Do Vitamin B12 Shots Help with Weight Loss?

Are vitamin B-12 injections helpful for weight loss?

Answer

from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.

There's no solid evidence that vitamin B-12 in any form — including vitamin B-12 injections — improves weight loss.

Vitamin B-12 is a water-soluble B complex vitamin found naturally in a variety of foods, including meat, fish and dairy products. Vitamin B-12 can also be made commercially in a lab. Vitamin B-12 is added to some foods and is available as a dietary supplement in tablet form or as an injection. Vitamin B-12 is commonly prescribed to help treat pernicious anemia and B-12 deficiency.

Some weight-loss clinics offer vitamin B-12 injections as part of their weight-loss programs. Proponents of vitamin B-12 injections for weight loss say the shots give you more energy and boost your metabolism, helping you shed unwanted pounds. But unless you have a vitamin B-12 deficiency, vitamin B-12 injections aren't likely to give you an energy boost. Getting large amounts of vitamin B-12 through vitamin B-12 injections isn't likely to harm your health. But vitamin B-12 can interfere with the effectiveness of some medications, so if you receive vitamin B-12 injections, be sure to let your doctor know.

If you're hoping to lose weight, resist the lure of quick and easy solutions. What counts is a healthy lifestyle. Enjoy healthier foods and include physical activity in your daily routine. If you're worried about your vitamin B-12 level, talk to your doctor and consider eating more foods that are rich in vitamin B-12, rather than turning to vitamin B-12 injections.

lack of vitamin b12

Vitamin B12 Sources, Functions and Deficiencies

Author: Dr John Anne

Vitamin B12 is known as cobalamin as well, because of its cobalt content. Vitamin B12 aids in maintaining healthy nerve cells and red blood cells. It is an integral element in DNA formation. It functions with the binding of protein in food. During the digestion process, hydrochloric acid in the stomach discharges vitamin B12 from protein contents found in food. As soon as it is released, it binds with intrinsic factor (IF). Later intestinal tract absorbs this combination.





Vitamin B12 Sources





Vitamin B12 is a naturally derived substance. Fish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk and dairy products are the wise selection of vitamin B12 sources. Another great source of vitamin B12 is fortified breakfast cereals. This is a perfect choice for vegetarians to satisfy their vitamin B12 needs. Apart from that mixed spices prepared from mollusks and clam can be considered as one of significant vitamin B12 sources. Liver, beef, Trout, Salmon, Yogurt, Haddock, Clams, Tuna, Pork, and Chicken are the great sources of vitamin B12.





The requirement for vitamin B12 in a healthy adult is 2.4μg per day.





Vitamin B12 Functions





Essentially, vitamin B12 functions in various ways. The most important among all vitamin B12 functions is identified with the assistance in the neurotransmitter production. Neurotransmitter is an important element that regulates almost every function in our body and mind. Fat, protein and carbohydrate metabolism are also significant vitamin B12 functions. It helps in appropriate DNA replication process. It plays a significant role as a catalyst during hemoglobin synthesis. If you lack vitamin B12 in your daily diet, you may become anemic. It helps in red blood cells production. It helps in converting from homocysteine to methionine. This conversion is crucial in minimizing the risk of cardiac arrest.





Vitamin B12 Deficiencies





Typically vitamin B12 deficienciesmay occur due to two reasons one is inability to absorb vitamin B12 from food substances and the second reason is an inability to consume foods rich in vitamin B12. The later situation mainly occurs in the case of strict vegetarians. They suffer from vitamin B12 deficiencies mainly due to the fact that they do not consume any foods coming from animals.





The common symptoms associated with vitamin B12 deficiencies may include constipation, memory loss, difficulty in walking or moving, megaloblastic anemia, mood disorder, numbness, sore tongue, disorientation, damage in the myelin sheath and dementia.





Pregnant women or lactating women need extra supply of vitamin B12, like any other essential nutrients. It passes to the placenta during pregnancy. Brest-fed infants receive their nutrients from their mother. Therefore a lack of nutrients may cause serious harm to their health. The women on vegan diet may lack the sufficient supply of vitamin B12. So the crisis may result within months of birth. If not taken into serious consideration, it may cause severe neurological damage in time.





