Vitamin B12 makes you feel better by boosting energy through red blood cell formation and food conversion, supporting brain health by producing mood-regulating neurotransmitters like serotonin, and ensuring proper nerve function, especially if you were deficient, correcting fatigue, mental fogginess, or mood issues by restoring these vital processes and protecting nerve insulation.
Boosting Energy Levels: B12 is directly involved in energy production by supporting the creation of red blood cells and aiding in oxygen transportation throughout the body. By increasing red blood cell count, B12 shots provide the body with more oxygen, which can significantly reduce feelings of fatigue.
For pregnancy, focus on getting enough Vitamin B12 from animal products (meat, dairy, eggs) or fortified foods, as it's vital for fetal brain/nerve development; if vegan or deficient, supplement, with forms like cyanocobalamin (common in supplements) or hydroxocobalamin (food/injections) being effective, but always check with your doctor for personalized advice on dosage and the best type for your needs.
If possible, it may be best to avoid taking multivitamin with minerals while you are being treated with doxycycline. Otherwise, you should separate their dosing times by as much as possible, usually at least 2 to 4 hours.
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. Boost mood and emotional stability.
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.
Vitamins B6, B12, and Folate: These vitamins help make those hormones like serotonin and dopamine. When you have enough of these vitamins, you're more likely to feel happy and calm. Vitamin B6 and Dopamine: Dopamine is another cool messenger.
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.
Cautions with other medicines
Possible Nutrients Depleted
Antibiotics (Penicillin, doxycycline, amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin, etc.) Folic Acid, Iron, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, and Vitamin K.
Vitamin B12 deficiency can sometimes lead to temporary infertility, an inability to conceive. This usually improves with appropriate vitamin B12 treatment.
How many B12 pills equal a shot? While it might seem like a 1000 micrograms (mcg) B12 shot is equal to a 1,000 mcg B12 supplement, it's not that simple. Your body absorbs these B12 formulations differently, so you can't simply make B12 pills equal a shot dosage.
During pregnancy, ensuring adequate vitamin B12 levels is crucial for fetal development and maternal health. The third trimester is especially significant as the fetus undergoes rapid growth and development, necessitating adequate nutrient transfer from the mother.
In fact, some studies have even suggested the opposite. For instance, one study noted that individuals who regularly took vitamin B12 supplements gained between 2.5 to 17 fewer pounds (1.2 to 7.7 kg) over a decade than those who didn't supplement.
Which vitamins and minerals can help with tiredness and fatigue?
B Vitamins For Brain Fog
Sufficient levels of vitamin B12 are necessary to optimize nerve function, memory, and quick thinking. If you don't eat adequate amounts of shellfish, poultry, and dairy products, vitamin B12 supplements can help improve cognitive decline, poor memory, as well as muddled thinking.
There is general consensus that gastric acid–lowering drugs, including proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and H2-receptor antagonists (H2RAs), and the antidiabetes drug metformin can reduce circulating vitamin B-12 concentrations with prolonged use.
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.
Moreover, we found that vitamin D, folic acid, and vitamin B12 co-supplementation may have the same or even better effect than vitamin D supplementation alone.
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.
This constant feeling of hunger may be due to nutrient imbalances, particularly a lack of vitamins B1 and B3, which are essential for energy metabolism. In addition, a deficiency in essential nutrients such as protein, fiber, and certain minerals can also contribute to an increased appetite.
Vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids work together in several ways to fight depression, mainly through reducing inflammation and balancing brain chemicals. When we talk about brain chemicals, serotonin is the most important one in depression.
Low dopamine symptoms often involve a lack of motivation, pleasure (anhedonia), and energy, leading to fatigue, mood changes like depression/anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and a reduced sex drive, alongside physical issues such as sleep problems, muscle stiffness, tremors, and slow movement (like in Parkinson's).
Vitamin B-12 and other B vitamins play a role in making brain chemicals that affect mood and other brain functions. Low levels of B-12 and other B vitamins and folate may be linked to depression. Low levels of a vitamin, also called a vitamin deficiency, can happen if you're not eating a balanced diet.