We can’t stress it enough: vitamin B12 is so good for you! It is a powerhouse — literally. It helps fight fatigue and fuels you to face whatever challenges face you during the day. And it does so much more than just that.
Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient that keeps your body’s nerve cells and red blood cells healthy. It also makes DNA and helps prevent megaloblastic anemia — the type of anemia that makes people feel tired and weak.
The amount of vitamin B12 you need each day depends on your age. Adults need about 2.4 micrograms per day, while pregnant women need 2.6 mcg.
What Foods have B12 Vitamins?
B12 is naturally found in most meats and seafood, like clams, poultry, fish, egg, beef livers, and in other foods like milk, and some breakfast cereals. Because of this, many vegetarians and vegans are often B12 deficient.
What Happens if I don’t Get Enough B12?
Vitamin deficiency can be serious if you don’t notice it for a long time. When it comes to B12, the side effects are less worrisome than others, but they do impact your mental and physical health.
If you don’t have enough B12, you may feel:
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Constantly fatigued
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Weak
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Constipated
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A loss of appetite
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Depression
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Problems balancing
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Poor memory
You can also lose weight and develop nerve problems (such as tingling) in your hands and feet.
So Why is B12 So Good For You?
B12 has numerous medical benefits, each of which affect your mental or physical wellbeing. Here are a few things B12 can boost.
Bone Health and Density
Keeping healthy B12 levels in your body can support your bone health. In a study, more than 2,500 adults who have a B12 deficiency also had lower bone density than normal. Having lower density can lead to delicate bone structure and osteoporosis. So taking B12 can help prevent that, while strengthening your body.
Improve Mood and Reduce Depression
On top of fortifying your bones, B12 can boost your mood and help reduce symptoms of depression. That’s because it plays a vital role in synthesizing and metabolizing serotonin, which is the chemical responsible for regulating mood. It’s most commonly known as the “feel good” hormone that causes happiness.
Because both depression and a deficiency in B12 can cause lower serotonin levels, raising your B12 levels back to normal can dramatically impact your mood.
It’s backed by science too: one study in people with depression and low vitamin B12 levels found that those who received both antidepressants and vitamin B12 showed less depressive symptoms than those who were only treated with antidepressants
You May Feel More Energized
Vitamin B12 supplements are the go-to product for a long-lasting surge of energy. This is most likely because B12 deficiency is so common: one of the first things people feel when they are low on B12 is tired or weak! Therefore taking it will help improve your energy levels!
How Can I Take B12?
Most people get enough B12 by ingesting it, but this is far from the most efficient method out there. This is because B12 is water soluble, meaning it doesn’t get stored in your body. Your digestive tract is more likely to flush the vitamin out of your system before it gets fully absorbed — even if you’re taking supplements!
Thankfully, B12 is not dangerous to take. If you take too much, your body will just flush it out of your system before anything bad happens. That means you can take it in a variety of ways without needing to worry!
We recommend trying B12 shooters or IV therapy — which is B12 vitamins mixed with other vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, and a pH balanced fluid. IVs are injected straight into your bloodstream and shooters are intramuscular injections. The main difference is that a shooter is a shot of B12 that takes under 5 minutes to complete.
The side effect to both is noticing a darker or red color to your urine, which is completely normal. This is because B12 is water soluble — anything that your body doesn’t need will be flushed out of your system in a few days.
A B12 Shooter
As stated above, this is a quick and painless B12 vitamin shot. It can be injected into your upper arm or buttocks by one of our nurses at IV Revival. The needle is tiny too, so you’ll hardly feel a thing.
The treatment is quick and one of our more popular options. Because it is injected, you’ll start feeling more energized or you’ll be in a better mood within minutes. This is because the vitamin doesn’t need to be absorbed through digestion first. When given a shooter, it is absorbed more slowly so you don’t feel results as quick but it stays in your system longer.
IV Therapy
Think of IV therapy like a shooter, but so much more. Instead of a shot, it’s an IV! You’ll get all the same benefits of just a B12 shot, mixed with other wellness optimizing nutrients. You can choose from water soluble (safe!) choices like magnesium, glutathione, vitamin C, zinc, and more.
In IV, your body absorbs it faster so you feel the results of it more quickly, but it doesn’t last as long in your system as a shooter.
IV therapy is safe when done by a trained nurse, like our staff at IV Revival, and takes anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour. It is practically painless and can be done from the comfort of your own home!
If you’re interested in either a shooter or an IV, give us a call or go online to request an appointment. We promise you’ll be feeling better in no time.