Apart from that, individuals suffering from megaloblastic anemia or gastrointestinal disorder may receive benefits from vitamin B12 supplements. Few medications suggested for chronic problem may decrease the natural absorption of vitamin B12 in the body, in such cases additional supplements of vitamin B12 seem to be necessary.





As vitamin B12 supplements are essentially dependent on animal products, so we must understand that a strict vegetarian diet may lead to vitamin B12 deficiencies. In such cases, fortified cereals must be taken under consideration to fulfill the requirement of vitamin B12.





Potential Health Risk





There is no established UL so far for vitamin B12 because of its low potential for toxicity. Till date, no such reports have been submitted in claim of adverse effects resulting from the usage of vitamin B12. However, medical studies conducted by Institute of Medicine say that individuals older than 50 years should depend on fortified foods to avoid possible vitamin B12 deficiencies. It is mainly because of the impaired absorption pattern for vitamin B12 coming from animal products, mostly prevalent at older ages.

About the Author:

Dr John Anne is an herbal specialist with years of experience and extensive research on herbs and alternative health. Visit Vitamin B12 Deficiency at Vitamins and Minerals. Also read about Curcumin Benefits for complete information on Curcumin

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Vitamin B12 Sources, Functions and Deficiencies

Liquid B12 Vitamins

Liquid B12 Vitamins are a great way to supplement the bodies need for the vitamin, either sublingually, or via a B12 Shot.

B12 vitamins are needed to help the body properly absorb other nutrients and digest food,and B12 vitamins are essential for maintaining a healthy nervous system and aid in the production of DNA and RNA, the bodies genetic code.

Patients exhibiting early signs of Alzheimer’s, dementia and memory loss can be treated with B12 vitamins if a lack of the vitamin is present, and in many cases, if the symptoms are related to inadequate absorption of the B12 vitamin, aggressive supplementation can slow and even reverse these symptoms.


B12 vitamin deficiency can often occur from inadequate dietary consumption or impaired absorption by the body. As the body gets older, it is harder to get an adequate supply of B12 vitamins through dietary consumption alone. In these instances, Liquid B12 vitamin, sublingual B12 vitamin or the B12 vitamin shot are options that can quickly restore the depleted supply.

In severe cases, B12 vitamin deficiency can lead to severe damage to the nervous system and the spinal cord. In rare cases, lack of vitamin B12 can lead to pernicious anemia, which is a fatal condition.


Liquid B12 vitamins are also known as an energy enhancement, due to the effects that Liquid B12 vitamins have in the production of healthy red blood cells, and the effects the vitamin has in restoring alertness and focus.

When looking a B12 vitamin supplements, one should not overlook the benefits of liquid B12 vitamins.

Benefits of B12 Vitamins

There are many benefits to taking B12 vitamins.






Vitamin B12 is an essential element needed by the body to maintain a healthy nervous system, and for the production of DNA. Vitamin B12 is also responsible for the bodies production of healthy red blood cells, and when used in combination with the other B vitamins, will help to maintain energy levels, memory function, healthy hair growth, and even eyesight.

Vitamin B12 is available in many forms including liquid vitamin B12, sublingual B12 vitamin tablets, and via injection.

Sublingual vitamin B12 is highly recommended, as is the B12 vitamin shot. The sublingual tablets are dissolved under the tongue, making the B12 vitamin immediately available to the body through the bloodstream.

The body’s ability to properly absorbed vitamin B12 through traditional methods diminishes with age, and vitamin B12 is not readily available to those with a strictly vegan diet, because naturally occurring B12 vitamins are only found in meat, eggs and cheeses.

It is highly recommended that those following a vegan diet, as well as those who were older, supplement their B. twelve vitamin a intake by establishing a regular the twelve vitamin supplemention regimen.

Recent studies have shown that the twelve vitamin deficiency has been linked with early memory loss, Alzheimer’s, depression, early hair loss, and and the loss of cognitive functions.

When a B12 vitamin deficiency was identified, the symptoms of many of these debilitating disorders were stopped and in many cases reversed, when treated with proper doses of B12 vitamins.

Because B12 vitamins are water soluble, this vitamin is considered safe, with side effects generally being associated with those sensitive to the metal cobalt, and risks associated with high doses of the twelve vitamins have rarely been documented.

