B12 Injections
What is B12?
Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin. It is one of 8 different B vitamins. B12 plays a major role in the functioning of the brain and in the formation of red blood cells. In addition, Vitamin B12 helps regulate cell metabolism, including DNA synthesis, fatty acid metabolism and amino acid metabolism. This affects numerous systems in the body including digestion, absorption of nutrients, respiration, blood circulation, elimination of waste from the body and regulation of body temperature. As you can see, Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin for the health of your body. If the body does not get enough B12, there can be serious consequences.
Common Symptoms of B12 Deficiency
When Vitamin B12 levels drop too low you can experience a variety of symptoms including:
- Impaired mental functionality – poor memory, brain fog, confusion, anxiety, irritability
- Muscular weaknesses – overall muscle weakness, tender calves, numbness and/or tingling in your extremities,
- Sensations of pins and needles due to nerve damage,
- Glossitis and mouth ulcers,
- Mood changes: depression, psychosis and irritability,
- Some loss in sense of touch, walking and vision problems,
- Appetite Changes – Loss of appetite and weight loss, anemia,
- Low energy – general fatigue (especially in the afternoon), shortness of breath,
- pale or yellowing complexion,
Migraine-like Symptoms – lightheadedness, dizziness, blurry vision, sensitivity to light, etc…
What Causes a Vitamin B12 Deficiency?
Decreased Intake issues:
- A vegan or vegetarian diet with no animal products
Poor Absorption Issues
- Medications that block absorption of B12
- Pernicious anemia
- Auto-immune disorders
- An Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in your gastrointestinal tract
- Frequent use of antacids, protein pump inhibitors, or other acid blockers
- Crohn’s disease and celiac disease
- Patients over the age of 50 with a decrease in stomach acid
- Alcoholism
Increased B12 Requirements:
- A MTHFR mutation in your genes
Preservative-free Methyl B12 (Methylcobalamin) Injections
It is estimated that up to 40% of the adult U.S. population does not get enough B12 in their diet. Vitamin B12 – Consumer (nih.gov)
We are excited to offer you a preservative-free form of B12 at our clinic. This quick and painless injection is great for patients who have auto-immune disorders, B12 absorption issues, and/or want a simple and easy way of getting their B12 supplementation. The following are some frequently asked questions about this new service that we provide.
Contact The Root Acupuncture Now to Book an Appointment
- Methylcobalamin – The “Kingpin” of B12. It supports methylation in the body and it is commonly used for patients with gastrointestinal issues and/or autoimmune B12 absorption issues. It is great for patients looking to improve brain functionality, memory, mood, sleep, and fatigue.
- Adenosylcobalamin – The “Fuel B12”. It is a mitochondrial (energy) form of B12 that is usually great for people who have general tiredness/fatigue or they are easily fatigued with small amounts of exercise.
- Hydroxocobalamin – It is very useful to lower high levels of nitric oxide (common with auto-immune disorders, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue).
- Cyanocobalamin – a synthetic form of B12 that requires other nutrients from the body to make it bioavailable. It is the form most often found in most store bought supplements, and is commonly considered the least effective.
Although there are 4 types of Vitamin B12, most of what is used by the body is the methyl form of Vitamin B12. Since Methylcobalamin B12 is a form of B12 vitamin that’s already in its active state, it is immediately available to your body.
Cyanocobalamin is a synthetic form of Vitamin B12 that is only made in labs for the purpose of adding to supplements and B12 fortified foods. As a result, it cannot be directly absorbed by the body. Instead, it has to be converted by the body to a useable form which can take up to 48 hours. In addition, the conversion process creates small amounts of cyanide as a toxic byproduct. These levels of cyanide are not inherently problematic, however if you are a smoker, are suffering from nutritional deficits, or enzyme defects, your body may have a to a reduced ability synthesize Cyanocobalamin.
So for the best absorption rate and use by your body, Methylcobalamin is the Vitamin B12 you want! Come to The Root Acupuncture for the best B12 injections for your body.
B12 is known to play a key role in numerous functions in the body, including (but not limited to):
- DNA and red blood cell formation
- Maintaining a healthy metabolism and digestion
- Synthesis of neurotransmitters and hormones
- Energy production
- Nerve cell health
- Gene and enzyme regulation
- Athletic prep or recovery
Vitamin B12 shots may also help reduce the risk of the following conditions:
- heart disease,
- neurological function,
- stroke,
- cognitive functions such as thinking and memory,
- problems with fertility, and
- neural tube defects in children born to parents with a vitamin B12 deficiency.
In modern times, our environment is more urbanized, and the food we eat and the water we drink has is pasteurized, sanitized, and modified until a significant amount of the nutrients that used to be naturally prevalent are now gone. As a result, much of the naturally occurring B12-making bacteria has also been reduced and we must find it in other sources. Although meat and milk used to be a primary source of Vitamin B12, even livestock feed has to have B12 additives.
