How Long Does Vitamin B12 Injection Last?

1.What do you know about vitamin B12 injection?

Vitamin B12 injection-Picture courtesy: credihealth.com

Vitamin B12 injection is designed to inject into human body to deliver vitamin B12. It is injected by a person who can’t get enough B12 from food or whose digestive tract does not absorb it due to various problems such as gastrointestinal disorders, anemia etc. There are two vitamins such as cyanocobalamin or hydroxocobalamin, a water-soluble vitamin, that help in the formation of red blood cells, nerve function, energy production and many more. Therefore, this injection is used to address the vitamin B12 deficiency.

2.How does vitamin B12 injection work?

Working of vitamin B12 injection in body

According to your doctor’s prescription, vitamin B12 injection is injected into skin. From there, it enters into bloodstream by surpassing digestive tract. It is beneficial for people whose bodies can’t digest vitamin B12 when taken orally.

So, once absorbed in bloodstream, it combines with transport protein which carries B12 to the tissue and organs. What happens next? Then, it is converted into its active forms such as Methylcobalamin and 5-deoxyadenosylcobalamin. These two are responsible for various body functions such as DNA synthesis, nerve function etc.

As you know excess of any productive things are stored. Similarly, excess B12 are stored in liver for future use. This plays quick role in increasing B12 level.

3.Enlist the benefits of vitamin B12 injection?

Vitamin B12 provides many benefits. You don’t have to worry that it only provides benefits to the healthy person. It provides benefits to those who have problem with B12 digestion or deficiency. Following below are the benefits of vitamin B12 injection.

Support heart health

Support heart health-picture courtesy: nmamilife.com

Balanced level of vitamin B12 is necessary for heart health. There is an amino acid such as homocysteine that is responsible for the heart problems such as stroke, heart attack etc. By injecting B12 injection can reduce the level of homocysteine by breaking it down, minimizing the risk of heart problems.

Supports brain health

Support brain health

Vitamin B12 injection plays an important role for the people who are suffering from mental issues such as depression, dementia and anxiety. Low level of this booster vitamin causes memory loss and difficulty in concentration. B12 is responsible for production of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin that improves the cognitive function, mood, and reduce the risk of neurodegenerative issues.

This vitamin injection supports the nerve system. There is protective covering on nerves such as myeline sheath that is produced with help of vitamin B12. But, by low level of B12 cause the nerve damage. Here, this injection act as a magic by repair the nerves and strength the nerve system.

Improves red blood cell production

Improve red blood cell production

Vitamin B12 is an important for the red blood cell production. Low level of this vitamin results in low production of red blood cells, causing anemia. Vitamin B12 injection boosts the B12 level in body. This leads the production of red blood cell and treat anemia.

Boost immunity

Boost immunity-Picture courtesy: news.uthscsa.com

Vitamin B12 supports the immune system by producing the fighting cells such as white blood cell who fight off with foreign agents. But low level of this vitamin causes the immunity collapse in its function and person becomes sever sick. Vitamin B12 injection supports and boost the immune system.

Promotes healthy skin and hair

Promotes healthy skin and hair-Picture courtesy: beautyinfusionuk.com

B12 maintains healthy skin and hair by producing and regenerating cells. Low level of B12 results in skin issues such as dryness, eczema or patches and in thinning hair, hair fall etc. Vitamin B12 injection improves the skin texture, radiant skin and enhance the collagen production and make the hair shiny and thick.

Increase energy

A person feels low energy and dizziness when there is low level of vitamin B12. It results in less production of red blood cell, transport less oxygen. When B12 injection injected in body, it absorbs in bloodstream and results in feeling energetic. It acts as a booster packet of energy.

Prevent birth defects

Prevent birth defects

Vitamin B12 is important for the fetus development of brain and spinal cord. But if pregnant women have low level of B12, it creates problems in fetus. Getting a vitamin injection increases B12 concentration in body which reduces risk of giving birth to developmental issues.

4.How long does vitamin B12 injection last ?

Well, you get an injection to level up the vitamin B12. But a question arises how long a person should get injection and how will its effectiveness be last in a body? Several factors that affect its duration of effectiveness in a body.

Initial boost

Some people feel better and more energetic after getting a vitamin B12 injection. The time period is 24 hours to 72 hours of showing effectiveness.

