Vitamin B-12 Injections
Vitamin B-12 helps maintain good health and better absorbed by the body since they go directly into bloodstream. B-12 has been shown to be beneficial in reducing the following conditions:
- Stress
- Fatigue
- Improve Memory and Cardiovascular health
- Maintain Body weight
- Assist body in converting proteins, fats and carbohydrates into energy
- Good for healthy skin and eyes
- Neurological damage
- Nerve pain due to shingles outbreak
- Mood changes
- Muscle weakness and hormone imbalances
Managing patients with Evidence of Vitamin B12 Deficiency (According to Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention)
Option available for treating a clinical vitamin B12 deficiency include oral and parenteral (intramuscular or subcutaneous) preparations. Intravenous dosing is not recommended because this will result in most of the vitamin being lost in the urine.
The response of the patient with vitamin B 12 deficiency anemia to treatment is usually rapid, with reticulocytosis occurring within 2-5 days and the hematocrit normalizing within weeks. Treatment with cobalamin effectively halts progression of the deficiency process but might not fully reverse more advance neurologic effects. If the underlying cause of the vitamin B12 deficiency is treatable (e.g. fish tapeworm infection or bacterial overgrowth), then treatment should include addressing the underlying etiology.
Vitamin B12 is considered safe, even at levels much higher than the recommended dose. It has not been shown to be toxic or cause cancer, birth defects or mutations. Be aware, however that patients who have a vitamin B12 deficiency with associated megaloblastic anemia might experience hypokalemia and fluid overload early in treatment due to increased erythropoiesis, cellular uptake of potassium, and increased blood volume.
While the route, dosage, treatment, timing and follow up might vary somewhat, there is no question about the decision to treat patients with pernicious anemia or with low serum B12 level and hematologic or neurologic signs or symptoms without pernicious anemia (clinical vitamin B12 deficiciency). Once treated for a vitamin B12 deficiency due to pernicious anemia or other irreversible severe problems with absorption, patients need to continue some form of cobalamin therapy for life.
Parenteral (Intramuscular or Subcutaneous)
Administration of parenteral crystalline cobalamin has been the standard treatment protocol for decades. Few side effects have been reported, and patient acceptance is generally high. Anecdotally, subcutaneous route causes less burning than does the intramuscular route. Regimens for parenteral administration vary. Some providers have used quarterly injections after the initial dosing protocol. However, experts state that in pernicious anemia or severe malabsorptive deficiency., quarterly injections are not sufficient, noting that cobalamin levels start to fall prior to the 1 month follow up. (Allen RH. University of Colorado).
We only use Methylcobalamin or Hydroxocobalamin which is the bio-available form of Vitamin B-12. Vitamin B-12 is only naturally found in animal protein with the highest amount in red meat, or it is found in fortified foods. People who are vegetarian or vegan also usually need to supplement with the vitamin to avoid deficiency.
