Welcome to the Vitamin B12 Patch blog! Find information on topics related to vitamin B12. This blog is dedicated to providing up to date research, news and resources pertaining to vitamin B12 supplements, symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency and general health information surrounding the benefits of vitamin B12. Learn from, and contribute to information on B12, conditions caused by vitamin B12 deficiency and other connected subjects. This blog also provides B12 Patch product information and discusses some of the science behind the transdermal absorption method. Feel free to participate in blog discussions and contribute your opinion on the related topics covered in the Vitamin B12 Patch blog.
You might be surprised to know that vitamin B12 deficiency can cause symptoms like depression, fatigue, and anxiety. Vitamin B12 benefits your body in many ways, and when you don’t get enough, you can start to feel sluggish, nervous, and depressed, in addition to suffering many neurological disorders. Sometimes, depression from B12 deficiency mimics clinical depression, interfering with a proper diagnosis.
Do you have vitamin B12 deficiency?
The only way to be certain if your B12 levels are low is by getting a blood test. This will indicate if you need more vitamin B12, even if it doesn’t necessarily explain why your B12 levels are lower than normal.
Here are some typical signs of vitamin B12 deficiency that “masquerade” as mental illness:
Chronic fatigue
Anxiety
Depression that lingers
Sleep difficulties
Paranoia
Aggressiveness
Hallucinations
Neurological symptoms of B12 deficiency include:
Painful tingling in your legs, hands, and feet
Frequent clumsiness and tripping
Altered sense of taste
Sore tongue
Vision problems
How many types of depression are there?
Here are some of the most common types of depression:
Major depressive disorder: The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) characterizes major depression as a “combination of symptoms that interfere with a person’s ability to work, sleep, study, eat, and enjoy once-pleasurable activities.” Most people who suffer from major depression will experience several episodes of depression in their lives, but it is possible to experience it only once. With major depressive disorder, medication is required for treatment of symptoms.
Dysthymic disorder: Dysthymia is depression that lingers over several years. With dysthymia, depression is less severe than major depression, and not as likely to interfere in one’s ability to work or study. Still, dysthymic disorder causes feelings of sadness and disquiet. People with dysthymia may suffer from episodes of major depression, as well.
Minor depression: Minor depression is diagnosed when one has a short interval of depression over a few weeks. Minor depression itself is not debilitating, but untreated may escalate into major depression.
Bipolar disorder: Manic-depressive illness is less common than major depression, and involves swift mood changes that alternate from exhilarating highs to deep depression.
Psychotic depression: Depression that accompanies other forms of severe mental illness, such as hallucinations or delusions, is called psychotic depression.
Postpartum depression: About 10%-15% of women suffer from postpartum depression after giving birth, which is caused by shifting hormones and overwhelming lifestyle changes.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD): During the winter months, it is common for some people to suffer from seasonal affective disorder because of decreased exposure to sunlight. Still, antidepressants and psychotherapy are more effective at treating SAD than light therapy.
Depression from vitamin deficiency: Vitamin B12 deficiency and folate deficiency are directly linked to some incidences of depression. According to NIMH, “depression and poor response to antidepressant medication have been linked to deficiency in the vitamins folate and B12.”
In other studies, elevated homocysteine levels were associated with increased risk for depression. Vitamin B12 and folate supplementation, which decrease homocysteine levels in the blood, were instrumental in treating depression.
What’s the connection between vitamin B12 and depression?
Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is necessary for various biological functions, such as DNA synthesis, red blood cell distribution, protection of the nervous system, and lowering of homocysteine levels. In addition, vitamin B12 also helps your brain maintain healthy cognitive functioning. When vitamin B12 levels are low, your brain suffers. You begin to experience severe short-term memory loss, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and mental illness symptoms like depression, anxiety, paranoia, feelings of hostility, and moodiness.
Vitamin B12 food sources include meat, fish, milk, and egg products. However, if you suffer from pernicious anemia or other autoimmune disorders, you probably cannot digest vitamin B12 from foods, and must supplement with sublingual vitamin B12 or vitamin B12 shots. An alternative method of taking vitamin B12 is the vitamin B12 patch, which does not require a prescription, and carries the same amount of vitamin B12 as a weekly B12 shot.
