This maybe useful if you have a carer or a family member willing to administer your injection. The angle of the needle with IM injections should be 90 degrees. The easiest sites for self-administration are the abdomen and upper thigh. 1.
A B12 injection contains high levels of cyanocobalamin, which quickly elevates B12 levels in the body. Injections are water-soluble, which helps your body store and use the vitamin as it's needed. Shots can be self-administered or given by a doctor. You need a prescription for injections.
Intramuscular Vitamin B12 Injections
Relax your thigh muscle by sitting down. Squeeze the center of the muscle. Hold the needle in your dominant hand at a 90-degree angle to the injection site and insert the needle about an inch in. “Pull the syringe for 5 to 10 seconds.
For patients who are naturally B12 deficient, more frequent injections about once a month may be ideal. For other patients, an injection every three to four months may suffice. We will help you determine the best frequency to get the results you want.
The injection site will be in the muscle directly below your two fingers. Think of a triangle and you will insert the needle in the center of the triangle. (Picture 4-D). Location of the bone at the top of the arm Injection site Page 6 The Angle of the needle: The needle must go into the skin at a 90° angle.
Since B12 shots are injected intramuscularly bypassing the digestive process, they start to work immediately. Typically, our patients experience positive effects between 24-72 hours after the treatment.
Simply put, how long the B12 shot will last is different for everyone. Though it differs a bit from one person to another, the effects of B12 vitamins usually last around 48 hours to 72 hours after the initial injection.
Safety and side effects
While the recommended daily amount of vitamin B-12 for adults is 2.4 micrograms, higher doses have been found to be safe. Your body absorbs only as much as it needs, and any excess passes through your urine.
In one clinical trial assessing the efficacy of phentermine and vitamin B-12 for weight loss, vitamin B-12 (as the sole ingredient) was administered via injections of 1,000 mg per week. Regardless of the dosage, your practitioner will likely recommend weekly shots for several weeks.
Upon receiving the B12 injection, you may experience a skin reaction in or around the area in which the injection was placed. Pain, redness, and swelling may occur shortly after the procedure is complete. There may also be some irritation in the area, as well as a risk of infection.
So does vitamin B12 give you energy? While B12 doesn't directly provide energy, it does give the body the tools it needs to convert food molecules into energy. Getting the recommended daily amount of B12 can therefore help ensure that the body is able to make the energy it needs to do everything you need it to do.
Your MinuteClinic® provider can administer vitamin B12 injections for patients with a prescription.
Vitamin B12 is delivered by injection by our specially trained pharmacists just like the flu jab, for the purpose of protecting and maintaining health! This is a service for everyone but can be especially beneficial for those that follow a plant-based diet such as vegans and vegetarians.
Bananas also contain fibre and potassium. It helps manage blood pressure, reduce stress, and relieve constipation and ulcer problems. The fruit also helps regulate body temperature. Another fruit that is rich in vitamin B12 is blueberries.
If you need regular injections of vitamin B12, cyanocobalamin would need to be given once a month, whereas hydroxocobalamin can be given every 3 months.
Some people can develop a vitamin B12 deficiency as a result of not getting enough vitamin B12 from their diet. A diet that includes meat, fish and dairy products usually provides enough vitamin B12, but people who do not regularly eat these foods can become deficient.
Vitamin B12 testing requires a blood sample, which is usually taken from your arm in a medical office, health clinic, hospital, or lab.
A lack of vitamin B12 can cause neurological problems, which affect your nervous system, such as: vision problems. memory loss. pins and needles (paraesthesia)
A lack of B12 may lead to depression, confusion, memory problems, and dementia. It also can affect your balance. B12 supplements are usually safe.
How Often Do You Need a Vitamin B12 Injection? The usual frequency for intramuscular doses of B12 shots is every 10 days, followed by maintenance doses at varying intervals. After this period, injections can be administered once per month, which this frequency is enough to reverse the signs of vitamin B12 deficiency.
For the majority of people, I recommend once weekly for 4 weeks. Then B12 shots can be helpful monthly as maintenance. If we are treating autoimmunity or pernicious anemia, you will receive B12 weekly or twice weekly for 6-12 weeks.
Do not stop using the medicine unless your doctor tells you to. Untreated vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to anemia or irreversible nerve damage. Pernicious anemia is also treated with folic acid to help maintain red blood cells.