Vitamin B12 Injections: Are They Necessary?

Vitamin B12 is a member of the B vitamin family and is responsible for supporting many of our body functions. It is considered an essential nutrient that is needed for nerve tissue health, brain function, and the production of blood cells. B12 is known as Cobalamin and is one of the 8 B vitamins.

What Are The Possible Signs Of Being Deficient In B12?

Deficiency often develops because of the body’s inability to either absorb vitamin B12 in the gut or deficiency in the diet. Symptoms may present as:

• mouth ulcer
• sore tongue
• numbness
• tingling in hands and feet
• a pale-yellow tinge to the skin.
• tiredness
• irritability
• headaches
• depression and mood changes
• depleted mental ability
• poor sense of balance
• fatigue
• breathlessness
• dizziness
• constipation
• heart palpitations

With age, it can be harder to absorb Vitamin B12. It can also happen if you have had weight loss surgery or another operation that removed part of your stomach, or if you drink heavily.

Further Possible Reasons For Deficiencies

You may also be more likely to develop vitamin B12 deficiency if you have:

• Atrophic gastritis, in which your stomach lining has thinned
• Pernicious anaemia, which makes it hard for your body to absorb vitamin B12
• Conditions that affect your small intestine, such as Crohn’s disease, coeliac disease, bacterial growth, or a parasite
• Immune system disorders, such as Grave’s disease or lupus
• Taken certain medications that interfere with the absorption of vitamin B12. This includes some heartburn medicines including proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) such as esomeprazole (Nexium), Lansoprazole, omeprazole, omeprazole, rabeprazole H2 blockers such as cimetidine and famotidine, and certain diabetes medicines such as metformin 

You can also get vitamin B12 deficiency if you follow a vegan diet (meaning you do not eat any animal products such as meat, milk, cheese, and eggs), also if you are a vegetarian who does not eat enough eggs or dairy products to meet your B12 needs. In both these cases, you can add fortified foods to your diet or take supplements to meet this need.

If you do not eat animal products or you have a medical condition that limits how well your body absorbs nutrients, you can take vitamin B12 supplements in a multivitamin. Or you could take other foods fortified with vitamin B12.

However, vitamin injections are much more effective than an oral supplement. When vitamin B12 is given via injection, the digestive system is bypassed. Therefore, a much higher nutrition level is delivered directly into the cells through the blood stream. There are times when the body is deficient of the nutrients it needs, which is when regular B12 injections outweigh oral supplements.

What Are Good Food Sources For B12?

• eggs – salmon – trout – beet – sardines- animal liver – animal kidneys.

People are more at risk of being deficient in Vitamin B12 if they do not eat these natural products or foods fortified with nutrients such as soya foods, breakfast cereals, yeast extracts and plant-based milk.

What Are The Benefits Of Vitamin B12 Injections?

B12 injections can bring immediate health benefits and support a large variety of health conditions.

Vitamin B12 is crucial to the normal function of the brain and nervous system. It is also involved in the formation of red blood cells and helps to repair and regulate DNA.

The metabolism of every cell in the body depends on vitamin B12. It plays an important part in the synthesis of fatty acids, amino acids, and energy production.

Vitamin B12 enables the release of energy by helping the human body absorb folic acid. Your body produces millions of red blood cells every minute. These cells cannot multiply properly without vitamin B12. The production of red blood cells reduces if vitamin B12 levels are too low. Anaemia can occur if the red blood cell count decreases.

1. Increase energy levels and concentration
2. Improve metabolism and aid with weight loss
3. Boosts the immune system
4. Helps improve sleep patterns
5. Aids red blood cell formation
6. Prevents major birth defects during pregnancy
7. Support bone health and prevent osteoporosis
8. Reduces the risk of macular degeneration
9. Improves mood and symptoms of depression
10. Supports brain function by preventing loss of neurons
11. Provides and energy boost
12. Improves heart health by decreasing Homocysteine
13. Supports healthy hair, skin and nails

Boosts The Immune System

A lack of B12 interferes with your body’s ability to produce white blood cells. These cells are essential in fighting off infections and keeping your immune system in good working order.

Improves Sleep

Tryptophan is the amino acid found in foods like turkey that makes you drowsy. Our body manufactures tryptophan naturally. It is a big factor that helps you sleep at night. Vitamin B12 is also a large factor in the tryptophan production process. B12 injections can help you go from restless nights to getting a good nights sleep.

Healthy Heart With B12 Injections

Studies have shown that vitamin B12 helps decrease homocysteine levels, which may reduce your risk of heart disease. 

Improve Dementia And Alzheimer’s

Those with a deficiency of B12 can present peripheral neuropathy, pernicious anaemia or a cognitive disorder. Previous studies have revealed that a deficiency B12 is associated with cognitive decline or Alzheimer disease. This can be due to high homocysteine levels in the body. Some doctors claim that when the B12 injections are given to these patients that symptoms can improve and it can delay the progression of the condition.

Support The Nervous System

B12 plays and important part in the maintenance of the sheaths that cover and protect the nerves of the central and peripheral nervous system. This system ensures fast and effective nerve impulse transmission. A fatty substance called Myelin is essential for the formation of these sheaths. B12 has been found to support the synthesis Myelin.

Side Effects Of B12 Injections

Vitamin B12 injections may have some side effects. Mild side effects that are on-going should be referred to a doctor. These side effects of B12 injections could include:

• Pain, redness, itching on the site of the injection
• Mild diarrhoea
• Swelling sensation in the body

At Skin by Dr Caroline advanced skin clinic in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, we provide all the advice and the necessary Vitamin B12 injection booster shots. We are experts in paramedical skincare and health conditions.

Give us a call on 01707 662477 or email info@skinbydrcaroline.co.uk to discuss cost and any more information.