Please tell us…
If you suffer from depression, have you had your B12 levels checked, as well? If you currently take vitamin B12 supplements, do you take them orally, through B12 injections, or by using the vitamin B12 patch?
Let us know how we’re doing…
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Read more about vitamin B12 deficiency and depression:
Walk into a convenience store, and you can’t even see the sugary sodas for all the energy drinks cluttering up the aisles, touting vitamin B12 among their many other energy-boosting ingredients. Why are more Americans turning to vitamin-infused 5-hour energy shots for instant get-up-and-go, and do these products work?
Energy drinks- is it all bull?
The label on the can promises extra vitamin B12 -cobalamin- for “maximum energy,” athletic endurance, and increased mental focus, without causing nasty side effects associated with most energy drinks (nervousness, paranoia, and insomnia). At least, that’s the claim. But how healthy are vitamin B12 drinks, and does the “energy blend” of vitamins and nutrients really have that much impact on your energy level?
Let’s look at the most common ingredients in a 2-ounce bottle:
Niacin- 30mg (150% RDA)
Vitamin B6- 40mg (2000% RDA)
Folic acid- 400mcg (100% RDA)
Vitamin B12- 500mcg (8333% RDA)
“Energy Blend”- 1870mg
Oh, and don’t forget the caffeine
Yes- all energy drinks contain loads of caffeine, in addition to all the healthy nutrients. That “energy blend” referred to on the label includes about 138mg of caffeine- ounce for ounce, the same amount of caffeine as in a cup of brewed coffee, and twice as much caffeine as you’ll find in a cup of instant coffee.
Vitamin B12 has gained a lot of popularity these days as the “energy vitamin,” and for good reason. Vitamin B12 helps your body convert carbs into energy. Vitamin B12 also helps produce amino acids, promotes a healthy metabolism, builds red blood cells, improves cognitive functioning, protects your nervous system, and lowers your risk of getting a heart attack or stroke. (See B Vitamins prevent Cardiovascular Disease- B6, B12 and Folate)
Some side effects of having low vitamin B12 in your system include
Over a long period, low vitamin B12 levels could lead to pernicious anemia, early onset dementia like Alzheimer’s disease, neurological damage, osteoporosis, cancer, stroke, heart attack…even death.
Why you’re better off getting your B12 elsewhere
Nobody’s disputing that it’s important to get your daily fix of vitamin and minerals. But it’s important to make sure you get a potent, fully digestible form of vitamin B12. The problem with many energy drinks is that they only work if your body is able to absorb vitamin B12. And most people who suffer severe fatigue and loss of concentration because of low vitamin B12 levels lack the necessary chemicals for vitamin B12 absorption from dietary sources and distributing it to the blood supply.
In fact, if you don’t produce “intrinsic factor,” then no amount of vitamin B12 food sources, drinks, sprays, or pills will give you the boost of energy and mental focus you need to get through the day. To get vitamin B12 into your blood, you will have to bypass the digestive system.
First, find out if you have B12 deficiency by asking your doctor for a blood test. Supplementation may include vitamin B12 shots. Additionally, many people who require extra vitamin B12 opt to use a vitamin B12 patch.
“What is vitamin B12,” you ask? Vitamin B12, or cobalamin, is a member of the B-complex vitamins. A water-soluble vitamin, B12 is stored in your liver and is necessary for avoiding vitamin B12 deficiency.
What are the benefits of vitamin B12?
Vitamin B12 wears many hats. It is essential for a vast number of important bodily functions.
Red blood cells! Vitamin B12 helps your body produce plenty of red blood cells that are required for carrying oxygen throughout your body. With enough B12, you would suffer pernicious anemia.
Memory! Vitamin B12 assists in cognitive skills such as memory, concentration, and comprehension. Without enough B12, you would suffer early onset dementia, short-terms memory loss, depression, anxiety, and difficulty concentrating.
Heart health! Vitamin B12 controls the level of homocysteine in your blood, a protein associated with heart attack and stroke. Without enough B12, you are at a higher risk of dying of heart disease or stoke.
