B-12 Shots

Up to 15% of Americans have a vitamin B-12 deficiency, and many others have lower-than-ideal levels of this important vitamin. Experienced physicians Tarique Zahir, MD, and Taseen Mir, MD, offer B-12 shots at Prosperity Internal Medicine, making it easy to meet your body’s B-12 needs in a way that works for you. Call the Reston, Virginia, office, or schedule an in-person appointment online today. Telehealth consultations are available.

What are vitamin B-12 shots?

B-12 shots are injections containing vitamin B-12, an important vitamin that helps produce DNA. It’s also crucial in maintaining blood and nerve cell health. The injections go into a muscle in your upper arm or thigh.

Your body doesn’t make B-12, so you get most of your body’s B-12 from the foods you eat.

Vitamin B-12 occurs naturally in animal products like dairy, eggs, and meat. Some foods, like certain fortified breads, have B-12 added to them. 

Oral supplements, intravenous (IV) therapy, and B-12 shots are other methods of absorbing extra B-12. Prosperity Internal Medicine provides B-12 shots and IV therapy in the office.

How do B-12 shots compare to oral supplements?

Healthy people absorb only about 2% of vitamin B-12 taken orally. Vitamin B-12 shots are different because they deliver a dose of B-12 directly into your muscle. Shots have far better absorption because you won’t lose the vitamin to the digestive process. 

In addition, shots avoid the problem of intrinsic factor, a gut protein that helps you absorb B-12. If your stomach doesn’t produce adequate intrinsic factor, you can’t absorb the vitamin well. 

People with anemia lack intrinsic factor and can’t absorb the vitamin at all. 

Fortunately, people without enough intrinsic factor can still absorb B-12 shots because the vitamin isn’t passing through the gut. 

Who needs B-12 shots?

B-12 shots are usually recommended for people who have anemia and those who have a B-12 deficiency. 

Blood tests can measure your blood B-12 levels and detect anemia. However, sometimes a person with a B-12 deficiency can appear to have normal B-12 levels in a blood test. So, you may need a more detailed blood test to measure methylmalonic acid and homocysteine, both of which go up if you have a B-12 deficiency. 

B-12 shots may also have other applications, including medical weight loss and chronic fatigue. For example, if you’re trying to lose weight, you might start semaglutide therapy alongside B-12 shots. Many people who have B-12 injections experience improved energy, faster weight loss, and even an improved sense of well-being.

Prosperity Internal Medicine offers comprehensive medical care and treats their patients like family, so it’s a great place to get primary care, in addition to specialized care like IV therapy and B-12 shots. Call the office or book an appointment online today.