Vitamin B12 Injections Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects and More. Should You Take These Shots?
by Regev Elya • January 20, 2011 • Medicine, Nutrition • 17 Comments
For people experiencing a vitamin B12 deficiency, doctors’ trusted and most common treatment is B12 injections for a rapid recovery. I would like to shed some light over these injections as a growing number of people started taking them recently for different reasons.
Vitamin B12 Injections Benefits
Before we dive into the specific B12 shots benefits, let’s look at the benefits of vitamin B12 itself. B12, also called cobalamin, is a water soluble vitamin naturally produced by a bacteria in the soil. This vitamin helps the body to properly form red blood cells, grow tissues, replicate DNA, lower Homocysteine levels and thereby reduce the risk of strokes or heart attacks, and to also form a fatty substance called Myelin that protects the nerve cells.
A decent percent of the people taking B12 injections are people having difficulties absorbing this vitamin. These difficulties are usually caused by a protein in the stomach named “Intrinsic Factor”, which is a necessity for a proper absorption of B12. These people can’t absorb enough of this vitamin from oral sources (food or tablets), so absorption effectiveness is actually the biggest of all benefits of vitamin B12 injections over other possible supplements.
However, If vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms show up, check out for parasites that might be competing for your B12 in your body, and for toxins that might be destroying it, such as cyanide in cigarettes. These are far easier to treat than improper absorption as your body is still able to absorb this vitamin from food or tablets, and I’m pretty sure you’d prefer them over injections any day!
More than that, these intramuscular injections are also used for remedial purposes, as a chronic fatigue syndrome cure for example, so the use of these injections is not limited to deficiencies treatment. You might as well be interested to read about general vitamin B12 benefits.
What’s The Dosage ?
The vitamin B12 injections dosage differs from person to person, and is a function of the person’s age and mainly the deficiency levels, but will usually start with a daily dosage of a very few thousand MICROgrams, and will be reduced to weekly and then monthly as the B12 levels go up back to normal.
Do not stress too much of an over B12 shots dosage, as your body stores up this vitamin for future usage. This is not to say that you can inject an unlimited amount of B12 into your blood, but to just calm you down as doctors usually do a decent job with them, and the difference in dose between doctors is meaningless in the long run. The number one goal is to get you out of your deficiency. I would focus on that.
Vitamin B12 Injections Side Effects
These injections might not be too painful, but it is still very important for you to know their side effects before and if you decide to take them:
- Mild diarrhea.
- Nausea.
- Upset stomach.
- Headaches.
- Difficulty breathing and/or swallowing.
- Pain at the area of injection.
- Light joint pain.
- Red skin.
- Lightheadedness.
- Tingling in the extremities.
- Weight change.
- Chest pain and/or heart palpitations, although quite rare.
There are other less common side effects as well. If you experience anything unusual while taking injections, immediately consult your doctor.
B12 overdose is REALLY hard to reach, but it is advisable that you attain your needed levels of B12 from your diet, as this is entirely possible. If you have problems absorbing B12 from food, research some information over intranasal B12 treatments, they are relatively new in the field, but catch growing attention each day.
Vitamin B12 Injections For Weight Loss ?
More and more people every day turn to these injections as a weight loss solution. Truth is, these injections does not cause you any weight loss directly by themselves. B12 speeds up your metabolism and gives you more energy, most noticeably if you already have a deficiency, making you more likely to work out and burn some calories. You can get the exact same benefits by eating “regular” vitamin B12 foods.
This popular belief probably came from the fact that many of the people who take vitamin B12 injections are vegetarians and vegans. They are far more likely than the average person to keep a healthy diet and an active lifestyle, and thus, statistically, are more fit.
If you want to lose weight, ignore the tendency to look for quick and easy solutions, but rather adopt yourself a healthier diet and some exercising habits. If you’re one of these “I don’t have time for that” kind of guys, ask yourself if you’d rather spend that time visiting your doctor, taking medicines, and doing surgeries when you get older.