Bone health! Scientists have found a high correlation between B12 deficiency and osteoporosis- loss of bone mass- in elderly individuals. Without enough B12, you would suffer from brittle, easily broken bones in your hipbones and spine.
Senses! Vitamin B12 keeps communication flowing between your brain and various nerve sites, such as your fingers, toes, mouth, eyes, and ears. Without enough B12, you would suffer neurological damage such as tingling, numbness or pain in your hands, feet, and tongue.
Nervous system! Vitamin B12 protects the myelin sheathe of your nervous system. Without enough B12, you would have difficulty controlling your muscles in your arms and legs.
DNA! Vitamin B12 promotes DNA synthesis. Without enough B12, you would suffer abnormal cell growth, possibly leading to cancer.
Metabolism! Vitamin B12 boosts energy. Without enough B12, you would feel sluggish, confused, chronically fatigued, and be more prone to weight gain.
What foods have vitamin B12?
Vitamin B12 occurs naturally in animal-based proteins. The following food sources have the highest levels of vitamin B12:
Meat! Beef, particularly lean beefsteak and beef organs, such as liver and heart
Chicken! Poultry, including lean chicken, turkey, and duck
Fish! Seafood, including tuna, halibut, salmon, crab meat, clams, and oysters
Eggs! Don’t skip the yolks- they are extremely high in this B vitamin
Milk! Dairy products, including milk, hard cheese, yogurt, and kefir
But I eat plenty of protein, and I take vitamin supplements.
Even if you eat plenty of foods with vitamin B12, you are not immune to B12 deficiency. Many multivitamins and B-complex pills include vitamin B12, but not in sufficient amounts to prevent vitamin B12 deficiency in individuals who are at risk.
The only way to get enough B12 is by taking vitamin B12 supplements. Some popular B12 supplements are vitamin B12 sublingual pills, prescribed vitamin B12 shots, and vitamin B12 patches.
Vitamin B12 patch users swear by the increased energy and reduction of B12 deficiency symptoms they have encountered since switching to a B12 patch.
Read what one Vita Sciences B12 patch fan has to say:
Blinded by B12 deficiency…or Multiple Sclerosis?
“Nine months ago, I woke up blind in my right eye. I can’t even explain the terror and trauma if this has never happened to you…after 4 hours at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary ER with an amazing and attentive team of doctors, nurses, and technicians, I was given the new and tentative diagnosis of optic neuritis, and referred to a neuro-opthamalogist who confirmed this diagnosis. I was told from the very beginning that there was a good chance it was caused by Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
“An MRI confirmed demyelination- but if you know much about neuro problems, it’s another hint at MS and not a confirmation. However, not long after that, my symptoms took a turn for the worst. I was deteriorating fast – far faster than one would from the Relapsing/Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS) that I was on the path to being diagnosed with.
“I was getting severe headaches that felt like my brain was cannibalizing itself, severe burning, tingling pains all over my body, severe muscle spasms that were almost constant, ghost itches that I couldn’t even find to scratch. I had trouble falling asleep at night because my head would keep jerking violently and my legs would kick. A few times, I lost control of my faculties in my sleep and regularly fell over when I got out of bed in the morning. Sometimes when I woke up I wouldn’t be able to tell where my limbs were.
“I had, after all, spent 10 years getting called a hypochondriac by multiple healthcare professionals, until I finally got diagnosed with insulin resistance by the best endocrinologist ever who actually took me seriously. I was sure I didn’t have ten years to waste arguing without dire consequences.
Paging Dr. Wikipedia…
“I asked my doctor if I could be tested for a B12 deficiency. ‘No,’ she told me. ‘I’m sorry, you have MS.’
“Okay, the internet is my BFF and from the massive amount of research I did online, reading abstracts, reading full articles, reading the blogs of people with MS, and talking to real life victims… this was not MS.
The Aha! Moment
“I looked deeper into the B12 deficiency to discover that I had been on three medications that inhibit B12 absorption for extended periods (Paxil, Metformin, and Omeprazole). I had suffered stomach problems since infancy without successful diagnosis, and I am a semi-vegetarian (eat meat a couple of times a year and turn a blind eye – no pun intended – when soups are made with beef or chicken broth).