Duration of Hydroxocobalamin and Cyanocobalamin (type of vitamin B12) use in injection

There are two types of vitamins B12 used in injection. These are hydroxocobalamin and cyanocobalamin. Their action in body differs, which are:

Hydroxocobalamin

This is natural vitamin B12. It is more effective. It is tightly bound to the transport protein so this stays for a long time in blood. Therefore, it lasts for 2 to 3 months and proves fruitful for those who have high B12 deficiency.

Cyanocobalamin

As it is water soluble and synthetic. Its effect lasts for 2 to 3 weeks in a body. If you are worried about its digestion and process in body, then it is betterly process by kidneys.

General duration

On the general and average note, its effects last for weeks to months, depending on several factors. Below are the following factors that affect the longevity of injection.

Health condition

Vitamin B12 injection lasting period is also affected by your health condition such as anemia, gastric bypass etc. These conditions result in less absorption of vitamins. To treat these health problems, B12 injections are given after a short interval of time such as in every month or after every 2 months. So, these cause less duration of its effectiveness.

Severity of deficiency

If body has severe deficiency of B12 and showing symptoms of nerve damage, fatigue, dementia, Alzheimer’s etc., then several dosages are given to the patient to stabilize the vitamin level. Injections are given every single day or in a week. When it stabilizes, it may give after 1 month.

Diet and life-style

A healthy life and diet enhance the effect of vitamin B12 injection. If people have diabetes, are non-vegans and alcoholics consuming, it may affect how long this injection lasts. These may require injective every month.

Metabolism rate

Metabolism rate also affects the longevity of vitamin B12 injection. If person has high metabolic rate, high stress level, or hyperthyroidism may use the high rate of B12 injection, typically every week or month.

If you have low metabolism rate, then body retains the B12 level and frequent injections might not require.

5.What are the factors that affect the vitamin B12 longevity in storage?

There are several factors that affect the vitamin B12 longevity in storage. So, to maintain the injection, favorable conditions should be provided.

Factors	Explanation
Temperature Temperature -Picture courtesy: minhuiglobal.com	Vitamin B12 is sensitive to temperature. It degraded when expose to high temperature. While when stored at low temperature, it gets precipitated or changes happen in structure of active ingredients. Exposure to high temperature reduce the shelf life. It is generally stored at ideal temperature of15 centigrade to 20 centigrade.
Light	Vitamin B12 injections are sensitive to light, especially UV light. Exposing to light degrade and alter the structure and reduce its potency. Therefore, it is stored in opaque or dark material that block the light rays.
Moisture	Moisture or humidity are the important factor that affect the vitamin B12 injection longevity. Generally, this vitamin is stored in vials but when unsealed, protection from moisture matters. It causes germs growth. Unsealed vials should not be kept for long time, should be throw when expose to moisture.
Packaging quality Packaging quality	High quality packaging preserves the injection from environmental factors. Glass vials are the better option than plastic containers because glass preserve the injection from air and light betterly.  Packages that are unsealed and poorly made affect the effectiveness of injection and shorten its shelf life.
Chemical forms of vitamin b12	The two forms of vitamin B12 that are mostly used in injection are cyanocobalamin or hydroxocobalamin. These determine how long they will remain stable in injection. Cyanocobalamin is environment tolerant so it has a long shelf life. Where hydroxocobalamin is less stable so it has comparatively low shelf life than cyanocobalamin.

6.Can you explain the reasons why vitamin B12 injection lasting period varies from person to person?

Lasting period varies from person to person- Picture courtesy: yaledailynews.com

As person are differ in their health condition and life style so vitamin B12 injection effectiveness lasting period varies from person to person. So, following are the reasons.

B12 deficiency level differ from person to person.  Some people have acute deficiency so they need not frequent injections as their body can maintain B12 level. But people with chronic deficiency such as people with anemia, gastrointestinal disorders etc. require quick injection to full fill the B12 level.

If there is renal disorder, then it may expel more vitamin B12 or retain it. If excreted more, then this vitamin will not last long and frequent injection requires. But if retain, no quick injection is required.

Healthy young individual may experience lasting effects of injection. But old age person might have weak stomach so the absorption of B12 might affected. They experience short lasting period of injection.

Liver stores vitamin B12. Health liver stores B12 for longer time and frequent injects may not needed. But defective liver reduces the storage capacity and wear off the effects of injection.

