B12 Shots for Weight Loss | What To Know Before You Try
There are several methods available for many people who want to lose weight. The most popular weight loss program is to follow a combination of a balanced diet and physical activity. At Thrive Nutrition, we have a specific philosophy about how we help our clients in their weight loss journey.
If you want to go a different route, the market is filled with different supplements for weight loss to supposedly boost weight loss efforts. There is even weight loss surgery and even a few kinds of a weight loss injection available. These can fit the needs of some people, though life long healthy habits are the best way to maintain weight management.
There are other ways for you to start your weight loss journey; however, it's critical to completely understand the route you choose to make sure it will be safe and effective for your weight loss as well as for your overall health and well-being.
Not many people are aware of this, but vitamin B12 is one of the safest and most efficient vitamins used for weight loss. Vitamin B12 is necessary for our bodies to function properly including our metabolism. In terms of risk for low levels, women are most likely to be deficient. If you suffer from low energy levels, a blood test can tell your B12 levels.
Although it is common for vitamin B12 to be taken orally, it’s also available as an injection to significantly increase the quantity of the vitamin in your body. To help you have a clearer picture of how this important vitamin can help support a healthy weight, we’re going to talk more about what B12 shots for weight loss are and everything you need to know.
What Is Vitamin B12?
Understanding what vitamin B12 does is essential for fully understanding how beneficial vitamin B12 shots are for losing weight. Vitamin B12, often called cobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin.
It is necessary for the production of new red blood cells — the healthy operation of the brain, nerves and muscle depends on it. In addition, cobalamin is an enzyme co-factor required for the production of DNA. As a result, vitamin B12 plays a significant role in the growth and operation of brain and nerve cells. It is also a coenzyme for the metabolism including lipid (fat) metabolism, assisting in the biochemical processes of breaking food down into energy, thus boosting energy levels in the person. When you have more energy, you also tend to have a better mood and that can make a big difference in achieving health goals.
How Does Vitamin B12 Work?
Vitamin B12 is naturally found in the food that we eat — it is naturally present in dairy, fish, and animal products like meat, fish and to a lesser amount dairy. A healthy diet has the benefit of providing adequate levels of B12. You can also take supplements to get the vitamin B12 that your body needs. Because B12 and all other B vitamins are water-soluble, if you end up taking too much, they are easily eliminated in the urine.
According to Harvard, "Vitamin B12 binds to the protein in the foods we eat. In the stomach, hydrochloric acid and enzymes unbind vitamin B12 into its free form. From there, vitamin B12 combines with a protein called intrinsic factor so that it can be absorbed further down in the small intestine. Supplements and fortified foods contain B12 in its free form, so they may be more easily absorbed."
A compromised digestive system with too low of stomach acid or low intrinsic factor greatly increases the risk of low B12 and other nutrients.
What Are Vitamin B12 Injections?
Vitamin B12 injections are an option for those who are experiencing difficulties getting the vitamin through diet or supplements. Especially if a person's body has trouble absorbing it, a doctor may recommend vitamin B12 injections to address a vitamin B12 deficiency.
B12 injections as opposed to tablets or other oral medicines, puts the vitamin straight into your bloodstream. These shots of B12 are almost always contain the synthetic form: cyanocobalamin. The natural form of this vitamin is methylcobalamin which is the same form found in food and is most easily used by the body. It can also be requested to use this form in the shot.
How Can a B12 Shot Can Help With Weight Loss?
B12 is an extraordinary nutrient. B12 deficiency can result in persistent fatigue, weakness, and slowing metabolism which can lead to weight gain. In other words, if your body doesn't have enough B12, your metabolism suffers and slows down, encouraging your body to accumulate extra fat. Increasing your B12 intake can immediately help boost metabolism — increased metabolism allows you to burn fat when you're active and at rest.
Here are key ways B12 injections can support weight loss.
Increases Energy Levels
B12 converts the food you consume into usable energy by converting the glucose from carbohydrates and lipids from fat into ATP, a chemical that provides energy to our cells.
Vitamin B12 releases more energy for your body to use, resulting in increased energy levels, allowing you to do more exercise and helping you maintain an active lifestyle. When you combine proper nutrition with a balanced diet and an active lifestyle, you'll be able to shed unwanted pounds.
Boosts Mental Health and Brain Function
Boosting mental health and brain function is another method by which Vitamin B12 can help with weight loss. As mentioned, vitamin B12 plays a significant role in the growth and operation of brain and nerve cells. A B12 deficiency can exacerbate pre-existing anxiety and stress as well as lead to mental symptoms like panic, poor decision-making, and more — which leads to unhealthy brain function. Vitamin B12 controls the appropriate operation of the neurological system — vitamin B12 also supports improved mental health and cognitive performance because of its connection to serotonin generation in the body.
With good mental health and brain function, being lazy will not be an option — you can commit to consistent healthy choices you need to achieve weight loss.
Reduces Fatigue and Anemia
If you have a persistent B12 deficiency, you might develop anemia, a disorder marked by low iron levels and a decreased number of red blood cells. When you have anemia, your body has a hard time getting enough oxygen to your tissues, which can lead to weakness and other complications. As a result, your capacity to shed pounds may be affected.
Anemia can be successfully treated and your body's ability to produce red blood cells increases with regular B12 injections. Additionally, B12 shots can improve lung function and lessen or completely eliminate weariness.
On top of getting vitamin B12 from your diet, B12 shots are a guaranteed way that you will be getting the right amount of B12 that your body needs to eliminate fatigue and anemia. You can work out and push yourself to the maximum without becoming worried about exhaustion or anemia, which will accelerate the process of reaching your body composition goals.
The Bottom Line
Given how essential the B12 vitamin is to our bodies, vitamin B12 injections can help your body absorb more if your diet is not providing optimal levels. B12 assists with energy production, a healthy brain and improved nerve function.
To help you get the most out of your weight loss efforts, determine your B12 levels and assistance with proper diet and supplementation, it is best to work with a licensed nutritionist or registered dietician to ensure you are on the proper road to accomplishing your objectives. Book an Appointment today and learn more about how we can help you lose weight or help you refine an already healthy lifestyle!