Are Vitamin B12 Injections Safe?

Vitamins play a major role in maintaining a healthy human body. Vitamin B12, is one of the most essential vitamins for proper functioning of various organs of the human body. Vitamin B12 is also called cobalamin and cyanocobalamin, since it contains cobalt.

Vitamin B12 is stored in various body parts like liver, kidney and body tissues and it is also produced by the gastrointestinal tract, in a limited amount.

However, the normal production of vitamin B12 is not sufficient and hence we need to gain it by consuming various natural food sources of vitamin B12. Deficiency of vitamin B12 causes an array of health conditions and diseases that range from mild to severe in nature.

In such cases, people are mostly prescribed with vitamin B12 supplements which are available in the form of tablets sprays and vitamin B12 injections. Since you are artificially increasing the vitamin B12 levels in the body, you may wonder whether these injections are safe! Well, let's see.

Why Should You Get a B12 Injection?

A recent study disclosed that as many as 40% of healthy men and women suffer with vitamin B12 deficiency, which they are not aware of.

Along with various medical problems like Crohn's disease, atrophic gastritis, blind loop syndrome, vegetarianism, early signs of aging; vitamin B12 deficiency also causes a type of anemia which is characterized by high fever and larger RBCs (Red Blood Cells).

There are various symptoms that indicate deficiency of vitamin B12, which include, fatigue, weakness, paleness, pale eyes, breathlessness, heart palpitations, irregular heartbeats, hair loss, dizziness, fainting, bruises, bleeding for no specific reason and heavy menstrual flow in women.

When a person experiences such symptoms, he/she should not neglect the signs and should seek prior medical help before the situation gets worse. When it comes to finding the best vitamin B12 supplements, injections are always preferred since they are quickly absorbed into the system.

Oral supplements and sprays on the other hand, are not fully absorbed by the body. Hence, vitamin B12 injections are the most popular source of vitamin supplements.

What are the Benefits of a B12 Injection?

Before finding more about how safe is vitamin B12 shot, it is important to find out more about ideal vitamin B12 injections dosage and its various benefits. The biggest benefit of vitamin B12 injections is the immediate elevation in energy levels.

These shots also assist in proper functioning of red blood cells, nervous system and the cardiovascular system. Vitamin B12 injections are ideal for those who are suffering with pernicious anemia and megaloblastic anemia.

They are also effective in the treatment of cyanide poisoning, chronic fatigue syndrome, Alzheimer's disease, high cholesterol levels, and low rate of metabolism. These shots are also found effective in behavioral changes of autistic children.

However, one needs to be extremely careful about the dosage of these injections. Ideally, 1 to 2 mg of daily dosage of vitamin B12 is prescribed. However, it is important to understand that this dosage depends on the physical condition of every individual.

Depending on the same, the doctors might also prescribe 1mg of vitamin B12 injections in every 2 days, for continuous 10 days. Vitamin B12 shots are subcutaneous injections and they should always be administered by an expert or medical professional only.

How Safe are Vitamin B12 Injections?

Vitamin B12 injections are not dangerous when they are administered with proper medical intervention. But, some people do suffer with a few side effects which are caused by overdose or improper administration the proper way.

There are various side effects of vitamin B12 injections that an individual might suffer with. However, it is also very important to understand that most of the time, people hardly suffer with any problems.

These side effects include, mild diarrhea, hives, skin rash, itching, skin bumps at the location of the injection, etc. In severe conditions, people might also suffer with breathing problems, heart palpitations, excessive coughing, wheezing, muscle cramps, muscle spasms, insomnia, chest pain, etc.

As a result, people who are suffering with special medical conditions like history of blood clotting, cardiovascular diseases, and those who have undergone heart surgeries, should be always careful while administering vitamin B12 injections.

Along with overdose and improper administration, additives and contaminants which are present in the injection vial might cause some of the above side effects.

These injections are definitely safe provided that they are administered as per the prescription. It is also important that they are administered by a person who has proper knowledge about it.

(Disclaimer: The information provided in the above story is for the informational purposes only. It is not intended and should nowhere be implied as a substitute for professional medical advice.)