These are all things that lead to a B12 deficiency.
Vitamin B12 pills are a lost cause
I started taking sublingual B12 tablets while trying to build my case to confront my doctor with my evidence…no change.
“…sublingual pills are like putting a handful of grain into a silo – you will never fill it up just like you will never re-fill your B12 stores with sublingual pills.”
Skeptical, but ready to try the B12 patch
“I did some more research and discovered the B12 patch. I was a skeptic and was already planning to spend my life getting B12 shots after I won the battle with my doctor, but I was desperate. I could barely work anymore, I was suffering anxiety attacks, and I was so sick and so tired all of the time and didn’t feel like I had the time to fight it out with my doctor.
A very important package arrives
“I got my B12 patches in the mail almost two weeks ago and I am now almost symptom free, except for some tingling, which seems fair enough since my myelin sheaths probably need to heal. I expect that takes time. I’m not fully convinced even now that the B12 patch stopped this dead in its tracks- It seems too crazy. I’m in a watch and wait mode; I will still be following up with my doctor and deciding if the shots are a better option, but for now, I’m just happy to have my life back.
“Problems I didn’t even realize could be caused by a B12 deficiency also seem to be improving; my stomach, my acne, my insulin resistance. Who knows if it will last- I can only hope.
“I talk about my symptoms in past tense in my post, but up until only a week and a half ago, it was my daily reality.”
Use it or lose it
“To be honest, for the people who don’t have trouble absorbing B12 you probably won’t feel a difference using this product. But I would use it, just to be sure that you’re getting your B12, because the medical community is apparently not inclined to diagnose a B12 deficiency.
“And if you go down that path, you could get misdiagnosed with MS, psychosis, Alzheimer’s, ALS, and much, much, more. And it’s not worth losing your quality of life over, if it’s as simple as sticking a patch on your neck, or getting a shot every month – especially since damage can be irreversible if it isn’t caught early enough.
“Please harass your doctor into giving you the appropriate tests. There is plenty of info out there on B12 deficiencies so you can go to an appointment well informed. Just visit my BFF, the internet.”
One year later…
“Update – 1 year later: Still using the patches. My symptoms aren’t 100% gone in the long term, but they are about a quarter as severe as a year ago… maybe less…Still thrilled.”
The elderly need to increase their intake of vitamin B12, in order to avoid memory loss from B12 deficiency. Brain loss caused by Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia is a part of the aging process, but by getting enough vitamin B12 in your blood, you can prevent suffering the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency.
Chicago study links low levels of vitamin B12 with memory loss
A 2011 study that focused on 121 community-dwelling participants of the Chicago Health and Aging Project found a strong correlation between vitamin B12 deficiency and memory loss. Scientists measured methylmalonate levels to determine vitamin B12 deficiency.
They found a direct relationship between low levels of vitamin B12, reduced brain volume, and decreased cognitive skills, such as loss of short-term memory.
Scientists noted poorer memory skills, slower thinking processes, and impaired comprehension skills as attributes associated with elevated methylmalonate levels- an indicator of vitamin B12 deficiency.
Also considered were plasma homocysteine levels, which scientists also connected with loss of brain mass. High levels of homocysteine are common in vitamin B12 deficiency.
Scientists concluded that methylmalonate, an indicator of vitamin B12 deficiency, has a direct impact on brain volume, and that vitamin B12 has multiple benefits on brain chemistry beyond just memory skills.
In 2008, a UK study conducted by the University of Oxford produced similar results; namely, that vitamin B12 deficiency is a likely cause of brain atrophy, dementia, and short-term memory loss among the elderly.
For the elderly, eating foods with vitamin B12 isn’t enough
Eating plenty of foods rich in vitamin B12 is always a good idea; such foods include protein sources like beef, chicken, fish, eggs, milk, and cheese. But for the elderly, the problem isn’t really eating enough sources of vitamin B12, but rather digesting them. Part of the aging process involves making less stomach acids that are necessary for absorbing vitamin B12 from foods. As a result, many elderly individuals who include meat in their diet still run a high risk for getting B12 deficiency.
