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I am starting to develop my own weight loss program and have been hearing a lot about B6 and/or B12 injections to increase energy and help with metabolism. Do these really work?
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Hello blove,
Vitamin B6 is primarily involved in protein metabolism and to a lesser degree in carbohydrate and fat metabolism. This vitamin is also necessary for the functioning of numerous enzymes in our bodies.
Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin that is widely available in a variety of foods including meat,fish,poultry, eggs, whole grains, legumes, potatoes, yeast, bananas, corn, cabbage, watermelon and avocado.
If you are eating a well-balanced diet that includes these foods, there would be no need to receive vitamin B6 injections. The recommended dietary allowance is 1.3 milligrams per day for adults ages 19 to 50 years. Women over the age of 50 need 1.5 mg per day. Exceeding the recommended dietary allowance can lead to reversible nerve damage.
There is no scientific evidence that vitamin B12 in any form, including injections, improves weight loss. Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble B complex vitamin that is found naturally in a variety of foods. including meat, fish and dairy products.
Proponents of vitamin B12 injections for weight loss say the injections will increase your energy and boost your metabolism, thus helping you shed unwanted pounds. Vitamin B12 is commonly prescribed to help treat pernicious anemia and a B12 deficiency.
Getting vitamin B12 injections will not boost your energy unless you have a deficiency. Nor will the injections harm your health, but vitamin B12 can interfere with the effectiveness of some medications. Check with your doctor if you are taking any medications.
Your best bet is to burn more calories than you consume. Eat a well-balanced diet that is low in fat.
Maryann
June 19, 2012 - 4:49pmThis Comment
Thanks for the quick response, Maryann. I am a vegetarian so I sometimes worry about not getting enough B Vitamins in my diet so I take them in a supplementary form everyday. With this being said, I should not be deficient. Thanks for the advice, I will not get the injections as part of my weight loss program since they sound more like a gimmick which is what I was worried about.
June 20, 2012 - 11:02amThis Comment