If, however, your deficiency is the result of an improper B12 absorption by your body, then B12 shots can definitely help you get that metabolism-boost (which will aid in weight loss), since injections go directly to the bloodstream and will allow you to ‘bypass’ the intrinsic factor absorption issue.
Where to Buy Vitamin B12 Injections ?
If you’re looking to buy vitamin b12 shots for sale, look no further than TrimNutrition. Although I have not experienced with them on my own, they have the best price I’ve seen so far, and they get plenty of positive responses and reviews. I’d definitely buy a kit from them if I needed one.
~ Buy Vitamin B12 Injections From TrimNutrition ~
“Happiness lies, first of all, in health”. ~ George William Curtis.
* If you are a vegetarian/vegan that is looking for an easy and tasty way of keeping your B12 stores full enough, a great solution that I highly recommend is “Red Star Nutritional Yeast” (Vegetarian Support Formula). It has a great cheesy-like taste, and is proven to be a reliable source of B12. If you wish, you could also use this formula even if you are a meat eater, of course.
Update: I have added a case study of an interesting old buddy ‘enjoying’ the vitamin B12 shots benefits, thought you might be interested.
I’d love to hear about your experiences with these shots. If you have any question, do not hesitate to use the comment box below. I give you my sincere promise to make an effort and try to answer your question as soon as possible.
Important Note: This article is given to you with a mere informational intent. Even though it is based on research, it is NOT a medical advice, and should not be treated as one. It is highly advisable that you consult a physician before any action you take.
Related posts:
- Case Study: Did Shots Manage to Successfully Treat Eli’s B12 Deficiency ?
- B12 Benefits and Recommended Dosage: What Does Vitamin B12 Do and What Is It Good For?
- Vitamin B12 Overdose Symptoms and Side Effects: Is Toxicity Possible and Can Too Much Hurt You ?
- What is Beta Glucan? Benefits, Side Effects, Foods, Dosage and Supplements of 1,3 and 1,6
- Vitamin B12 Blood Test: What Levels are Normal, Low and High in Blood? Results Examined
- Vitamin B12 RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) – How Much is Too Much of a Daily Dose ?
Howdy! I was recommended your article when I searched for opinions regarding supplements. I find it useful so I placed a bookmark as “Vitamin B12 Injections | FreshBeetle” and sent it to a colleague who is a clinic. She had some excellent opinions concerning supplements as well, so I wonder if you have an opinion. I still doubt the positive effects and potential problems. kisses Amee
Hey Amee,
I’m really happy that you found this article useful! I’d love to hear your colleague’s concerns and answer them adequately. Are you talking about vitamin b12 injections side effects and the risks of taking b12 shots or..? You’ll have to be more specific.
Cheers, Regev.
I was recently at the doctor and he said, among other things, that I am being manipulated, etc., and later when I asked him about the B12 he said that the tablets are not absorbed and it does not make sense of taking it. Now I don’t know what to do. The pharmacy where I was have only one type of this vitamin and it is very expensive so I wonder if there is any point of buying.
Hi supermat,
Did you check whether the reason for your deficiency is a lack of ability to absorb it properly? Your doctor is right about the tablets, as long as you experience difficulties absorbing the vitamin.
There are a few common possible reasons for a deficiency, which vary from parasites competing for your B12 stores, toxins that are actually destroying your stores, and an improper absorption of B12, which is actually the only real case where vitamin B12 injections makes more sense, since your body experiences a hard time absorbing any oral sources of this vitamin.
I’d say a vital thing for you is to realize what causes your deficiency. Treatment would be easier with that knowledge.
hi!
i recently went for a healthcheckup &was found that my vit b12 level was 105.All other parameters are normal. The doc. recommended hydrxocobalamin shots 1000mcg everyday for a week followed by once a week for a monthand thereafter once a month.After taking these shots for a week ,i started having an upset tummy for no reason .I consulted the doc . who said that it could’nt be side effect of b12 bcoz it,s been a week that you have been taking it and it should have appeared immediately. I am also short of breath when i exercise these days.Can you analyse this and answer.Do the side effects appear immediately or could appear after a week or later?
neetu.