Unless blood tests indicate healthy levels of vitamin B12, senior citizens must supplement with vitamin B-12 (cobalamin) with a routine prescribed B12 shot in order to avoid the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency. Another popular option is adding a vitamin B12 patch.
Memory loss in B12 deficiency for the young and old
It isn’t just the elderly who should be concerned with memory loss- short-term memory loss is one of many symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency, regardless of age.
Numbness or tingling in hands, arms, feet, and legs
Sore, red swollen tongue
Altered taste perception
Long-term exposure to vitamin B12 deficiency could result in severe neurological damage, pernicious anemia, increased risk for heart attack, stroke, and cancer, and osteoporosis.
Read more about vitamin B12 deficiency and memory loss:
Being tired all the time is a symptom of B12 deficiency, but it can also signal hypothyroidism (low thyroid), a thyroid disease that occurs with lowB12 levels. Because hypothyroid symptoms are similar, vitamin B12 deficiency often goes undetected.
B12 deficiency causes fatigue, depression, and other mood disorders often associated with an underactive thyroid. If you’ve been diagnosed with thyroiditis, then it’s also important also to recognize the symptoms of B12 deficiency, and know whether you might require more vitaminB12 (cobalamin).
What is hypothyroidism?
Hypothyroidism is an autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) that occurs in the thyroid gland, causing inflammation, and reducing its ability to produce sufficient amounts of thyroid hormones. Hashimoto’s disease is one example of thyroiditis that causes low thyroid levels. Sometimes, thyroid treatment for hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid), such as radioactive iodine or surgery, can backfire, causing underactive thyroid symptoms.
Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble nutrient that is responsible for making red blood cells, controlling DNA synthesis, regulating the nervous system, and improving cognitive functioning. Without proper levels of B12, you may suffer pernicious anemia, neurological damage, dementia, or heart attack resulting from elevated homocysteine levels.
In a study conducted in Sapir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel, patients with autoimmune thyroid disease received blood screening for vitamin B12 deficiency. Researchers noted a significantly high percentage of people with AITD who also had B12 deficiency, in addition to pernicious anemia symptoms, a blood disease associated with low B12 levels.
Another study conducted in Pakistan by Aga Khan University produced similar results; namely, a 40% prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency among patients with hypothyroidism.
Hypothyroidism treatment
If you are a patient of hypothyroidism, then physicians strongly recommend routine blood testing for vitamin B12 deficiency, regardless of thyroid hormone levels.
Do you know how much B12 you need in order to avoid vitamin B12 deficiency? Unless you supplement B12 levels with a weekly B12 shot or B12 patch, you could wind up with dangerously lowB12. Find out if your B12 blood levels are normal and how much you need to meet the FDA’s RDA of vitamin B12.
What are the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency?
Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) is a water-soluble nutrient that your body gets from protein sources, such as beef, chicken, liver, fish, eggs, and dairy products. Your body uses vitamin B12 for DNA synthesis, protecting your nervous system, and strengthening cognitive skills. Symptoms that indicate a low vitamin B12level include constant fatigue, difficulty concentrating, memory loss, tingling or numbness in your hands and feet, depression, agitation, altered taste perception, and red, swollen tongue.
How much B12 is in my blood right now?
By performing a blood test, your doctor can tell you if you are deficient in vitamin B12, or if you have normal B12 levels. Vitamin B12 blood screening requires a 6-8 hour fast before testing. Laboratory tests will measure how many picograms (pg) of cobalamin you have per milliliter (ml) of blood in your body.
How much B12 should I have?
Scientists agree that a normal level of vitamin B12 in your blood is 200 – 900 picograms per milliliter (200-900 pg/ml).
Test results showing less than 200 pg/ml signal vitamin B12 deficiency.
For elderly adults, the recommended vitamin B12 level is much higher- Test results showing less than 500 pg/ml indicates B12 deficiency.
In order to find the cause of a vitamin B12 deficiency, doctors may perform a Schilling test.
What is the recommended dose of vitamin B12?
The FDA’s RDA of vitamin B12 for healthy adults is approximately three mcg daily for males and females alike, including pregnant and nursing moms.
For elderly individuals, the recommended dose of vitamin B12 is 25-100 mcg per day.
Scientific study proves that the RDA for B12 is off.
