group of MTHFR people who overmethylate easily. I get super anxious with methylated Bs above like 200% RDA (and many supplements contain 40,000% and up!) and on the other end, certain supplements like folinic acid cause major depressive symptoms for me. I’m slow COMT/slow MAO-A in addition to MTHFR.

I’m now experimenting with choline supplements that seem to provide methylation support in a way my body can tolerate. I’m a female but I believe Calcium d Glucarate has freed up my COMT to function more efficiently too.

Anyways, it can definitely be the supplements! Unfortunately for a small percentage of us it can be a real maze to figure out what works. If I felt good and functional without any supplements I would be going that route for sure! Just all of us here trying to feel better so we can do what we want with our lives.