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Comment by ty4smoking | Hacker News Reader

/? b6 b12 male smokers https://www.google.com/search?q=b6+b12+male+smokers

"Long-Term, High-Dose Vitamin B6/B12 Use Associated With Increased Lung Cancer Risk Among Men" (2023) https://cancer.osu.edu/news/long-term-high-dose-vitamin-b6-b... :

> Risk was further elevated in male smokers taking more than 20 milligrams of B6 or 55 micrograms of B12 a day for 10 years. Male smokers taking B6 at this dose were three times more likely to develop lung cancer. Male smokers taking B12 at such doses were approximately four times more likely to develop the disease compared to non-users.

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Those are very high doses of each. An average multivitamin has 1.8 mg of B6 (vs. 20 mg in the study) and 6 mcg of B12 (vs. 55 mcg in the study).

I am surprised anyone wants to take that much, but I guess the smokers were trying anything they could (short of actually quitting) to compensate for the effect their habit has on their health.

Aren’t standalone B12 supplements typically measured in 3-4 digits (mcg)?

I’m currently taking 1000mcg daily but I’ve seen up to 2500 at the local pharmacy.

Absorption is poor sublingually and is limited by https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intrinsic_factor so I wouldn’t be surprised if most of those doses just get destroyed in the stomach

I have exactly that problem - malabsorption. The sublingual tablets have helped considerably.

I’m just trying to understand why the other commenter considers the dose mention as “high”. I’ve never heard that claimed before.

I was referring to multivitamin levels which are typically ~100% RDA, so to get the levels the study considered harmful, you have to be intentionally taking large doses of B Vitamins which is easy not to do.

Some Caffeine Shots include very high doses of B6 and B12 vitamins.

## 2023-12: B6/B12 RDVs, RDV % Supplement Facts inconsistencies

5-Hour Energy nutrition facts: https://www.google.com/search?q=5+hour+energy+nutrition+fact... :

> B6: 40mg: 2000% RDV

> B12: 500mcg: 8333% RDV

5-Hour Energy Extra Strength:

> B6: 40mg: 2353%

> B12: 500mcg: 20833%

Summit Red Thunder Energy Shot nutrition facts: https://www.google.com/search?q=Summit+Red+Thunder+Energy+Sh...

> Kirkland Signature Extra Strength:

> B6: 40mg: 2533% RDV

> B12: 500mcg: 20833% RDV

...

Again,

/? b6 b12 male smokers https://www.google.com/search?q=b6+b12+male+smokers

"Long-Term, High-Dose Vitamin B6/B12 Use Associated With Increased Lung Cancer Risk Among Men" (2023) https://cancer.osu.edu/news/long-term-high-dose-vitamin-b6-b...

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