How does Vitamin B12  work?

​

Deficiency of Vitamin B12 is common, especially in people who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet. This is because B12 is only found naturally in animal foods such as such as red meat, liver, fish, chicken, eggs and dairy products.

However, vegans and vegetarians are not the only ones who are deficient. Even some meat eaters don’t absorb it very well unlike other vitamins, the absorption of vitamin B12 depends on a protein produced in your stomach, called intrinsic factor.

 

Intrinsic factor binds vitamin B12, so that you can absorb it into the blood. People who don’t produce enough intrinsic factor can become deficient. Deficiency is particularly common in elderly people, because the ability to absorb vitamin B12 can decrease with age.

 

Other people at risk of deficiency include those who have had intestinal surgery, including weight loss surgery. Those with diseases that affect the gut, such as crohns disease or celiac disease, are also at risk.

​

​

Benefits of Vitamin B12

​

·                Fights fatigue

·                Aids insomnia and mental well being

·                Intensifies focus

·                Can aid weight loss

·                Maintain healthy nails, skin and hair

·                Reduce risk of osteoporosis

​

Do you need Vitamin B12 injections?​

​

If you eat a well-balanced diet that includes foods rich in vitamin B12, then it is unlikely that you’ll need to take additional B12.

 

For most people, dietary sources provide everything that is needed. However, people who are at risk of deficiency will probably need to take supplements or have regular injections to keep their levels up.

​

Lack of B12 can cause the following symptoms:

​

–          Sore mouth and tongue

–          Numbness and tingling in legs

–          Poor dental health and bleeding gums

–          Memory loss

–          Mood changes

–          Depression and anxiety

–          Breathlessness

–          Feeling tired all the time

–          Vertigo

–          Brittle nails

–          Insomnia

–          Dry skin

–          Blurred vision

–          Infertility

–          Irritability

–          Linked to long term dementia

–          Rosacea

–          Muscle aches and joint pains

​

​

How is Vitamin B12 administered?

 

The vitamin B12 is injected into the muscle in your buttock or upper arm. It is quick and relatively pain free.