Re: Glocophage and Vitimin B??
From: =?iso-8859-2?q?Zalányi Sámuel?= (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Wed, 24 Jan 2001 20:30:55 +0100 (MET DST)
Hi Ruth,
Congratulations to your explanation of IR and PCOS, but don't mess up with vitamins and supplements.
I have read references on metformin blocking the absorption of folic acif, all right (though I would like to see the original publication). But confusing folic acid with B12 is a mistake. B12 is not absorbed from the gastrointestinal system, so there is no use of taking it as a pill (you had it INJECTED earlier).
Prenatal viamtins are a big delusion and a dangerous one at that. The only vitamin proven to reduce the risk of certain birth defects is folic acid (800 mcg/day is enough to supplement the habitual western diet). Unfortunately most prenatal vitamins also contain vitamin A which is KNOWN TO CAUSE certain abnormalities if taken before W12 of pregnancy. Therefore I strongly advise my patients against taking vitamin complexes before W12. Folic has to be taken srtictly after conception (or prophylactically before). Combining more products is definitely harmful.
Please consider this
Sam (Ob/Gyn, RE)
> Hello -
>
> I take a prenatal vitamin (doctor prescribed) since I am going through
> infertility treatments. I also take several supplements since I don't
> always make good food choices (don't like much green stuff). I also
> read several herbal recommendations for people with PCOS. I take a
> B-complex supplement, an E supplement, and extra folic acid (since Met
> can inhibit absorption of folic acid). The B vitamins are water
> soluble, so they much be taken every day. What you body doesn't use get
> flushed out daily.
>
> I have recently added a Calcium/Zinc/Mangesium supplement and have taken
> 1 Chromium daily. All of these are low in people that have diabetes (I
> am borderline).
>
> Yeah, this is about 15 pills a day, but I am trying to get my body in
> the best shape possible (nutrient wise) for pregnancy.
>
> I wouldn't be surprised about Glucophase inhibiting B12, since it does
> the same thing to Folic Acid. I take them at separate times of the day
> so they won't conflict.
>
> I know that B12 gives you more energy - my doctor used to give me a shot
> of B12 when I had a cold to help me feel better sooner (along with other
> treatment).
>
> Good luck! Ruth ;-)
>
> At Wed, 17 Jan 2001, anonymous wrote:
> >
> >I am taking Glucophage (2X 500mg) per day. My doctor told me that I
> >should be taking Vitimin B12, as well as a host of ther vitimins... I
> >started to feel like I was a sick old lady taking 20 pills per day- so I
> >am just taking the Rx now. She said that I could experience memory loss
> >to to a side effect of B12 as Glocophage inhibits the body's ability to
> >take it out of food naturally. Anyone out there heard of this? What
> >vitimins are people taking??
>
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