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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 17 of 17. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by KimStereo on November 18, 2008, at 13:49:31
I'm trying to go the natural route and took some B12, p5p, B6, and some Zinc last night. After about an hour or so, I felt a strong serge of anxiety come on and was thrashing all around my bed. I took some extra Xanax and finally made it to sleep after about another hour. I awoke during the middle of the night and was soaking wet in sweat like I had just broken a fever. The anxiety has carried over into today. I have changed nothing except for the Vitamin ingestion last night.
Can vitamins do this ?
Posted by Larry Hoover on November 18, 2008, at 14:19:03
In reply to Vitamin induced Anxiety..Is there such a thing ??, posted by KimStereo on November 18, 2008, at 13:49:31
> I'm trying to go the natural route and took some B12, p5p, B6, and some Zinc last night.
How much did you take? p5p is a form of B6.
> After about an hour or so, I felt a strong serge of anxiety come on and was thrashing all around my bed. I took some extra Xanax and finally made it to sleep after about another hour. I awoke during the middle of the night and was soaking wet in sweat like I had just broken a fever. The anxiety has carried over into today. I have changed nothing except for the Vitamin ingestion last night.
>
> Can vitamins do this ?I can't think of a metabolic link between those symptoms and these nutrients, but you haven't mentioned the doses. Perhaps you had a sensitivity reaction to one of the binders in the pills? Did you take niacin (B3), rather than B6?
Lar
Posted by SLS on November 18, 2008, at 15:46:16
In reply to Re: Vitamin induced Anxiety..Is there such a thing ?? » KimStereo, posted by Larry Hoover on November 18, 2008, at 14:19:03
Hi Larry.
It is always a wonderful event when you come to visit.
:-)
A single dose of P-5-P (I don't remember the dosage) made me plunge into a deep depression. I became suicidal within hours of ingesting it. It took about 12 hours for the reaction to dissipate.
- Scott
> > I'm trying to go the natural route and took some B12, p5p, B6, and some Zinc last night.
>
> How much did you take? p5p is a form of B6.
>
> > After about an hour or so, I felt a strong serge of anxiety come on and was thrashing all around my bed. I took some extra Xanax and finally made it to sleep after about another hour. I awoke during the middle of the night and was soaking wet in sweat like I had just broken a fever. The anxiety has carried over into today. I have changed nothing except for the Vitamin ingestion last night.
> >
> > Can vitamins do this ?
>
> I can't think of a metabolic link between those symptoms and these nutrients, but you haven't mentioned the doses. Perhaps you had a sensitivity reaction to one of the binders in the pills? Did you take niacin (B3), rather than B6?
>
> Lar
>
>
Posted by bleauberry on November 18, 2008, at 17:00:28
In reply to Vitamin induced Anxiety..Is there such a thing ??, posted by KimStereo on November 18, 2008, at 13:49:31
In my own experience, B vitamins can be very powerful with profound effects. Sometimes good, sometimes bad. Many people take them like candy no problem. Others, big problem. I guess it all depends on biological stuff such methylation, and any predisposed genetic roadblocks.
If someone took an ssri for the first time, they could likely encounter the famous serotonin start-up anxiety. Or maybe someone tries wellbutrin and feels jittery and nervous. Well, since the B vitamins are involved in the production of neurotransmitters, maybe it was similar to taking a drug that affects neurotransmitters? Too much new serotonin all at once when not accustomed to it? Too much dopamine? Something like that?
Some people are overmethylated and they should avoid B vitamin supplements.
For people who do need B vitamins above and beyond a good diet, it is a pure guessing game as to which one or ones. It might not be a bad idea to sample small doses of individual B vitamins to become familiar with each. Then mix or avoid as you see fit. Without doing indepth genetic testing and blood testing, it is a guessing game. Even with testing it is still experimental.