According to a study conducted in the Netherlands, elderly sufferers of vitamin B12 deficiency need more than the recommended daily allowance (RDA) in order to achieve normal levels of B12.
Using methylmalonic acid (MMA) levels as a gauge, scientists established that cyanocobalamin supplementation amounting to 200 times the RDA of vitamin B12 is required in order to stabilize B12 levels in patients showing signs of vitamin B12 deficiency.
How much vitamin B12 do you really need?
Vitamin B12 shots administering a daily doseof 1,000 mcg of cobalamin are prescribed for the first 10 days following diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency, continuing with a weekly dose of 1,000 mcg for a consecutive 4-week period.
One vitamin B12 patch contains a 1,000-mcg dose of b12 based on a B12 injection.
Vitamin B12 deficiency causes unexplained bruising, but so do cyanocobalaminvitamin B12 shots. Pernicious anemia symptoms (easy bruising, low blood platelets) are treatable with vitamin B12 Cyanocobalamin injections, but (methylcobalamin) B12 shots side effects are painful and inconvenient.
Vitamin B12 benefits
Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin that your body needs to make sufficient red blood cells (hemoglobin) and to keep your nervous system running smoothly. Without sufficient vitamin B12, you might develop B12 deficiency, which causes side effects such as chronic fatigue, “brain fog,” loss of balance, memory loss, depression, altered taste perception, and tingling or numbness in the hands and feet. (For more information about vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms, see B12 Deficiency: Don’t Ignore the Symptoms.)
Vitamin B12 deficiency and pernicious anemia
Vitamin B12 deficiency often occurs in people who lack intrinsic factor, and are thus unable to digest vitamin B12 in natural food sources, such as beef, chicken, fish, eggs, and milk products. Left untreated, vitamin B12 deficiency could result in pernicious anemia (a form of megaloblastic anemia), in addition to increased risk for cardiovascular disease and severe damage to your nervous system. Some anemia symptoms include:
If your doctor diagnoses vitamin B12 deficiency, then he will prescribe vitamin B12 supplements, often as a vitamin B12 injection administered on a weekly basis. The B12 shot is inserted through the thick tissue near the thigh, and is usually very painful. Many B12 deficiency patients report profuse bleeding, sore muscles, and bruising as a result of their weekly B1 shot. Some pernicious anemia patients opt to insert their vitamin B12 injection at home for better convenience. (See How to Give Vitamin B12 Injection.) Still, reports of unexplained bruising and soreness from B12 shots continue:
“Vitamin B12 injections can sometimes cause bruising and soreness where the needle was inserted. Other side-effects include feeling sick, headaches, and dizziness, but these are rare.”(Vitamin B12-deficiency Anaemia- BUPA)
Alternatives to vitamin B12 injections
For patients who dread painful intramuscular B12 shots, there are some alternatives. Sublingual vitamin B12 pills that dissolve under your tongue are available, but health experts dispute their effectiveness. An increasingly popular option is to supplement with a weekly vitamin B12 patch, which contains the same dosage of B12 in one week as a single weekly vitamin B12 injection.
Elderly folk with vitamin B12 deficiency are likely to suffer dementia caused by brain shrinkage, unless they supplement with B12 shots, pills, or a B12 patch.
A is for Atrophy
Brain atrophy is what happens when brain tissue disintegrates. In the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of age-related dementia, a reduction in the brain’s gray matter correlates to symptoms such as memory loss, disorientation, paranoia, and uncharacteristically aggressivebehavior. In addition to losing brain volume, some elderly individuals also lose bone mass.
In a recent study, elderly test participants who had vitamin B12 deficiency scored poorly on cognitive skills and memory testing compared to their peers. In addition, MRIscans indicated that study participants with low B12 levels also had less brain mass than those who had normal levels of vitamin B12.
This is not the first time that researchers found a correlation between B12 deficiency and cognitive impairment. In 2008, Oxford University scientists discovered a link between elevated levels of homocysteine (an indicator of low vitamin B12 levels) and brain shrinkage. Homocysteine is an amino acid that increases your chances of developing heart disease.
