Mumsnet Talk

Have just started my teenager on Vitamin B6. Has anyone else given B6 to a teenager with poor attention and droopy, uuterly-can't-be-bothered attitude? Any good results or adverse effects?

I mean, more than can't be bothered: totally unable to concentrate, quite a lot of symptoms of ADD, very low self esteem. Would really appreciate any experience.

bump anyone?

yes, i give mine berrocca. or the tesco equivalent B-Active effervescent.

oh thankyou! what's the dosage? how long have you been doing it? any response?

and what's berrocca?

well i use it myself and it certainly gives me a buzz in the mornings and i can concentrate much better. 2 teenage dc i find improvement in their concentration and energy levels.

Was just looking for some links and found this

here

which lists the ingredients.

bugger, the link doe not work so cop;ied and pasted here

Is it really worth paying almost £5 for a tube of Berocca tablets (£4.37 for 15 = 29p per tablet), when both Boots and Tesco have their own variants for much less?
Boots' "Re-energise" costs less (£3.49 = 17p per tablet) but also has higher RDA levels for all the vitamins and minerals so seems like good value. Meanwhile Tesco's "B-active" costs significantly less (£1.93 for 20 = 10p per tablet) and has identical RDAs to Berocca! Is it in fact exactly the same stuff?
% RDA for... Berocca Tesco "B-active" Boots "Re-Energise"
Vitamin C 793 793 833
Thiamin (Vitamin B1) 743 743 929
Ribofalvin (Vitamin B2) 850 850 938
Niacin (Vitamin B3) 252 252 278
Vitamin B6 355 355 500
Folic Acid 183 183 200
Vitamin B12 860 860 1000
Biotin 87 87 100
Panthothenic Acid 378 378 417
Calcium 12 12 13
Magnesium 32 32 33
Zinc 60 60 67

and that does not look right either

best google Berrocca and then Tesco B-~Active and compare.

thanks Roy, very helpful

it gives me a big "up" and after three days it's all v positive with my teenager too -- actually got some focussed revision done and calmer moods

I always thought of it as an "adult" supplement so I suppose am slightly concerned on that front -- although he's definitely bigger than me! our dosage is huge too -- 100mg/day

ooh am interested in this
dd 17 has been feeling tired all the time
don't think she's anaemic ,gets loads of sleep.eats a good diet and is normal weight and height
oh and not depressed

can you tell I've googled

was thinking of starting her on vit b complex
but tbh I am a bit worried

I am all for vits and supplements. At 17 I think you could safely give it a try ggirl.

Mine are 13 and 15 and on it.

I went with it because what's happening with my teen is so damaging at the moment that I thought I'd take a bit of a punt to try to sort it out. Adverse effects don't look too bad but it's not something a doc would recommend I think! But then they never think supplements make any difference. Am also a big fan of zinc.

sorry, should say, adverse effects don't look like much at all, they look over exaggerated to stop people using something so cheap and useful as opposed to, whatever, Ritalin, anti-depressants, I don't know. I found "pins and needles" if they take 500 times RDA apparently, but that doesn't sound too bad compared with passing his GCSEs.

anyway Roy that's v sustaining to hear from you

Omega 3's.
And
Multivitamins from Lidl.

goober we do fish oil too but it's not doing the job for me.. I know many swear by it

nope fish oils did not work for us either. 18 months of eye Q and tbh i did not see a difference.

After several fruitless trips to the doctor for exactly the same problem given by the OP I started DD1 (17) on St John's Wort which made a massive difference. She just took it for a few months and then gradually cut down on it after she'd taken her A levels.

Thanks webwiz. I hadn't even considered SJW though my sister takes it.