But anyway, yes, B vitamins of all kinds, minerals of all kinds, can produce strong effects. It is probably not a bad idea to ease into them gently and slowly work doses higher over time, the same as a drug. In artificial supplemental forms, they are drugs. Even if a particular supplement is good for you and needed by you, too much all at once can shock the system.
Posted by Phillipa on November 18, 2008, at 20:22:19
In reply to Re: Vitamin induced Anxiety..Is there such a thing ??, posted by bleauberry on November 18, 2008, at 17:00:28
Taken vitamins for many years no side effects. Just help me get the nutrients I need. No megadoses. Phillipa
Posted by Mikez on November 19, 2008, at 2:14:28
In reply to Vitamin induced Anxiety..Is there such a thing ??, posted by KimStereo on November 18, 2008, at 13:49:31
Vitamins, just like drugs are not without side effects. As a general rule, I have found too much of anything is not good and can throw the body out of balance.
Posted by manic666 on November 19, 2008, at 4:25:16
In reply to Re: Vitamin induced Anxiety..Is there such a thing, posted by Mikez on November 19, 2008, at 2:14:28
ye, look at me with valerian.started great so took more an finised up on toilet city , i thought i had a bug , till my brain cell told me you dork its the overdosein on valerian . now just take 2 instead of 8 an now ok. manic666
Posted by yxibow on November 19, 2008, at 8:08:33
In reply to Re: Vitamin induced Anxiety..Is there such a thing, posted by manic666 on November 19, 2008, at 4:25:16
Certain forms of Niacin taken for purported benefits. The "wrong" or non-extended form can really wreck havoc on some people's systems.
-- Jay
Posted by jrbecker76 on November 19, 2008, at 14:11:37
In reply to Re: Vitamin induced Anxiety..Is there such a thing ??, posted by bleauberry on November 18, 2008, at 17:00:28
B-complex vitamins have always made me anxious. I have wanted to dissect further which particular B vitamin might be the culprit, but the only one I have taken alone is B-12. In taking B-12, I did feel slightly excitable, but not to the extent when taking B-complex forms.
As for Zinc, I have always had a touchy relationship with it as well. I find that it can help with focus, energy and even produce a mild calming sensation. I also believe it works great for trying to rebound from a cold or the occasional hangover due to its immune-boosting power. However, the mood effects have always been hard to disseminate. Usually, I feel a very subtle brightening of my mood within the first few hours of ingestion, but later on it seems to actually darken my outlook. Because of this, I tend to stay away from frequent ingestion.
JB
Posted by tanner257 on November 19, 2008, at 17:41:48
In reply to Vitamin induced Anxiety..Is there such a thing ??, posted by KimStereo on November 18, 2008, at 13:49:31
I can't take any kind of vitamins at night - I wake up in the middle of the night feeling like I've got caffeine jitters! Try the same regime in the morning and see what happens.
Posted by Phillipa on November 19, 2008, at 18:40:31
In reply to Re: Vitamin induced Anxiety..Is there such a thing ??, posted by jrbecker76 on November 19, 2008, at 14:11:37
jr can't take them either anxiety wierd but tolerated Shaklees just fine???? Love Phillipa
Posted by Abby Cunningham on November 21, 2008, at 10:50:52
In reply to Re: Vitamin induced Anxiety..Is there such a thing ?? » jrbecker76, posted by Phillipa on November 19, 2008, at 18:40:31
The B vitamins can be very activating to a sensitive CNS.....such as one who is withdrawing from benzodiazepines.... people are warned to stay away from the B's and I can see why during benzo w/d the slightest change or addition of another med can cause huge upheaval in an already compromised CNS.
That is why the benzo-wise advisors say "the only way out is through" (withdrawal) - no extra meds are usually required and most need to be tapered also.
Posted by Larry Hoover on November 22, 2008, at 10:10:10
In reply to Re: Vitamin induced Anxiety..Is there such a thing ?? » Larry Hoover, posted by SLS on November 18, 2008, at 15:46:16
> Hi Larry.
>
> It is always a wonderful event when you come to visit.
