What comes to your mind when you think you are low on essential vitamins? Maybe you search for a diet plan to get those low levels back to normal. This may include leafy, veggie-laden salad or some other healthy, nutrient-rich food. Your mind may also divert to chewable tablets or the many selections in the supplement aisle to treat low vitamin levels.
But did you ever think of injections? Yes, dedicated health and wellness centers like Puur Drip have a team of experts experienced in these health concerns who can help you return to a normal, happier life.
If you are battling low vitamin B12 levels, you can get a boost through injections to improve your health and overall well-being. Let’s explore vitamin B12 injections from different angles.
Vitamin B12 Injections
Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble nutrient for vitality and well-being that improves digestion, helps to regulate mood, and assists in maintaining a healthy immune system. You may experience these symptoms if you have low Vitamin B12 levels:
- Loss of appetite.
- Low moods.
- Faintness.
- Brain fog.
- Pale skin.
- Fatigue.
- Stress.
B12 injections are the most effective solution to cope with these symptoms. The total dose is delivered straight into your system, which enables you to feel happier, more energized, and more vibrant. Like other vitamins, B12 is essential for a healthy and active lifestyle. You’ll need to take vitamin B12 shots until your levels are normal. Your healthcare provider will help recommend the duration and how many shots may be required depending on your B12 level, age, diet, and overall health.
Many people are battling vitamin B12 Deficiency.
Vitamin B12 deficiency is common, especially in vegetarians or vegans. According to research, 88% battle vitamin B12 deficiency.
This is largely because Vitamin B12 is mainly found in animal foods. However, it is not only limited to vegans and vegetarian diets; many people are unable to absorb B12 effectively. Unlike other vitamins, vitamin B12 absorption depends on an intrinsic factor, a protein produced in your stomach. People unable to produce enough of this factor battle with vitamin B12 deficiency.
How to know when you should take vitamin B12 shots
Vitamin B12 shots can often undo any symptoms you’re experiencing related to low vitamin B12 levels. However, the issue is that you might not know you have low B12 levels.
B12 levels aren’t checked regularly in your routine blood work. So, decreased B12 levels may go undetected for years. Furthermore, symptoms of low B12 are more likely to be very subtle. They can also be confused for other conditions.
Low vitamin B12 levels are commonly found in those who:
- 65+ age
- Follow a strict vegan or vegetarian diet.
- Have had weight loss surgery
- Battling gastrointestinal conditions like gastritis or Crohn’s disease.
- Take certain types of medications, like heartburn medicine.
If you’re experiencing troubling symptoms or believe you are most likely to be facing low B12 levels, you should consult a healthcare provider.
How Vitamin B12 Injections Work
The UK government says the human body needs 1.5 micrograms (mcg) of Vitamin B12 daily, although other governments advise that we may need more..
Vitamin B12 is predominantly found in animal-based produce like meat, dairy, eggs, and fish, especially trout, salmon and cod. Vitamin B12 deficiencies are commonly found in vegetarians and vegans. However, many people also have a deficiency of Vitamin B12 because they are unable to absorb it efficiently.
Supplementary tablets are also available to treat Vitamin B12 deficiency. However, injections are more effective because they ensure Vitamin B12 is delivered directly into your system. This method allows maximum results. Any Vitamin B12 our body doesn’t have is excreted in the urine.
Vitamin B12 injections’ Benefits
Apart from raising vitamin B12 levels, vitamin B12 injections can help you in several other ways. Increased B12 level can help improve:
- Dizziness.
- Fatigue and generalized weakness.
- Irritability.
- Loss of appetite
- Depression.
- Difficulty walking
- Irritability.
- Loss of appetite.
- Numbness and/or tingling.
- Memory trouble.
- Blurred vision
If vitamin B12 deficiency is left untreated, it can lead to severe problems, including irreversible neurological (nervous system) damage.
How long do the benefits of vitamin B12 shots last
How often a person will require shots largely depends on the causes of vitamin B12 deficiency. Initially, a person may need to get B12 supplementation shots daily for around two weeks or until vitamin B12 levels are normal.
If the vitamin B12 deficiency happens due to diet, a person may not need vitamin B12 shots or require them once or twice yearly. In case of any chronic condition that causes B12 deficiency, a person may need B12 shots every two months.
