Can vitamin shots help give a better boost than pills?
I’m considering having a Glutathione shot and a B12 Hydroxocobalamin as I read this is converted to Methylcobalamin and Adenosylcobalamin in the body.
I’m focusing on increasing my energy levels and thought these shots would help, and are affordable. Anyone else had these and have they helped? My B12 before has been slightly out of range (low) but then in range on my next blood test so can’t get the B12 shot on the NHS.
I’ve done B12 intramuscular injection myself. You can buy it really cheap in Thailand and I bought 50 x 1000mcg.
I thought at the time the body just excreted any extra B12 it didn’t need (like the other B vits) so I was injecting once a week, this is not the case and you can build up a lot in your blood which freaked my GP out when they tested me.
So if you are doing it yourself and aren’t majorly deficient then once a month is fine.
Regarding energy the first few definitely helped but obviously once I was overloading there was no difference and I still had undiagnosed Hashimoto
No I’ve found a doctor that does the shots privately
Btw these shots I think last 3 months. The B12 is the same as the one given on the NHS
Was it your doctor that told you the body doesn't excrete excess b12 or did you read it somewhere ? Everything I have read says the body DOES excrete the excess. Just like the other b vits (except folate I believe)
Someone on the PAS forum explained it to me. See my post on B12
Yep. I'm not seeing anything there that says your body doesn't excrete the excess. Gambit is telling you it does excrete the excess and goes on to explain that there is no known toxicity with b12. As in, you can't overload as your kidneys remove what's not used. Only mentioning because your comment intrigued me and thought it a shame for you to think you couldn't inject or that it would do you any harm if you did. (B12 deficient and hypo myself so quite a regular on the PA forum as well)
I realise now I didn’t explain myself very well ... I knew what I meant 🤣
I was just trying to say I’d over done it with 1000mcg a week
I don’t think the Glutathione shots are cheap but would be interested to hear about anyone who’s tried it
It’s £30 for glutathione and £40 for a choice of B12. I went for the hydroxocbalamin but will obviously discuss this with the doctor based on my hashimotos and symptoms.
I can buy 3 phials of Hydroxocobalamin and 3 syringes for under 5 euro here in Greece - OTC. Could be cheaper to fly to Athens with Easyjet and stock up ☺
Haha if only! Tbh I’m happy to give this a shot lol 😉 and see how I get on.
I self-inject twice a week due to B12 issues so am grateful I can buy OTC. Don't forget to take a good B Complex to keep all the B's in balance 😊
I already supplement thanks Marz but hope having these injections once every 3 months by a doctor will help health wise and at least reduce some of the pills I take daily.
Do you have low B12 then ?
Don't know about Glutathione but getting your b12 levels up is known to combat fatigue yes. It's not that they last for 3 months though. Just that the NHS rarely give them more frequently than that. They just give the bare minimum due to funding. If you are above 500 -600 then 3 monthly should provide you with a sufficiently good boost. If your b12 is below 500 you could still be experiencing symptoms of deficiency and if you could stretch to it financially then I'd try a bit more frequently. You coukd always get some advice in the PA forum if you post your results there.
Thanks I’ll discuss this with the doctor whose doing the injections at my appointment. Even on a good supplement I only get up to 600. But I’m sure if I notice an improvement and then start to flag after 4-6 weeks or so I’ll go back again. If it helps then I’ll have no hesitation going back as and when required.
I’ve found everything is trial and error. It’s finding what works for us as individuals and putting each piece of our jizsaw together to get better.
Totally. While I was "snooping" looking for your b12 result (sorry is that bad, lol!) I saw your post on EBV. I recently found out that I have had this in the past couple of years at some point. (The antibodies are there but they weren't two years ago.) Did you see any benefit from the Aclovir ? (Pretty sure I've spelt that wrong!) And what is it?
I was taking it regularly then went on holiday and forgot them. I take so many different pills I get fed up with them all. So haven’t started back up. I’ve not really noticed any significant difference taking them but i don’t think it was over a long enough period of time to judge.
Thank you 
Wishing you continued recovery
Thanks you too x
please take a look at the PAS forum if you haven't done so already.
Serum B12 isn't a particularly accurate test with the result that readings on the same test could be different by 20% ... also the test misses 25% of people who are B12 deficient and 25% of people who are deficient don't have macrocytosis.
This information is contained in the BCSH guidelines on diagnosis and treatment of cobalamin and folate deficiencies, which your GP can access through the BNF but you can also access here
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi...
You need to draw your GPs attention to this and ask for treatment in accordance with these guidelines which are best practice for the UK. Suggest you write tp your GP with copy to practice manager
Tbh I’m fed up of the battles with tests and treatment. It’s just easier to pay £70 and see if they help me feel better.
Obviously if the supplements are already helping then there’s only going to be additional benefits in having the injections.
take a look at the PAS forum - you can source injections for a lot less than £70
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