>
> :-)That's very kind of you, Scott. Thank you. I'm glad to see your contributions, also.
>
> A single dose of P-5-P (I don't remember the dosage) made me plunge into a deep depression. I became suicidal within hours of ingesting it. It took about 12 hours for the reaction to dissipate.
>
>
> - ScottGeez Louise! I'm glad to know of people's real experiences, but nothing I've read could have led me to predict such an outcome. After reading your report, I searched and found nothing similar on the net. By no means am I trying to trivialize or debate your horrible experience. It took me by surprise, and I'm struggling to contextualize it.
I'm hypersensitive, in many respects. Supps, meds, physical experience. It's like everything is just too loud, if you can see a way to bend an audio descriptor to all senses/experiences. I've always wondered, though, if there's any information to be gleaned from the sensitivities themselves. If I react strongly to e.g. a supp, does that imply that I need it? That my body has adjusted its homeostasis to the point that it has become hypersensitive to any supply? Rather than an adverse reaction, might it be a deficiency reaction? <shrug>
Thanks for sharing that, Scott. I wish I had collected all the anecdotal accounts I'd ever heard, for reference purposes. The literature is just so incomplete.
Regards,
Lar
Posted by Larry Hoover on November 22, 2008, at 10:14:01
In reply to Re: Vitamin induced Anxiety..Is there such a thing ??, posted by bleauberry on November 18, 2008, at 17:00:28
> In artificial supplemental forms, they are drugs. Even if a particular supplement is good for you and needed by you, too much all at once can shock the system.
Indeed. I was waiting until I heard more from the original poster, before I discussed that issue. She said she wanted to go the natural route, but there's nothing natural about taking pure vitamin concentrates. Dose is such an important issue, I didn't want to go there until I had more information. But yes, valid points raised.
Lar
Posted by Larry Hoover on November 22, 2008, at 10:20:17
In reply to Re: Vitamin induced Anxiety..Is there such a thing, posted by yxibow on November 19, 2008, at 8:08:33
> Certain forms of Niacin taken for purported benefits. The "wrong" or non-extended form can really wreck havoc on some people's systems.
>
> -- JayThat's why I asked about niacin myself. Niacin, or nicotinic acid, causes changes in the sensitivity of mast cells, which are the storehouses for histamine. If you take enough niacin, huge amounts of histamine are released, and you get the so-called "niacin flush", which can be associated with anxiety, sweating, palpitations, and so on.
This effect is much less likely to occur if B3 is taken in the form of niacinamide (also known as nicotinamide). It suppresses mast cell degranulation (histamine release), but the enzyme that converts niacin to niacinamide also works the other way. Some people form enough niacin from a dose of supplemental niacinamide that they flush anyway.
I hear that the flush diminishes with repeated dosing.
Anyway, I wish the original poster had not disappeared from the thread, for clarity's sake.
Lar
Posted by elanor roosevelt on November 22, 2008, at 22:04:50
In reply to Vitamin induced Anxiety..Is there such a thing ??, posted by KimStereo on November 18, 2008, at 13:49:31
Kim
I've been backing off on my B vitamins. Still taking them but learning that more is not better.Good luck
Sorry you had such a bad night of it
Posted by cactus on November 26, 2008, at 17:18:42
In reply to Vitamin induced Anxiety..Is there such a thing ??, posted by KimStereo on November 18, 2008, at 13:49:31
Haven't read above posts but yes, it did it to me, any slow release vitamins multi's or high potentcy multi's cause my anxiety to sky rocket with sweats and shakes. One brand even made me have these bizarre reactions where I felt like I was on fire and my skin would go so red I looked like a had severe sunburn. Thankfully that reaction only lasted for about an hour but it took me a few weeks to figure out what was causing it. I went back to my naturopath and he said, "Oh sorry, I thought I told you about that, stop taking them."
I did, and it stopped, so I tried another brand which just increased my anxiety, so I don't take any multi vitamins. It's only multi vitamins that do it.
This is the end of the thread.
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