DepressionLife.com - Vitamin B-12 - Author's Self-Help Treatment Manual

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Terms:
mcg - micrograms
sublingual
intrinsic factor

Vitamin B-12

Forms:
Shots by prescription
Tablets to swallow
Sublingual tablets
Sublingual Drops

B-12 usually comes in micrograms - mcg. - rather than milligrams - mg. A common low dose would be 500mcg. A higher dose would be 5000mcg (this would actually be equal to 5mg but no one lists it that way.

B-12 is harder to absorb especially for people with digestive stomach problems, ulcers, or past stomach surgeries. A sublingual tablet is common, meaning it needs to be held under the tongue till it dissolves, which is meant to get in through the mucus membranes under the tongue to solve the stomach absorption problem.

Doctors have felt that B-12 shots are the best for those who really need some B-12. Studies lately have shown that the sublingual tablets and drops are just as effective. Personally, I'm not so sure. more later... :)

The shots really help with my energy level, but it is literally a pain in the butt ! It's actually the hip area for me because my hubby would give them to me. A doctor can teach you to give them to yourself - worth it if you have suffered from tiredness. I just never could do it to myself. Maybe I could now since I am giving them to my mother.

But I am just taking the pills. I take the Metagenics (below) while I have it, then take one of the others. There are lots of B-12 products.

Swanson Triple Action B-12
This is my 2nd favorite B-12 - I take 3 per day.
You hold them in your mouth for a few minutes till the
flavored B-12 coating soaks off, then swallow with water.

Metagenics - This is my favorite B-12 but only doctors sell it.
They have a physician locator on their site.
I take 4 or 5 per day. They include stomach substance for intrinsic factor
and they are not sublingual, you just swallow them.

These are fine B-12's but do take a little longer to dissolve.
I like the high dose 5000mcg.

ProBone-O Drops (for under the tongue)

B-12 Shots

If you have a sympathetic M.D. - he/she might give you B-12 shots once a week or so.

If not, a nutritional doctor will give you a prescription for the vials of B-12 and the needles. And will show you how to do it and give you written instructions - very important ! Don't try to do them without a doctor's help. You need to get good supplies and good information about safely giving shots to yourself or someone else.

Here's my set up. I use a clean plate each time. The vial of B-12 is there in the middle. The 1" needle on the right. At least 2 alcohol swabs, open & ready to use, or you can use a bottle of alcohol with cotton, but sterile pads are better.

Those are the main requirements. But there is often a little stinging feeling after, that feels like it goes all the way in/down, but it seems to be just from the skin. A little dab of antibacterial ointment with pain reliever is great ! It gets rid of the sting. I prepare a little bandaid ready with the ointment. Sometimes you can have a little bit of bleeding after so the alcohol swabs opened along with the bandaid and ointment are good for that too. Sometimes it looks like a little bleeding, but it's just a little of the B-12 seeping out. The B-12 is red like colored water.

Needles have to be carefully disposed of.

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