Can B12 shots be harmful?

Getting large amounts of vitamin B-12 through vitamin B-12 shots is not likely to harm your health. But vitamin B-12 may affect how well some drugs work. And some drugs can affect vitamin B-12 levels. So if you want to get vitamin B-12 shots, tell your health care provider first.


What are the negatives of B12 injections?

Even though vitamin B12 shots can be very helpful, there's also a chance that they'll have a few drawbacks.
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But you might experience drawbacks including but not limited to:
  • Minor swelling or itching at the injection site.
  • Mild diarrhea.
  • Headaches and dizziness.
  • Nausea.
  • Low potassium levels.
  • Skin rashes.


How often should you get a B12 shot?

If your vitamin B12 deficiency is not caused by a lack of vitamin B12 in your diet, you'll usually need to have an injection of hydroxocobalamin every 2 to 3 months for the rest of your life.


What are symptoms of too much B12 injections?

However, supplementing with excessively high levels of B12 has been linked to some negative side effects. Several studies have shown that megadoses of the vitamin can lead to outbreaks of acne and rosacea, a skin condition that causes redness and pus-filled bumps on the face.

What happens to your body after B12 injection?

Pain/redness at the injection site, mild diarrhea, itching, or a feeling of swelling all over the body may occur. If any of these effects last or get worse, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.


Are Vitamin B12 Injections Worth Your Money?



How long does a B12 shot stay in your system?

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.

Can B12 injections cause heart problems?

B12 injections may contribute to low potassium levels in your body. Though rare, this reaction can cause muscle cramping, extreme fatigue, and an irregular heartbeat.

Can you overdo B12 injections?

Can you overdose on vitamin B12? Overdosing on vitamin B12 is unlikely. Because vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is a water-soluble vitamin and your body excretes it daily in your urine, it doesn't build up in the body like fat-soluble vitamins—like vitamin D—do.


What medications should not be taken with B12?

As summarized in the table provided, vitamin B12 (cobalamin) absorption and utilization by the body can be compromised with the chronic use of certain medications which include: colchicine, chloramphenicol, ethanol, histamine 2 receptor antagonists (H2RA), metformin, and proton pump inhibitors (PPI).

Are B12 shots a good idea?

Vitamin B12 Shots Are Very Effective

An untreated vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to neurological problems or pernicious anemia, which occurs when your body doesn't have enough B12 to produce the amount of red blood cells it needs ( 16 ). Vitamin B12 shots are the most common way to prevent or treat a deficiency.

How do you know when you need a B12 shot?

When your body doesn't have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to tissues, you'll likely feel weak and tired. It's important to know that you can develop fatigue and other symptoms related to B12 deficiency, even when your B12 levels are considered within range or only borderline low ( 6 ).


What does low B12 feel like?

Constipation, diarrhea, loss of appetite, or gas. Nerve problems like numbness or tingling, muscle weakness, and problems walking. Vision loss. Mental problems like depression, memory loss, or behavioral changes.

When should you not take vitamin B12?

Who should not take VITAMIN B-12?
  1. low amount of potassium in the blood.
  2. Leber's hereditary optic atrophy.
  3. inflammation of the stomach called atrophic gastritis.
  4. past history of complete removal of stomach.


Can B12 cause neuropathy?

B12 deficiency may cause demyelination of nerves in the peripheral and central nervous system13 and has been associated with peripheral neuropathy, loss of sensation in peripheral nerves, and weakness in lower extremities in older adults1, 14–16.


What is the safest form of B12?

Cyanocobalamin B12 contains a cyanide molecule that gives it stability in products and the body. Cyanide is a poison, of course, but in the minuscule quantities found in Cyanocobalamin, this is of no consequence – it's perfectly safe to take!

How many times a week can you take a B12 shot?

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.

What happens if vitamin B12 is high?

Recent research has suggested that high vitamin B12 levels may be associated with increased mortality after ICU admission. However, it is known that impaired liver function may lead to elevated B12 since B12 is metabolized through the liver, and therefore high B12 levels may serve as a proxy for poor liver function.


Is it OK to get a B12 shot every week?

There are several different dosing regimens for this type of B12 therapy. B12 may be injected into a muscle or under the skin at 100 mcg daily for a week, every other day for another week, and then every three or four days for a month. Thereafter, 100 mcg should be injected once a month for life.

What are the complications of vitamin B12?

Complications of vitamin B12 deficiency
  • vision problems.
  • memory loss.
  • pins and needles (paraesthesia)
  • loss of physical co-ordination (ataxia), which can affect your whole body and cause difficulty speaking or walking.
  • damage to parts of the nervous system (peripheral neuropathy), particularly in the legs.


Does B12 cause anxiety?

Vitamin B12 deficiency can have distressing neuropsychiatric symptoms. It can have an etiological role in clinical presentations like depression, anxiety, psychosis, dementia, and delirium, requiring screening of at-risk populations.


Does B12 give you energy right away?

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.

Do you pee out B12 injections?

If you've received more B12 than your body can use and store, your kidneys will flush out the extra – and because injected B12 is red, your urine may be pink or reddish.

Does B12 affect liver function?

Vitamin B12 therapy has not been linked to ALT elevations or to clinically apparent acute liver injury.


How long does it take for B12 vitamins to start working?

How Long Does It Take for Vitamin B12 to Work? It can take 3-4 weeks to start feeling better after taking vitamin B12 consistently. However, it can take six months or more to recover from a severe B12 deficiency. One of the most common reasons people take B12 is to boost their energy levels.