Vitamin B12 has a long history of being associated with weight management. Most noticeable is the fact that B12 deficiency is considered to be a contributing factor in so many cases of obesity in children and adolescents. So, it’s a natural jump to conclude that it also plays a role in adult obesity.
As a result, it can likewise be a natural jump to conclude that increasing one’s vitamin B12 intake will reduce their risk of becoming obese. This belief has made B12 weight loss injections a topic of hot debate in recent years. Many swear by their effectiveness in helping them lose weight, but science hasn’t done a lot of research to confirm the claims. So, this leaves many asking – do vitamin B12 shots work or not?
In this post, we will look beyond the hype and get to the heart of B12’s role in weight loss, so you can have a better idea of what to expect from B12 injections.
Separating Facts From Fiction Regarding B12 Injections and Weight Loss
When you eat a healthy, balanced diet, you will usually be able to get all your daily B12 requirements and then some. This is because the vitamin is found naturally in all animal products including beef, poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs, and dairy products. But it is also available in a large variety of non-animal products because the vitamin is commonly added to certain other products to fortify them. These products can include everything from cereals to nutritional yeast.
But because so many Americans do not get their daily recommended allotment of vitamins and minerals from their diets, thanks largely to modern inventions like processed foods and fast food restaurants, a huge portion of the population suffers from B12 deficiency. The symptoms of this include a sluggish metabolism, weakness, tiredness, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Fatty liver disease is an especially important factor in weight gain because when the liver doesn’t function properly, the body can’t burn fat very effectively and this brings the body’s metabolism to a grinding halt.
Discussing the Role of B12 Deficiency in Weight Gain and Metabolism
While it is true that there hasn’t been a lot of research performed on B12 and its effect on weight loss, there has been plenty of research done on B12’s impact on fat metabolism. Vitamin B12 is well known in the scientific community for its ability to improve fat metabolism, and for the lack of it to slow down fat metabolism processes.
It is for this reason that someone who is deficient in the vitamin suddenly feels a boost of energy when they receive a B12 injection. The sudden increase in B12 essentially kickstarts the body’s burning fat process and this sends a flood of energy throughout the body.
But if you look at everything that vitamin B12 affects, you can see an even wider picture of why B12 deficiency is so closely tied to weight gain. For instance, one of the primary roles that B vitamins play is in helping to balance the body’s nervous system. When someone is deficient in B vitamins, they will usually suffer from depression and mood swings, both of which can have a negative impact on their health and wellness because they make it less likely that the individual will exercise or eat healthily.
Vitamin B12 is also important for getting quality sleep because it enhances the body’s ability to make melatonin. Therefore, a lack of it can again have a substantially negative impact on one’s physical and mental health because sleep is so vital to the body being able to restore itself.
Clarifying the Appropriate Use of B12 Injections for Weight Loss
Based on the above reasoning, it should be clear to see that B12 injections can help facilitate a boost in one’s fat metabolism, which will naturally result in some degree of weight loss. But it is important to note that simply receiving B12 injections alone won’t produce the weight loss results most people are looking for.
For vitamin B12 injections to help enhance weight loss on a significant level, they need to be used as one part of a three-pronged weight loss treatment plan. The other two prongs of the plan include eating a healthy and balanced diet and getting enough daily exercise. If you only do two of the three, then you may still lose weight, but it will not be nearly as fast or as much as you will probably like. Only when the three are practiced together will the best weight loss results occur.
Providing Alternative Approaches to Weight Loss That Focus on Lifestyle Changes
The beauty of vitamin B12 injections is that they provide you with the purest form of the nutrient and because it is injected, it immediately enters the bloodstream where it can be fully absorbed. But it must be stated that you don’t need to get B12 injections to get all the benefits that come from having enough of the vitamin in your body. For many, some simple changes in their lifestyles may be all that’s needed.
For instance, eating a healthy and balanced diet can greatly increase your vitamin B12 intake naturally. This is especially the case if you can eliminate or substantially reduce the amount of processed foods and fast food products you eat. Likewise, increasing the amount of exercise you do every day can also help.
Vitamin B12 shots are recommended for those who need a little extra help in getting their metabolism started again. They are not a long-term weight loss solution. Instead, they should be used to help initiate one’s weight loss until the dietary and exercise changes become permanent changes in your lifestyle. The goal of vitamin B12 injections is to restore your metabolism’s ability to burn fat efficiently again. Once this happens, your new healthy lifestyle will help you maintain your ideal weight.
If you want to learn more about B12 injections or are looking for a reliable provider for your Office, Clinic, MedSpa, Wellness Center, or Weight-Loss Clinic, then contact National Medical Resources, Inc. today. We can help you establish your program.