Risk Factors of Vitamin B12 Deficiency
There is no upper limit on how much vitamin B12 you should take because there is no risk of toxicity or overdose. However, vitamin B12 can have side effects.
Certain risk factors can increase the chances of developing vitamin B12 deficiency:
- Crohn’s disease
- A history of gastrointestinal surgery
- Following a plant-based diet
- Pancreatic insufficiency
- AIDS
- High alcohol consumption
- Older age
- Pernicious anemia
- Some hereditary conditions that badly affect vitamin B12 absorption
- Atrophic gastritis
- Helicobacter pylori infection
- Celiac disease
In case of involvement in any of these risks, you should consult a doctor immediately to get treated in case of vitamin B12 deficiency.
After getting a B12 shot, a person should also monitor the situation if there are any adverse symptoms and seek medical help in case of:
- Mild diarrhea
- Temporary itching of the skin
- Severe pain at the injection site
- Swelling in the body
It is rare, but a person may also be at risk of:
- Polycythemia vera, a type of blood cancer.
- Anaphylaxis.
- Pulmonary edema.
- Peripheral vascular thrombosis involves blood clots.
- Congestive heart failure.
Anyone experiencing difficulty breathing, hives, and swelling will need immediate medical help. A person may also be battling with anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction.
Side Effects on Medication
Vitamin B12 may have side effects if the patient is on certain medications. To avoid any severe side effects, people must constantly inform a doctor about all prescription and over-the-counter drugs before injecting vitamin B12.
Vitamin B12 deficiency can also happen on certain medications, including:
- Metformin.
- Proton pump inhibitors.
- H2 receptor antagonists.
Vitamin B12 injections help with weight loss?
If you are low on vitamin B12 and struggling with fatigue and/or depression, raised B12 levels may help ease these symptoms and help you feel more energetic. This could eventually lead you to shed some weight. But B12 shots themselves are not associated with helping you lose weight.
If your vitamin B12 level is average, getting treated with B12 injections won’t help you. However, studies show that high vitamin B12 levels and lower risk of obesity may be associated. But again, it doesn’t mean B12 shots will help you lose weight.
Experts say that normal B12 levels have little evidence to support that they work for weight loss.
Frequently Asked Questions about B12 Injections
How long do B12 injections take to show signs of improvement?
Most clients experience improvement in general well-being almost immediately after taking a dose of vitamin B12. Nearly all clients share a rise in energy levels after a second or third shot.
What are the diet-alone sources of vitamin B12?
Vitamin B12 injections are not just the only source of vitamin B12. In fact, most people get enough vitamin B12 through diet alone. This vitamin is found in lots of foods in common, including:
Salmon, tuna, yogur, eggs (especially yolks), fortified cereals, nutritional yeast, beef, clams, dairy milk, and fortified plant milk.
How the requirement of vitamin B12 is assessed?
If you are low on vitamin B12, you should consult a doctor first, who may prescribe you supplementation, such as a dissolvable B12 capsule or tablet or a B12 nasal spray, and eventually vitamin B12 injections if needed.
How much vitamin B12 do I need for a healthier and happier life?
The level of vitamin B12 depends mainly on age. Below is the recommended dietary allowances (RDAs)Trusted Source for vitamin B12. This RDA list refers to the minimum daily amount people should take according to their age group for a healthy life.
- 0–6 months: 0.4 micrograms (mcg)
- 7–12 months: 0.5 mcg
- 1–3 years: 0.9 mcg
- 4–8 years: 1.2 mcg
- 9–13 years: 1.8 mcg
- 14+ years: 2.4 mcg
- Pregnant people: 2.6 mcg
- People who chestfed: 2.8 mcg
However, consulting a doctor is still the best choice to get advice on an individual’s needs.
Concluding Thoughts
Most people can’t get enough vitamin B12 from a proper diet. The difficulty in the absorption of vitamin B12 is the common reason behind it. This can also happen due to low levels of intrinsic factors in the digestive system, vegetarianism, or having a digestive condition.
In case of deficiency due to dietary sources, consult a doctor for recommendations through pills or injections. Puur Drip can also help you deal with it. They have a team of experts in health and wellness. Simply visit their website, and book an appointment!