7.What are the body conditions that affect the vitamin B12 lastness?

Followings are the body conditions that affect the vitamin B12 duration.

Liver condition

Liver condition

Liver stores vitamin B12 for months or year. Body uses it when needed. But when body is prone to liver disease such as hepatitis or fatty liver diseases, the storing capacity of liver decreases. So, the injected B12 is used quickly and effect does not last for long.

Digestive system disorder

Digestive system disorder-Picture courtesy: drramchandrasoni

Digestive system of a person plays important role in longevity of vitamin B12. Digestive disorder such as celiac disease and atrophic gastritis reduced the protein such as intrinsic factor that helps in B12 absorption. Its deficiency leads to the poor absorption of B12. Therefore, a person needs frequent injections of this vitamin. Still, the body could not retain or absorb the B12 effectively, lower lasting effects of injection.

Thyroid disorder

Thyroid disorder

Thyroid has great influence on the metabolic rate. Individual with hypothyroidism have low metabolic rate. Hence, B12 retain for longer period. While individual with hyperthyroidism has high metabolism and body uses the B12 quickly. However, it has short duration of effect.

Autoimmune disorder

Autoimmune disorder

Lupus, and multiple sclerosis are the autoimmune disorders. These may alter the body function of vitamin B12 absorption, increases metabolism, and may damage the tissues that are responsible for processing and absorption of nutrients or B12. These results in negatively influence the duration of B12 injection effectiveness. 

8.Can medications impact the vitamin B12 lasting time?

Medications impact on vitamin B12 lasting time-Picture courtesy: performancelab

It must be in your knowledge that ther are certain medications that impacts either the vitamin B12 absorption or utilization that impacts how vitamin B12 injection last in a body. Hence, yes, medications impact the vitamin B12 lasting time.

Stomach lining produces a productive acid and intrinsic protein that helps in the absorption of B12. Certain medications affect the stomach lining and reduced the stomach ability to produce these proteins. Even this injection bypasses the digestive tract but increasingly use of medications impacts the body utilization and absorption of these vitamins. Moreover, the injections effect does not last for more time as there is depletion of vitamin B12.

Here below you will know about the medications that impact the B12 lasting duration.

Some of the antibiotics affect this vitamin level indirectly by interfering in the red blood cell response to the vitamin B12. Thus, reducing the effects of injection.

Some of the hormone’s treatment such as hormones replacement therapy results in the reducing function of liver enzymes which indirectly affects the B12 metabolism.

Medication such as proton pump inhibitors impact on the body function to absorb B12. These medications reduce the acid produced by stomach. As the acid is responsible to separate the B12 from food or supplements and attach to the intrinsic protein for its absorption in small intestine. Hence, it results in depletion of B12 level and its effect last not sooner.

Chemotherapy and immune suppressive medications affect the metabolism of B12. These medications are for damage the dividing cells in a body, also of gastrointestinal lining which reduces the B12 absorption. This also affect the liver and kidney functionality also. A depletion of vitamin B12 occur which needs frequent injections of B12.

Diabetes medication such as metformin reduce the absorption of B12 in small intestine. Vitamin B12 level lower in body. However, injections needed to level up the B12 but this medication shorten the effectiveness duration of injection.

9.If you are repeatedly getting a vitamin B12 injection, does its effects last longer?

The repeated and consistent getting of vitamin B12 injections stabilize and improves the B12 level in body and increases the lasting effect in a body. But it is for certain point. Following points should be remember when taking a regular injection.

Excess B12 stores in liver

Excess B12 stores in liver- Picture courtesy: scijournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Initially when body has depletion of vitamin B12, it frequently uses the B12 to restore the body function and replenish the depleted stores. Thus, the initial dosages of injections are not last long as its demand is high in body. But once the demand is achieved, it is stored in liver which stores it for months or year for future need. So, the former injections have long lasting effects.

Stabilization

Stabilization- Picture courtesy: nature.com

With repeated injections, B12 level stabilizes in blood and tissue. Body functions such    brain health, red blood cell production, heart function etc. are smoothly work once the optimum    level is achieved. Remember it does not mean that each dose of injection does not last long but it the point where body is stabilized of B12.