Hi Neetu,
First of all – did your doctor tell you anything about the cause of your deficiency? Too many doctors ignore that part today and somewhat automatically prescribe a series of vitamin B12 shots to the patient. This is not always smart, as many of these times the cause of the deficiency does not have anything to do with something that requires injections.
For example, if you have toxins inside your body that destroys some of your B12 or some parasites that compete with your body over it, then any B12 injection dosage would be merely treating the symptoms. You’d want to treat the disease as well, so the deficiency does not ‘come back’ after a while of being finished with the injections. I really recommend you to demand that little checkup from your doctor, it will be far easier to help you with that information.
Also, you might be interested in reading this – http://freshbeetle.com/vitamin-b12-deficiency-symptoms-and-treatment/ to have more grasp of what I’m trying to emphasize.
Now, regarding your concerns – upset tummy and shortness of breath are well known potential side effects of B12 injections. Remember that our body is a very complex system whose internal biochemical patterns are all dependent on each other. It’s possible to experience the side effects of almost any medical treatment after a while with that treatment, as the beginning point was different that the current point, biochemically-wise. I hope It’s clear. If not, don’t hesitate to ask again.
Unfortunately, I can not analyze and give you any answer that I’m sure about. First of all, I’m not a doctor and I don’t have any medical equipment. Secondly, there’s no way that such a complicated analysis can be done over the internet, I strongly recommend you to get back to your doctor and tell him to CHECK the cause of the deficiency. After that, there’s a good possibility that you won’t even need these B12 injections.
Hope that’s helpful,
Regev.
Anyone knows how to get cheap vitamin B12 injections for sale ? I prefer doing them myself instead of the hassle of going to a doctor. Thanks ppl !
Hey Sapp,
You can easily get plenty of vitamin B12 injections online (vials + needles) if you’re willing to do it at home. I have never experienced with any of these though, although it doesn’t seem like there are any harmful potential complications. I’m aware of the price in some countries, so check out TrimNutrition for some B12 (Cyanocobalamin/Methylcobalamin) shots. They have a good price (per ML).
Please, and I’m not saying that just because I have to – consult with a professional before you do it. Even just a phone call to your local medical center.
Cheers!
Hope it goes well,
Regev.
I had a vit B12 injection yesterday, didn’t feel anything spectacular. I guess the potential side effects don’t apply for me
Same here.. Maybe it’ll be helpfull for someone – each b12 injection dose I got was 2000 micro gram.
I did not include a specific number about the b-12 injection dose since in my experience – seems like it varies greatly in the thousands range. Doses are really dependent on many different variables – ranging from the age of patient to the specific doctor’s own experience.
Sounds to me like the main group of people who might ‘enjoy’ these vitamin b shots benefits are people who can’t actually absorb it from any other source. Other than absorption rate and these remedies thingie you mentioned, I can’t see a reason to go for injections when you can achieve the same results using whole B12 rich foods.
And thanks for the article, good stuff there.
Hey Romy,
Anyone who follows this website long enough knows that I’ll favor whole foods over artificial products any day, but you’re right. The main group of people who b12 shot benefits apply to are those who have problems absorbing this vitamin. Given the fact that these injections go directly to the bloodstream, it is really the most effective way to fill these deficiencies.
what are the brands and the names of the vit B-12 injections selling in india….?
I have no idea what specific brands of b12 shots are sold in India, but you can try your luck with TrimNutrition B12 injections. Not sure if they ship worldwide though.
Hi there,
so what about those bodybuilders, do you think it’s more effective to inject your self with vitamin b12 than taking it as a tablet? since it will absorbed better ?
I’m not sure I understand your question, Omar. I can’t see how bodybuilders fit the subject, but what I meant is that people with absorption issues may be better of with vit B12 injections, since that way, the vitamin is given directly to the blood stream and ‘bypasses’ the intrinsic factor in the stomach, which is necessary for a proper absorption of B12.