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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 2 of 2. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Lao Tzu on March 8, 2010, at 15:30:25
If you are experiencing low energy levels associated with bipolar or schizophrenia, it's possible that you may have deficiencies in certain B vitamins. What I know about myself is that I have deficiencies in Vitamins B1 and B6, and at one time, I was deficient in B12. B1 can give you increased energy if you take enough of it, but B6 is very important as well, especially the P5P form. I've had much better experience with the P5P form helping me with energy. If you think you are deficient in B6, you may try a combination of P5P and regular B6 or just P5P alone. 50mg of P5P per day gives me more energy. Any less or more than this doesn't give me the same degree of energy. I also discovered that if you combine 25mg of regular B6 with 25mg of P5P, I also have increased energy. Too much regular B6 decreases my energy, so that is why P5P is important. Finding a good ratio of P5P to B1 is also important. For example, I take 100mg of B1 in the morning with the P5P. If I am sluggish in the afternoon, I take an additional 50mg of B1 for energy. If I am anxious in the afternoon, I take 50-100mg of B6. I take an additional 100mg of B1 at bedtime for help in sleeping. Be careful with B1. Some people need large doses of it. Some people, like myself, actually get more anxious on it if the dose is too high. Dosage is very important with both B6 and B1. If you are B12 deficient, supplementing with B12 should help with low energy, at least for a few months until your body has stored sufficient quatities of B12. Or you can get B12 shots from your doctor if you are deficient. Supplementing with B12 tablets helped me immensely for about six months. By then, my body had stored sufficient quantities in the liver. Now, I usually take about 250mcg per day in Winter when my depression is worse. I feel I don't really need it during the Spring and Summer, just Winter.
Posted by Lao Tzu on March 17, 2010, at 13:36:04
In reply to Use of B vitamins in bipolar/schizophrenia, posted by Lao Tzu on March 8, 2010, at 15:30:25
The B vitamins work better if taken multiple times of the day, especially B6 and B1. For example, I take B6 and B1 three times per day---50mg of B6 morning, afternoon, and night. 100mg of B1 in the morning, 50 in the afternoon, and 100-150mg at bedtime. Usually, I take my B12 in one lump sum during the day. B12 seems to work better for me when I take all of it once per day, not broken up into increments. B2 is another one that works well if you take it multiple times per day, say 50mg in the morning and 50mg in the afternoon or evening.
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