Re: B12 as cyanocobalamin -- long post

[Guest guest]

>

> A friend of mine is mercury toxic and thinks he is getting more

> poisoned due to the cyanide contained in the B12 he was taking.

Year ago I had the same concern and did much research. Based on my

experience, I recommend cyanocobalamin injections (despite the trace

cyanide) for severe chronic fatigue and low blood pressure.

Over the years, long before I knew about mercury, I'd found oral B-12

very helpful in alleviating neuropathy. Incidentally, oral

methylcobalamin (5 mg tablets) is not hard to find and not that

expensive. But according to the B-12 medical literature, some people

don't respond to oral doses but do respond to injections, for unknown

reasons. So I talked two of my doctors into giving me shots (despite

high serum levels) -- one will reluctantly give me shots of

hydroxocobalamin at his office (at no cost via insurance, but

inconvenient), and the other readily gave me a prescription to self-

inject cyanocobalamin (but not hydroxo, since he wasn't familiar with

it).

Since I had an unknown chronic illness, I was very concerned about

trying the cyano form, and spent many hours reviewing medical

literature. (Of course the literature all claims the amount of

cyanide is miniscule and the kidneys easily process it, but I'm not

one to believe cavalier dismissals). The best review article I found

was Solomon LR, Disorders of cobalamin metabolism, Blood Reviews

(2006), which is no longer available in full-text on the internet.

It said that hydroxocobalamin has greater systemic retention and

availability than cyanocobalamin, so I would have preferred this

form, although it's more expensive. However, my pharmacist showed me

a reference to the effect that the hydroxo form has more potential

allergic adverse effects than the cyano form. There is also a methyl

injectable form, but it must be compounded via prescription.

So for three years I've been injecting cyanocobalamin -- at first it

was 1 mg (in 1 mL solution) one or twice a week, and now it's 1 mg

every few months -- and trying to discern if I could feel any kidney

toxicity -- but never did. I did feel substantial relief from severe

chronic fatigue and low blood pressure, but when these symptoms got

better, the B12 didn't seem to do much, so I've cut back.

Kris H.