B-12 Injection Question

[Kyokushinkai]

I am going over seas in a few weeks to train and I called ahead and B-12 injections can legally be bought at the pharmacy. I wanted to take some B-12 shots to help me with my training but I don't really know anything about them. How much/how often should I take them? Is it like a cycle? I read somewhere that injecting too much can lead to Alzheimers down the road so just seeing if anyone could lend me a hand with some info. Thanks a ton!

[the doc]

i dont understand, why do you need B-12? Do you have pernicious anemia?

Its just a vitamin, only vegetarians are occasionally deficient.

[Built]

It's just a vitamin! It's not a steroid - you don't need to cycle it!

I give myself a standard slin pin (1cc) dose about once every 3-6 weeks or if I'm feeling run down. If you don't need it, you just piss it out.

Hadn't heard about Alzheimers ... or if I did, I don't remember... ?

[Kyokushinkai]

I wanted to get it to give myself some more energy. I'm trying to go up in weight to fight in a Tournament in Canada and I have been feeling really run down. I'm lifting/fighting/sprinting 5 or 6 days a week and thought maybe it could give me a boost.

[Built]

You won't notice much unless you were deficient. If you were, it'll make you feel more rested the next day.

It's legal and OTC in Canada, as are the insulin needles. You can buy it at any pharmacy.

[javyn]

I found B-12 injections help me greatly. Most noticeably is how much it stimulates my appetite.

[the doc]

actually b-12 is stored in the liver as part of a protein complex and is the only b-vitamin that can be stored by the body. Animal livers are actually the richest source of b-12. It is really rare for westerners to have b-12 deficiancy because we eat a lot of animal tissue, and by most clinical estimates, it would take about 2 years of b-12 withdrawl for the average westerner to show signs of deficiancy. However, deficiancies often occur in vegetarians or in those who are on special restricted diets. I certainly wouldn't rule out a strict BBer style cutting diet which may account for Built observing benefits of B-12 supplementation

Although it is injected, b12 is NOT A STEROID NOR DOES IT HAVE ANY STEROID LIKE EFFECTS. IT IS A VITAMIN. As mentioned, unless you have unique symptoms of b12 deficiancy you will not observe any benefit

[Built]

Thank you the doc - I had heard this about vitamin B-12 being stored, but I wasn't sure it was correct.

I've read that some people don't absorb it particularly well from food, and that this can become worse as we age. Any of this got some truth to it? For me, I seem to feel better the day after I take my shot if I'm run-down. If I'm not, I don't notice anything.

And how much would be too much, in terms of dosing/frequency?

[djreef]

[QUOTE=Built]I've read that some people don't absorb it particularly well from food, and that this can become worse as we age. [QUOTE]

This is true. I was surprised to find out I have a slight deficiency in B12, in addition to a couple of other B-vitamins, that I think may be training related, and the fact that I'll be 40 next year. I take one of the best multis out there, plus a slew of other things, plus eating anything and everything. So, I'm taking another half a multi per day to see if I can bring my value up.

DJ

[Built]

Why not just give yourself a shot?

[djreef]

That's an option, but I figure since my values were low on two other B-vitamins (which also happen to be in my multi) I'd go conventional, and retest in a few months. The injections aren't OTC here in the states.

DJ

[Built]

Oh - gotcha.

Get sub-lingual then.

[Bruise Brubaker]

B12 requires enough stomach acid + the "intrinsinc factor" that is also secreted in the stomach, and as you age, these decrease.

Methylcobalamin sublingually will make it directly to the blood.

[JustinASU]

That's an option, but I figure since my values were low on two other B-vitamins (which also happen to be in my multi) I'd go conventional, and retest in a few months. The injections aren't OTC here in the states.

DJ

I suppose I was mistaken, but I thought B-12 shots were OTC?

[Bikkstah]

I don't absorb partials amounts of any B-12 or Iron I take in due to my Crohn's Disease. I haven't ever had a defiency though, I get my blood checked every 2-3 weeks at my physician.

[the doc]

Thank you the doc - I had heard this about vitamin B-12 being stored, but I wasn't sure it was correct.

I've read that some people don't absorb it particularly well from food, and that this can become worse as we age. Any of this got some truth to it? For me, I seem to feel better the day after I take my shot if I'm run-down. If I'm not, I don't notice anything.

And how much would be too much, in terms of dosing/frequency?

Built, this could possibly be the true although i am not aware of clinical data which has really quantified this. Unfortunately there is not much money in vitamins.
Vitamin b-12 is absorbed via a protein complex called "intrinsic factor" which is produced in the stomach. Decreases in production of this protein will lead to a decrease in b12 absorbtion no matter how much one consumes orall
A typical dose for a pernicious anemia case (a disease of b12 deficiancy) would be 100 micrograms/month.