D is for Digestion
When you get older, your body stops producing adequate amounts of stomach acids. Unfortunately, your body still needs stomach acids in order to digest essential vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin B12. People who lack sufficient stomach acids- the elderly, people on strong heartburn medications- lack the ability to digest vitamin B12 naturally, and must receive vitamin B12 supplements in order to prevent vitamin deficiency.
In order to detect the earliest stages of dementia, doctors recommend that elderly individuals receive regular blood testing for homocysteine levels, particularly if they exhibit any symptoms of cognitive decline, such as short-term memory loss. If tested positively, then vitamin B12 supplementation should commence, either in the form of liquid vitamin B12 injections, sublingualB12 pills, or a weekly transdermal vitamin B12 patch.
Celebrities like Madonna, Kate Perry and musical boy genius Justin Bieber get vitamin B12 injections regularly. Watch the YouTube video of Justin Bieber talking about getting his shot in the you-know-where!
Q: What are B12 shots, and what are their benefits, anyways?
A: Vitamin B12 shots are usually given to people with vitamin B12 deficiency , but stars are also finding that the benefits of vitamin B12 shots include:
Weight loss
Energy
Clear skin
Thick hair
Stress reduction
Not bad, for one water-soluble vitamin. B12 shots are painful, though, and you have to take them in the buttocks. (Ouch!)
I’ll take a B12 patch over a sharp needle in the behind any day. (Note to the uninformed: The B12 patch goes behind the ear, not the rear.)
Here are the top 10 most famous celebrities who rave about their vitamin B12 shots:
#1 & #2- Justin Biebertold Chelsea Handlerin an interview on her E! network show that he was feeling a little wiped out, but wasn’t looking forward to getting a B-12 shot, “in his butt.” (Will somebody send poor Bieber aB12 Patch, please?) The late night comedienne and former Playboy model is also a fan of B12 shots. She once even posted a pic on Twitter of herself getting a B12 shot in her bare behind. What’s the Difference between B12 Patches and B12 Pills, Anyways?
Madonna carries B12 on the go
#3 & #4- Madonna got Justin Timberlake hooked on vitamin B12 injections. Timberlake, when he was asked to speak about Madonna’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, told the audience all about his first B12 experience: Madonna was visiting him in a recording studio, when she whipped a syringe out of her purse, told Justin to drop trou, and proceeded to give him a shot of B12 right on the spot! He’s been taking B12 for increased energy ever since. B12: Celebs Say it’s the New C
#6- Cher Lloyd has raised a lot of eyebrows on the UK show, The X Factor, for bullying the other reality show competitors and acting like a stressed out teenzilla. It’s no wonder that mentor Cheryl Cole advised her to go to a clinic for a vitamin B12 shot, which she explained would help her fight chronic fatigue, nervousness and low immunity. Along with giving Cher more energy, the vitamin B12 supplements have also helped her deal with her stage fright. Got PMS? Let B Vitamins Ease your Pain
#7-Pirates of the Caribbean star, Penelope Cruz, says, “I can’t live without my vitamin B.” She takes vitamin B supplements to help her stick to her diet, resist the urge for sweets and for well-being. It’s National Nutrition Month: Are You Eating Your 5 Colors a Day?
Johnny and Penelope at Pirates opening
#8- Lindsay Lohan- Like Cher Lloyd, Lindsay has also had her share of teen antics, including many all-night parties and club-hopping. To get her back into shape the morning after, Lindsay often demands a dose of B12 for energy, focus and mental balance. 7 Reasons You Have Brain Fog…And What to do About It
#10 Princedidn’t miss the bus on vitamin B12, either. The 58-year-old crooner, once voted “Sexiest Vegetarian” gets his vitamin B12 shots before every concert to give him the stamina he needs to strut his stuff on-stage. 6 Must-Eat Foods for Die-Hard Vegans
Read more about vitamin B12 deficiency and how to prevent it:
Major depressive disorder: The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) characterizes major depression as a “combination of symptoms that interfere with a person’s ability to work, sleep, study, eat, and enjoy once-pleasurable activities.” Most people who suffer from major depression will experience several episodes of depression in their lives, but it is possible to experience it only once. With major depressive disorder, medication is required for treatment of symptoms.
