I have had the problem in the past. I do not remember how low it went but doctor suggested 5,000 until a recheck in six weeks. It was still a little low but at my six month check up it was fine. I did take the shots for a while at my doctor's urging and after doing some reading. They raise the amount quicker. I did discontinue them after a while and only took 2,000 tablets. I was eventually lowered but last year when I had my annual checkup mine was elevated. It was suggested I drop to taking 1,000 but no recheck. I stopped taking them last winter. But am once again feeling like I have no energy. I had my annual blood draw last week but have not received the results.

While some people can eat yeasts to raise the B12 level because they cause red itchy eyes I increased the amount of red meat and liver. I think I must have had a similar problem when I was a child because my mother fed me raw liver because something in my blood was low. Apparently some type of Anemia.

At one point I was told I had low B levels and I now take a sublingual B complex that does the trick. I have a couple of friends who get it by shots.

I hope it helps with your hair loss.

Try this one. It'll get your levels up in no time. Just put one under your tongue. :)

I hear you.....about the getting old part! I am working around osteopenia and DH now has potassium in the caution range.

I think I have arthritis in my hands now too :(

Hope you get to the bottom of your hair loss. ((((Hugs))))

I have low B12 and take monthly shots. My doctor found it in my bloodwork and my dermatologist said she was surprised I didn't have hair loss. I've heard the shots are way more effective than any OTC supplement. I started weekly, now monthly. It also gave me more energy too.

I think that's good news! Your doctor has found something that may have a simple inexpensive fix. I hope your hair improves for you. Be sure to let us know.

I get my annual physical test results with my GP tomorrow. A couple of months ago I did one of those hair sample tests and it showed I have some low B12 levels, don’t recall what it was. Anyway I doubled up in the B12 so will see what the blood testing shows. And I have no idea if the hair samples are that accurate for this kind of thing. It was interesting though.

B12 as one ages may be an issue due to the bodies inability to absorb it. My grandparents needed shots on a regular basis. It's really important as a deficiency can lead to dementia-like symptoms. Do monitor it carefully with your dr's help.

Unless the hair test includes the roots and area just above where the hair emerges from the scalp those tests only show what happened months if not years ago depending on how fast your hair grows.

I'm on a special diet now and take a B12 in the morning (1000 mcg) and a B-complex in the evening. Before, I was taking B-complex in the morning and evening, and that caused me to have elevated B-6, but now my B vitamin levels are within the acceptable range: 104 for B-6 (normal is 20-125) and 1,004 for B-12 (normal is 254-1,060). I was put on a higher protein diet, and I also learned that we need more protein percentage-wise as we get older. I also have to restrict carbohydrates and try to avoid processed carbs. My nutritionist does not like for me to eat that much fruit or drink much fruit juice, even though I like both very much. Part of that is to avoid the risk of diabetes, but my glucose levels are normal now. I have already heard that not getting enough protein can cause hair loss, but I have not experienced that. My maternal grandfather was bald, and my two brothers have inherited those genes, but I did not. For men, it does not matter whether their father was bald or not, as baldness is linked with the X chromosome, and we only get that from our mother. If a woman's father is bald and her maternal grandfather is bald, then she has a 50/50 chance of inheriting that, unless her mother is also bald, in which case there is a 100% chance. If a woman's father is NOT bald, then she will not be bald because the X chromosome she gets from him cannot have the baldness gene.

Yes, I'm low. Just adding my name to the ones that take sublingual (under the tongue). It's the most easily absorbed that way - directly into the bloodstream. 5000 mcg per day. It isn't as efficiently absorbed when swallowed. If you're low in B12, it's quite possible you are low in iron and ferritin too. Adding on: hair loss? Have you had your thyroid checked too. Low B12 is one of the many symptoms, along with hair loss.

My endocrinologist is a lovely Indian woman. She told me that anyone who eats a totally vegetarian diet, usually needs B-12 shots regularly. She is a vegetarian due to her religion and said all her friends do the same. The OTC just don't do the job adequately. I was tested but my B-12 levels were just fine.

Maifleur, yes, the instructions were to cut at least 5 strands as close to the scalp as possible, so I did that. The tests matched up well with skin test allergy testing I had re-done recently and a couple of other food sensitivities I suspected. And some I didn’t.