Fortunately, synthetic B12 is really easy to produce, so there are many fortified foods and supplements on the market that contain B12. Unfortunately, the most common form of B12 in supplements and fortified foods is Cyanocobalamin which is not as effective as Methylcobalamin. In addition, most B12 supplements come in the form of pills, and most people do not receive the full benefit from digesting a pill while some cannot absorb the nutrients at all.
Patients who have a compromised gastrointestinal system (with a low production of intrinsic factor) are not able to absorb enough vitamin B12 from food or a pill form. Even healthy individuals can absorb as little as 10 mcg of vitamin B12 from a 500 mcg oral supplement. Imagine taking a supplement and knowing right away that your body will not absorb 95% of it from the start. This is the reason that many B12 supplements (whether they are in a pill form or even a tincture taken sublingually) often have 16,000%+ of your daily recommended intake of B12 in a single serving. The Supplemental Facts on the label say it all – they know that you are lucky to absorb even a tiny amount of that supplement.
Our Methyl B12 injections, on the other hand, bypass your digestive system altogether and put the power of Vitamin B12 to work right away in your body. Therefore, instead of just a fraction of the benefit from a pill, your body can fully utilize the B12 in a B12 injection. When you come to The Root Acupuncture, we provide only the highest quality vitamin B12 injections.
Despite the fact that we do not like to get stuck with needles, just from routine vaccinations and blood tests you can expect to be stuck at least 165 times over your lifetime! Amazing! If you have a medical condition or give blood on a regular basis, that number can climb rapidly. If you get hospitalized or have a condition like diabetes or HIV that number becomes something you just don’t want to think about.
When people think of getting stuck with a needle, they imagine those big needles you see in a doctor’s office and immediately think – this is going to hurt. Fortunately, at The Root Acupuncture, we never use needles like that! We use a “baby needle”, smaller than many acupuncture needles used in our own clinic. Remember, 35 of our acupuncture needles fit in just one regular needle from doctor’s office, so imagine how tiny the needle is that we use for your B12 shot!
The injection is only subcutaneous (just under the skin) so that it absorbs more slowly into the body and allows the effects to last longer. Most patients experience a minor pinch, but there is not a lasting ache that is usually felt with a vaccine shot (which is injected deeper into the muscle). The most common response that we get from our patients is “was that it?” or “that was the easiest injection that I have ever gotten”.
So don’t go to a doctor for a B12 shot and end up with an “ouch”! Come to The Root Acupuncture for the most pleasant shot experience you will ever have!
Our B12 injections are easily administered in designated acupuncture points on either the leg or the arm. Most patients are used to getting HUGE injections in their glute muscle from their MD, but our small and painless injections are better suited for the leg or arm locations. This makes our B12 injections very fast and easy – patients roll up a sleeve or pant leg, get their injection, and are in and out of the door in a matter of minutes.
Our preservative-free Methyl B12 is stored in a designated refrigerator, which allows us to provide you with the safest and most pure form of this vitamin. Common side effects from taking other forms of B12 are typically attributed to the added preservative – these include hot flashes, dizziness, and nausea. All forms of B12 injections have the potential to cause side effects, although most will be mild. These effects can include swelling or redness at the injection site, itching, or mild diarrhea.
Larger doses of vitamin B12 can cause other more serious side effects including:
- Headache
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue or weakness
- Tingling sensation in hands and feet
Our doses are preservative free and extremely small, and therefore rarely cause a negative reaction.
The dosage and frequency you need depends on why you are receiving a B12 injection, what your medical situation is and how B12 shots work for you. Every individual is different and therefore a B12 shot will have a different effect on each person. At The Root Acupuncture, we thoroughly discuss your medical history, any medical conditions you may have, what you are hoping to achieve, your diet and much more. We work with you to make sure that we find a dosage that fits your body best.
For anemic patients or patients with autoimmune conditions, it is common to start off with one injection per week for six weeks, before beginning a monthly maintenance dosage. Other patients starting off on B12 will do an injection per week for four weeks, before beginning their monthly maintenance.
There are also instances where patients come in on a circumstantial basis if they:
- need an immune boost,
- want a hangover cure,
- are feeling under the weather, or
- are preparing for, or recovering from, a big athletic event like a marathon or other athletic competition.
Having a B12 shot when you are feeling poorly can be a great way to give your immune system a boost to speed your recovery. Contact The Root Acupuncture today if you are feeling a little run down or have been exposed to a lot of sick people recently. We can get that immune system working better, and you feeling better.
Patients who are low in B12 often notice a difference in as little as 12 hours. Other patients may take a few days or weeks before noticing a significant difference.
Each Methyl B12 injection is $22, but we offer packages of six (6) injections for $108 total. You will not find a better price in town for the same service!
If you live in Lakewood, Wheat Ridge or any of the surrounding areas in Colorado and have either been diagnosed with one of these issues or are just tired of having these symptoms, come see The Root Acupuncture for a boost to your immune system with a B12 injection. Appointments available today!