Storage limitation

There is limitation of storage in everything. Same the body do not store the excess material when achieved or store a certain level. Body stores B12 level in liver for future use. When the liver stores get full, it excretes excess B12. So repeated injections reduce chances of depletion an stabilize its level. So, body stores what it needed and expel the extras.

10.Do the lasting effects of a B12 injection differ between intramuscular and subcutaneous injections?

Subcutaneous and intramuscular injections- Picture courtesy: vibrantvitalityclinic.com

Yes, the lasting effects of B12 differ in where it is injected whether an intramuscular or subcutaneous route. In both methods, vitamin B12 is absorb in blood stream but it differs in how quickly it absorbs and how last its effect remains.

Difference in absorption speed

Intramuscular injections are delivered deep in muscle. Muscle has large blood supply. So, from here a quick absorption of B12 in bloodstream occur. This is effective when body has low level of B12 and frequent delivery of vitamin B12 is needed.

Subcutaneous injections are injected in beneath skin. There is less blood supply. So, what’s the absorption speed in this route? Well, B12 is slowly absorb when injection is injected in this route.

Lasting effects

It actually absorbs quickly in blood stream but the vitamin is slowly metabolized. There is slow metabolism in intramuscular fats. It has an effective and lasting effects in body. Doctors also recommend to get an injection in intramuscular route. Effects are last for months.

The injection content is slowly absorbed but its effects last for no longer period, mostly fades in days or in few weeks. Hence, frequent dosing may require. This is easy and convenient way of using.

11.As metabolism impact the lasting time of vitamin B12 injection, but how?

Metabolism

Metabolism influence how body utilize, process the vitamin and how long its effects retain in body. Metabolism rate differs from person to person. Some have high metabolic rate and some have low. Thus, from below points you will know how metabolism impacts the effecting time of injection.

People who have high metabolism either due to medical condition such as hyperthyroidism or life style, utilize the vitamin rapidly. Cells are turning over quickly due to fast metabolism. As B12 is essential for red blood cells production, brain function etc. so it is needed frequently and you can get it by quick getting injections.

Now, you will think that it will be the reverse of high metabolism? Yes, you are right. If your metabolic rate is low, the body use the vitamin slowly and the cell energy turns over is slow. However, the body takes long to process the B12 and it has long effects in a body.

Vitamin B12 is stored in liver, a storing site. In high metabolism, liver excrete the B12 quickly, lowering the storage duration. In low metabolic rate, vitamin slowly releases to meet the demand. Thus, increase the effect time and conserve the vitamin in body.

Metabolism is related to hormonal balance. There are hormones that are responsible for nutrients and vitamins processing. So, hormonal level impacts the storing effect of injection in body.

Any excess materials are excreted through kidney. But how kidney function is related to the longevity of vitamin B12 injection? Kidney also excretes the vitamins and nutrients if in excess. This results in short storing duration of B12. If metabolism is slow, body gets benefited from this vitamin for long period.

12.What are the latest developments in vitamin B12 injection to optimize the duration and benefits?

Recent development has introduced the methods that helps in effectiveness of B12 injection. These methods focus on alternative injections route, patient convenience, and efficacy.

Depot injections formulation

Depot injection formation- Picture courtesy: apohealth.com

Researcher are working on making a depot injection. These are sustained release injections means slowly release vitamin B12 for its longer effects. This reduces the frequency of injection and improves vitamin B12 level in body.

Combining therapy

Combining therapy- Picture courtesy: neurobion.com

In combining therapy, B12 is combined with other vitamins like B1 and B6 to form neurotropic injections. This injection is used to treat alcoholic users, given after chemotherapy, diabetic neuropathy etc. The injections are neurobin, neurobion etc. 1 injection is given per week via intramuscular route.

Nanocarrier technology

Nano-carrier technology- Picture courtesy: wileyonlinelibrary

Nanocarrier technology is being used to improve the duration and effectiveness of vitamin B12 injection. What happens in it is that the vitamin is encapsulated in nano-particles. Such advancement aims to enhance the efficiency of injection, duration or effectiveness of absorption.

Conclusion

At end of the guide, you should know the fact that the longevity of vitamin B12 injection depends on your body’s health such as under laying conditions, metabolism etc. These injections are either injected via intramuscular or subcutaneous route. The effectiveness of injection varies from person to person because some have depleted level B12 levels, so frequent doses are required while some have moderate levels, and may not require rapidly. For right doses, take suggestions from the doctor.