I was on the shots for some months, but now do sublingual B12. Did your doctor tell you which type of B12 to take? Methylcobalamin is the most widely recommended. Cyanocobalamin is not.

Lars, said what I wanted to about not enough protein and hair loss. This happened to my youngest who has been a vegetarian for almost 15 yeas, after starting as a young teen.

The dermatologist called these patients her "salad girls". They come in wondering why they are losing so much hair.

I had my annual physical and although this time it did not show that I was low in B12 one of the side effects of low B12 showed up for the first time so those that do need B12 should look at their labs for it. My MCV and MPV are both elevated. Not by much but it is not good.

Didn't know there was different types of B12. Just looked at the bottle and it is Cyanocobalamin. I will have to read up on that. I also didn't know there was one that was sublingual. I am going to have to ask my doctor about that and getting shots instead. Basically she told me nothing.

I was a vegetarian but that was over 30 years ago. I think we eat enough meat though not a lot and I still make a lot of meatless dishes.

The rest of my blood tests; thyroid, iron, etc; turned out in the normal range. The B12 was the only low one. Regarding hair loss they even tested Prolactin, DHEA sulfate, and Testosterone Free Total SHBG. Still waiting on the Testosterone test results, but the others were in the normal range. I've read as a woman grows older and is menopausal (me-over 20 years) they produce more Testosterone, which can lead to hair loss on the head and dark hair on the face.

I was put on B12 about two years ago. I looked up the different types and studies don't indicate that one is better than the other. If you try pills or sublingual and you don't absorb enough they give you shots. Cyanocobalamin is reconfigured in your body as the two types you need. You should make sure you buy from a good supplement company though. Too many of those are junk.

I am no expert on B12 or chemical processes, but I know cyanocobalamin is man-made--synthetic B12--and methylcobalamin is the natural form. I personally will choose natural over synthetic most of the time. Cyanocobalamin is seen a lot in supplements because it's cheaper to produce. It contains a cyanide molecule that we're said to process safely, but cyanide doesn't appeal to me. The only kinds of B12 my doctor recommends are methylcobalamin and hydroxycobalamin. I've been satisfied with each of them.

I can always tell when I’m in need of B12 because my energy levels drop. Years ago, I went to see my physician because of fatigue and he gave me a B12 Shot. Within no time at all I was feeling better than I had felt in a very long time. If you’re that low, maybe you can get a shot to help give it a boost. This getting old stuff really isn’t fun, I know they say you’re as old as you feel, blah blah blah but I sure don’t buy into it anymore.

OP, I agree with other posters. But make certain that you can take Vitamin B12, many people can't and I am one of them. Vitamin B12 (and 6) makes me very agitated or antsy if you prefer (in much the same way as any form of anti-histamine or decongestant).

Some times my bloodwork shows that I am B12 deficient and other times it does not. Vitamin D is also an issue - and I have given away the supplements - together with the B12 (and I tried taking it first thing in the a.m. and in increasingly smaller doses). Re the Vitamin D it does not help that I am very pale and subject to extremely burning and I do not tan. Sunscreen is a must. Last blood work showed that I am extremely Vitamin D deficient. I do try for about 2 weeks - there is no way.

Many people do get the shots - there is no way I would want that in my system due to its longevity.

Vitamin B complex with biotin 5000

I read in a paleo blog about concentrated freeze dried organ meat in capsules.

Organ meat capsules

I will have to more reading and research. The organ meat capsules reminded me of the times my mom cooked liver. She said it was good for us. Maybe it was, but I hated it. I haven't had it in close to 50 years. I don't miss it.

Just me but I would rather know what the organ meats were I was putting into my body. When the capsule dissolved in my stomach at least I would know what the after taste was.

The website I linked describes what is in the capsules. They claim "no burps or reflux."

There is absolutely no way that their claim of "no burps or reflux" is true. It may be for some but ones with reflux can tell you that any thing can cause a flareup. I always look at the claims of "natural" medication with several large grains of salt especially those that you must digest. If it was natural, chopped up meat and not processed in any way, the vitamins and minerals would be different in each pill simply because plants and animals are different from each other so none of the "natural" stuff would ever be the same in each batch.