Vitamin B12 is essential for sustaining healthy nerve and red blood cells. It also plays an important role in converting food into energy. Generally, a Vitamin B12 deficiency manifests itself in symptoms that may include poor concentration, memory loss, dizziness, and extreme exhaustion.
If you find yourself with any of these symptoms, schedule time at your nearest Local MD Urgent Care to see if you may have a Vitamin B12 deficiency, so we can help you get back to your regular life with routine B12 shots.
What Is Vitamin B12?
Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin. It plays an integral role in a number of bodily functions, including DNA production and the formation and maintenance of red blood cells and nerve cells.
Without ample Vitamin B12 levels, you may start to feel tired or weak. The vitamin is present in plenty of food products, including meat, fish, eggs, and a number of different dairy products.
What is a B12 Shot?
A B12 shot is a vitamin supplement containing a synthetic version of Vitamin B12. At Local MD Urgent Care, a certified medical professional will administer the shot into your muscle.
The reason Vitamin B12 shots are injected into muscles as opposed to veins is because if it’s put into a vein, you won’t experience all of the benefits as your body will dispose of most of it through your urine.
Are B12 Shots Safe?
Vitamin B12 shots are considered to be very safe, and have little-to-no side effects. Of course, in rare cases, people can experience side effects. As always, if you feel as though you’re experiencing side effects, be sure to talk with your team of providers at Local MD!
How Often Can You Get B12 Shots?
If you have a Vitamin B12 deficiency, the typical frequency for intramuscular doses of B12 is once every 10 days, followed by regular maintenance doses at intervals. Injections administered once per month should be enough to reverse the signs of vitamin B12 deficiency.