Can Super B Complex cause increased anxiety and panic attacks?

I also find it relevant people are coming back to post stories of encouragement... it goes to show you the mental impacts of this are fairly profound for sensitive people people want to write about them years later. I would liken it to a PTSD-like response that I live with today (don't worry, I am so much better than I was). Occasionally I search online for more stories like mine and they pop up.

I am troubled that this is not more fully understood or recognized from the medical community. Go into any doctors' office and they will dismiss the notion. I am pretty certain B12 was the cause of my intense, seriously dark anxiety period, but definitely agree it will get better.

I’ve had to resort to a cold showers on at least 3 different hyperstimulation episodes or else end up at the hospital for Xanax and a psychiatric evaluation. Also, in these instances drinking a lot of water seemed to help give some relief. Hydration would seem to promote dilution and urinary excretion of the excess folate so that the folate levels goes below whatever threshold causes hyperstimulation symptoms.

On my first hyperstimulation episode, I thought I was having a psychotic break until I was able to make the association of taking the Super B complex with my symptoms. I had been taking the Super B Complex inconsistently for about 3 months. I had taken a Super B Complex dose with a salad I had for lunch. I love cheese and had about 2 tablespoonfuls of blue cheese on the salad. Within an hour of the Super B Complex dose combined with the blue cheese my mind started racing a mile a minute. I was at work at the time and barely able to hold it together. I came real close to requesting to go home. But, I have a daily hydration routine of drinking 1-2L of water a day. I noticed that the drinking water to some degree helped alleviate my symptoms. It was while urinating and observing the heightened yellow urine that I made the association that the cause of my symptoms was likely one of more ingredients in the Super B Complex.

I stopped taking the Super B Complex that day but the damage was already done. The damage being the high level of folic acid circulating in my bloodstream. At the time I didn’t know it was folic acid. I figured that out in hindsight after having periodic hyperstimulation episodes over the next year after the initial episode. The first clue was that I had a physical exam about 6 months after that initial episode and my blood folate level was 15.5 ng/ml. The normal range is 2.5 - 15.0 ng/ml. Again, this was about 6 months after my initial hyperstimulation episode so my level at my initial episode may have been 16 or higher.

Even a year after my initial episode I was still having the occasional hyperstimulation episode. Hydration helped but wasn’t a cure. Once I narrowed the supplement culprit to folic acid I realized that a lot of foods contain folic acid or are enriched with folic acids. I had one of my “almost end up in the ER” episodes after eating a lot of lentils one day. As it turns out, lentils are high in folate. I had a moderate episode during the Christmas season after eating turnip greens and cornbread. As it turns out, green leafy vegetables are high in folate. There are a lot of natural foods high in folate. A lot of food products such as flour, breads, rice and cereals are enriched with folic acid.

I also had to give up foods with a high stimulant potential. I had to give up coffee, tea or anything with a stimulant potential or risk having my thoughts start to become more paranoid. Aged cheeses (like blue cheese, cheddar, etc) are high in tyramine which is also a stimulant. I also learned that nicotine is to be avoided after smoking a stronger cigar.

So after about a year of still dealing with periodic altered thoughts, or racing thoughts or hyperstimulation I started researching medical interventions. Based on my high folate blood test and response to foods high in folate it seemed like folate was the culprit. And after a year, my folate was apparently still high enough to be causing periodic symptoms. Hydration and elimination through urination helps with excess folate but is not enough to offset the folate you’re taking in with your diet. The reality is that you’re still taking in folate by eating enriched foods (flour, cereal, breads, rice) or foods/drinks (citrus juices) naturally high in it. After some research I discovered there are several commonly prescribed drugs which have antifolate properties. Methotrexate, Bactrim (Trimethoprim / Sulfamethoxazole) and Trimethoprim are the most commonly prescribed. So, If you are experiencing the negative effects of taking Super B Complex, have your MD check your folate levels and prescribe a couple week course of an antifolate medication which will hopefully solve your issue…it solved mine.

Here’s an article you can present to your MD as a reference in dosing Trimethoprim in lowering serum folate. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26566149/

"High doses of vitamin supplements are unsafe
Such as: Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat soluble, which means they are stored in the body and if taken in high doses can be toxic. High doses of some water-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin B6, can also become toxic. Large folate intakes can hide vitamin B12 deficiencies."

Herbal, vitamin supplements, and "natural" remedies can and do cause serious side effects when taken without medical supervision. Doctors and pharmacists are trained in this area and are far more knowledgeable than the non-professional advice one might get on the internet.

Now , my pill was changed as I was thought to be perimenopausal so I had read up and saw the benefits of b12 and complex b vits, I have been taking them since restarting my old pill- what a coincidence!.I have anxiety and PTSD but it is controlled with minimal stimulants and CBD oil at night. I am now convinced the B complex is to blame. I have jitters, I cant sleep , huge palpitations,when its morning I can still carry on, I cant remember when I last felt sleepy, I am wired 24/7, I have never in my life suffered panic attacks this is a whole new ball game! The feeling of fear at night and sheer dread, feeling jumpy and this odd fuzzy feeling in my hands and feet nausea and no appetite oh and urinating like 50 times a day!
I am convinced this is why even Zopiclone didnt work. As a side point I also started taking the amino acid GABA... i had 2 Niacin flushes which are awful, niacin is of course a B vit!
I also want to point out that Mirtazapine is not working for me currently, I feel wired all of the time, I am now sure its the b's.
I cant say how long it will take for the B vits to get out of your system but I wanted to share because you are not alone in this and maybe I can help someone else. I have disposed of all vitamins and I am going back to eating well.
x