No, you don't feel B12 immediately, but effects from injections can start within hours to days, with noticeable improvements in energy, mood, and clarity often seen in 24-72 hours as your body absorbs the vitamin, though full recovery from severe deficiency can take weeks. Oral supplements take longer as they're absorbed through digestion, making injections faster for deficient individuals.
The effects of B12 shots can be felt within 24 to 72 hours, depending on the individual's current B12 levels and overall health. People who are deficient in B12 often notice an immediate boost in energy, mental clarity, and mood after their first injection.
When will I feel better? Hydroxocobalamin starts to work straight away. However, it may take a few days or weeks before your vitamin B12 levels and symptoms (such as extreme tiredness or lack of energy) start to improve.
Some B12 supplements promise an instant energy boost. But that's often because they're packed with artificial stimulants. B12 isn't producing these on-demand results.
Yes, Vitamin B12 can help with vertigo, especially if a deficiency is the underlying cause, as low B12 levels can lead to neurological problems, anemia, poor nerve function, and reduced blood flow to the brain, all contributing to dizziness and imbalance, with supplementation showing promise in improving symptoms.
B12 deficiency can trigger specific food cravings, most notably for meat, fish, or eggs, as the body seeks animal-based sources to replenish the vitamin, especially in those on vegetarian/vegan diets or older adults. While cravings for sugary or salty foods can also signal general B-vitamin issues, the distinct urge for protein-rich animal products is a key indicator, but professional testing is crucial for confirmation.
Yeditepe University Hospitals Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery Specialists, who drew attention to the latest research, said "Iron deficiency anemia, vitamin B12 and D deficiency cause vertigo". The most common inner ear disease causing vertigo is Benign positional paroxysmal vertigo.
Individuals experiencing a deficiency often report feeling unusually tired or weak, even after adequate sleep. This symptom arises because a lack of B12 impairs the production of red blood cells, leading to fewer cells to transport oxygen throughout the body.
Better Mood & Emotional Well-Being
Low B12 levels have been linked to mood swings, irritability, anxiety, and even depression. That's because B12 helps regulate serotonin and dopamine—the neurotransmitters responsible for keeping you happy and balanced. Regular B12 shots can help: Reduce stress and anxiety.
Overview. Vitamin B-12 is a vitamin the body uses to make and support healthy nerve cells. It's also used to make healthy red blood cells and the genetic material inside cells called DNA.
Vitamins B9 and B12 are both thought to treat symptoms of anxiety. Folic acid has many uses in the body, and a vitamin B9 deficiency has been linked to higher levels of anxiety and depression. When taken in conjunction with B12, these B super-vitamins help metabolize serotonin, which is important for mood regulation.
It may take a few weeks before your vitamin B12 levels and symptoms (such as extreme tiredness or lack of energy) start to improve. If you have hydroxocobalamin injections to boost your vitamin B12 levels at the start of treatment, the cyanocobalamin tablets may start to work within a few days.
Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms develop gradually and include extreme fatigue, pale skin, shortness of breath, headaches, and nerve issues like numbness or tingling in hands/feet, plus cognitive problems such as memory loss and confusion, often linked to anemia but also affecting nerves and brain function, requiring medical diagnosis and treatment.
Which vitamins and minerals can help with tiredness and fatigue?
The foods highest in Vitamin B12 are animal products, with clams and liver (beef, lamb) being exceptionally rich sources, often providing several hundred percent of the daily value in a single serving, alongside seafood like mussels, sardines, and salmon, dairy, eggs, and fortified cereals and nutritional yeast for vegans.
Cutaneous manifestations associated with vitamin B12 deficiency are skin hyperpigmentation, vitiligo, angular stomatitis, and hair changes. A diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency is often overlooked in its early stages because these signs are not specific to vitamin B12 deficiency alone.
Some stomach conditions or stomach operations can prevent the absorption of enough vitamin B12. For example, a gastrectomy, a surgical procedure where part of your stomach is removed, increases your risk of developing a vitamin B12 deficiency.
Warning signs of vitamin B12 deficiency include extreme fatigue, weakness, pale/yellow skin, numbness/tingling (pins and needles), cognitive issues (memory fog, confusion), mood changes (depression/irritability), and a sore, red tongue, alongside potential shortness of breath, heart palpitations, and balance problems, as symptoms develop slowly and can worsen over time. It's crucial to see a GP, as early treatment prevents potentially irreversible neurological damage, say NHS, Cleveland Clinic, and WebMD.
Since BPPV more specifically is caused by the dislodgment of the calcium crystals in the inner ear, some studies suggest that supplementing vitamin D can help reduce episodes of dizziness.
Our study successfully supplemented vitamin D deficiency through vitamin D monotherapy. This significantly reduced the recurrence rate of vertigo. Furthermore, in our study, neither the vitamin D group nor the placebo group reported any adverse effects.
Foods or drinks to avoid