Many talks exist surrounding B12 injection, one of which is that Vitamin B12 injections can affect your weight and cause inflammation. However, are any of these discussions true? In this blog, we will uncover if B12 injections have something to do with weight gains.
What To Know About Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12, also called cobalamin, is a type of water-soluble vitamin and plays a vital role in several essential bodily processes.
For instance, it is utilized by your body in synthesizing DNA and producing new red blood cells, in addition to generating energy. It may even influence your memory and moods and plays a significant role in handling your brain and nervous system.
As a result, suffering from an insufficient amount of this nutrient can result in debilitating health effects. In addition, in recent times, several people have advocated for the inclusion of unwelcome weight gain on the list of potential adverse effects. So what does science say about it?
How Your Body Handles Vitamin B12
Your body needs to have a properly functioning pancreas, an unharmed stomach and intestines, and adequate levels of intrinsic factor, a protein that binds to vitamin B12 in the stomach—only then will you be able to absorb vitamin B12 as efficiently as possible.
Each day, women who are adults need 2.4 micrograms of vitamin B12. An increase to 2.8 mcg per day is necessary for this requirement during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Consuming 2.6 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin B12 daily is sufficient for adult males to meet their needs.
Vitamin B12 Deficiency Is Rare
The liver can store excess vitamin B12, and only trace amounts are lost through daily bodily functions such as urination, perspiration, and defecation. Because of this and the fact that the body only needs a small amount of vitamin B12 each day, it can take up to a year or even longer for an inadequate vitamin B12 to manifest as an apparent deficiency.
On the other hand, if a vitamin B12 deficiency does occur, it is associated with several undesirable health risks, some of which are as follows:
- shortness of breath
- heart palpitations
- tingling or numbness in the extremities
- poor balance
- mood changes
- incontinence
- insomnia
- loss of concentration
- poor memory
- chronic fatigue
Those who smoke cigarettes, consume excessive amounts of alcohol, or adhere to a vegetarian or vegan diet are at a greater risk of acquiring a nutritional deficiency than younger adults.
Additional risk factors include having your gut operated on, pancreatic insufficiency, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), parasite infections, and certain autoimmune disorders.
In addition, the ability of your body to absorb vitamin B12 from food can be hindered by certain medications, such as metformin, proton pump inhibitors, and antacids.
Vitamin B12 Deficiency Has Nothing To Do With Weight Gain
There is very little evidence to suggest that vitamin B12 affects the process of gaining or losing weight, despite the numerous techniques involved. Most of the evidence supporting this claim comes from a few observational studies.
One study, for instance, notes that people who are overweight or obese appear to have lower levels of vitamin B12 than those with a body mass index (BMI) that falls within the range considered to be “normal.”
People who took vitamin B12 supplements of their own volition gained between 2.5 and 17 fewer pounds (1.2–7.7 kg) over ten years compared to those who did not take any form of supplementation with this vitamin. This was observed in additional research.
Nevertheless, observational studies such as these cannot determine whether low levels of vitamin B12 were the cause of the weight gain or whether higher levels of vitamin B12 protected against lower levels. On the other hand, it would seem that a lack of vitamin B12 can cause people to lose their appetite, resulting in a decrease in weight rather than an increase in weight.
The evidence that is currently available is not sufficient enough to suggest that a lack of vitamin B12 has any significant or specific impact on weight, regardless of whether it causes weight gain or loss.
What About Vitamin B12 Injections? Can it Cause Weight Gains?
As mentioned earlier, one of the studies has concluded that people who took vitamin B12 supplements of their own discretion gained between 2.5 and 17 fewer pounds. That means, on average, they lost weight!
Why do people lose weight when taking Vitamin B12 supplements or injections? Vitamin B12 helps boost your energy and your body’s metabolism processes. In short, you have more energy to exercise, and your body can burn fat stores more efficiently. Many weight loss clinics offer vitamin B12 shots to help patients lose weight more efficiently.
Vitamin B12 injections, on the other hand, cannot be considered a stand-alone solution to your weight concerns. Your energy levels and metabolism will experience a boost from vitamin B12. Still, you need to take action to be effective, which means maintaining a healthy diet and getting plenty of exercises. If you take an additional boost of vitamin B12 in addition to maintaining a healthy diet and exercise routine, you will find that you lose weight more quickly.
Why Consider Vitamin B12 Injections Instead Of Supplements?
Since injections completely bypass the digestive system, numerous medical professionals opt to treat B12 deficiency with injections of vitamin B12. This is significant for increasing B12 levels in individuals unable to absorb B12 from food or supplements due to their body’s condition.
Since Vitamin B12 injections bypass the digestive system, its effects can be more potent than supplements. When supplements go through the gut, their effects aren’t as practical since the stomach may sometimes process these supplements inefficiently. A significant portion of vitamins is lost to the stomach, while vitamin B12 injections allow for 100% absorption.
Takeaway
Vitamin B12 doesn’t make you gain weight; it even helps you lose some! So if you are interested in Vitamin B12 injections, contact and reach out to our clinic, Sei Tu Bella Aesthetics. Our clinic also offers services that can help you address other health-related concerns.