B12 Vitamin Benefits

Vitamin B12 Benefits

Author: Juliet Cohen

Vitamin B12 has a long history and a solid reputation as an energy booster, and it is among the most important of all the B-complex vitamins. Vitamin B12 deficiency may result negative in hematological, neurological, and gastrointestinal conditions. Gastrointestinal effects of B12 deficiency may include diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, excessive flatulence, and a burning sensation on the tongue. Vitamin B12, a member of the B-vitamin family, is a term used collectively to represent a group of cobalt-containing compounds known as corrinoids. The principal cobalamins are cyanocobalamin, hydroxocobalamin, and the two coenzyme forms of vitamin B12, methylcobalamin, and 5-deoxyadenosylcobalamin (adenosylcobalamin). However, the term vitamin B12 is usually used to refer to only one of these forms, cyanocobalamin, which is used to fortify foods and nutritional supplements. Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin required for normal cell activity, DNA replication, and the synthesis of the mood-influencing substance SAMe. Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, works with folic acid to produce healthy red blood cells. Vitamin B12 also keeps your central nervous system healthy.





Vitamin B12 helps maintain the myelin sheath that insulates nerve fibres from each other. B12 deficiency can cause a type of anemia marked by fewer but larger red blood cells that's called pernicious anemia. It can also cause walking and balance problems, sore tongue, weakness, confusion and, in advanced cases, dementia. Vegetarians who eliminate all animal sources from their diet (also known as vegans) may benefit from taking a vitamin B12 supplement. Vitamin B12 is bound to the protein in food. Hydrochloric acid in the stomach releases B12 from proteins in foods during digestion. Hydroxocobalamin is a man-made form of vitamin B12. Vitamin B12's main functions are in the formation of red blood cells and the maintenence of a healthy nervous system. Prolonged B12 deficiency can lead to nerve degeneration and irreversible neurological damage. People with vitamin B12 deficiency show irregular destruction of the myelin sheaths, which eventually causes paralysis and death.Vitamin B12 levels decrease with age and various measures of cognitive impairment are associated with reduced B12 status. Vitamin B12 deficiencies occur when the body is unable to properly use the vitamin.





Benifits Vitamin B12 Tips





1. Vitamin B12 are critical to the health of the nervous system and to a process that clears homocysteine from the blood.





2. Vitamin B12 is found naturally in food sources (principally animal products) in protein-bound forms.





3. Vitamin B12 deficiency can be a factor in a variety of different health conditions and disorders.





4. Vitamin B12 may help restrain pre-cancerous lung conditions in smokers.





5. Patients with Alzheimer2019s show low levels of Vitamin B12.





6.3 Vitamin B 12 and folate are required for the synthesis of S-adenosylmethionine, a methyl group donor essential for the metabolism of neurotransmitters.





7. Vitamin B12 deficiency can be a factor in a variety of different health conditions and disorders.





8. Vitamin B12 has been suggested to help defend against hypersensitivity to sulfites.

About the Author:

Juliet Cohen writes articles on diseases and conditions and women health care. More information on health related topics visit our site at http://www.healthatoz.info.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/supplements-and-vitamins-articles/vitamin-b12-benefits-203458.html

Side Effects of B12 Vitamins

Are there side effects with the B12 vitamins?

Even in large doses, B12 vitamins are usually non -toxic.

However, there are people who have experienced adverse effects.

It’s interesting to note that the few who have experienced adverse side effects chose to have B12 vitamin shots administered as an injection.

B12 vitamin injections have long been associated with the following side effects:

Mild diarrhea
Heart palpitations
Chest pain
Anxiety attacks
Skin rash
Breathing problems
Hives or itchy Skin

Health professionals believe that those patients developing adverse symptoms did so because of preservatives used in the B12 vitamin formula designed for injections.

Those who ingest B12 vitamins in tablets form, or sublingual B12 vitamins rarely, if ever, experience an adverse reaction.

Allergic reactions have been noted in those sensitive to the metal cobalt, and there is a research that suggests those who have had heart surgery may run the small risk of complications associated with taking B12 vitamins, as B12 vitamins may narrow arteries surrounding heart stents.