jerry's search

Custom Search

Friday, August 21, 2009

Is this a good idea?

I was in line at the store and they had some of that five hour energy with the gum. I thought that doesn't seem like a good idea, anyway, I read the slogan that said, five hours of energy now no crash later, and i thought, what the hell does this stuff have in it?


So i pick up a bottle and read the label. It has 2000% of B6 which I thought to my self isn't that alot. Like too much, can't too much of a vitemin be a bad thing?

Then I get a little further and it says 8333% of B12. 8333%!!!! Eight Thousand three hundred and thirty three percent.




8333% This is actually the label on the products website.

I know that you can have serious health consequences from taking too much of other vitemins, like Vitemin C and stuff, I am guessing the same is true of B6 and B12.

So i googled b6 and b12 overdose and found this, here

Q: What are the symptoms and consequences of megadoses?
A: Unfortunately, high doses of this vitamin, if taken for too long, can have serious consequences. Excess B6 damages nerves -- especially those in the arms, hands, legs and feet. Symptoms include coordination problems along with sensations of numbness and tingling.
This neuropathy, or nerve problem, resolves gradually after supplementation is stopped, but has resulted in permanent damage in a few cases.
The Institute of Medicine set the tolerable upper intake level for B6 at 100 mg per day from food and supplements combined. However, the Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals in the United Kingdom established a safe upper limit from supplements at 10 mg per day -- one-tenth the U.S. limit.
A recent case study reported that a woman developed serious neuropathy from taking 100 mg per day for 10 years. So the level of intake for long-term safety is likely lower than the U.S. upper limit of 100 mg.
Many foods contain vitamin B6. Consequently, B6 deficiency is unlikely unless the diet is extremely limited in variety or total food consumed.

I found nothing that said b12 overdose causes blindness or voices or comas so it must be okay, although I did find one sight that said something like b12 is considered fairly non toxic. Isn't that qualifier in that sentence pretty important. I mean there is a huge difference between B12 is non toxic and b12 is fairly non toxic.

Now that i type that isn't something either non toxic or not? Can it swing both ways? I suppose it can since you can be exposed to some lead with out dying but too much lead and you go crazy and try dragging a boat across canada.

Anyway, i am not trying to say that five hour energy is like eating food from cans sealed with lead, but taking 8333% of the reccommened amount of anything seems like a bad idea.

4 comments:

Becca said...

That's a bit scary! I wonder how long until it's recalled?...

brandy101 said...

I cannot take that stuff b/c it just makes me gag.

I do take a b-supplement vitamin most days, though.

Beej said...

I've seen that stuff and wondered about it, but never tried it. I take super B complex most days though...

Abby said...

I've seen those little bottles by the gum, only they're closer to the dog toys. That's a lot of B.

I remember No-doz from the college days, but I think those were mainly just mega caffeine pills.

An 8-oz can of RedBull does me some good.