Taking a B12 Shot Has Many Health Benefits!

Taking a B12 Shot is becoming more and more popular. While the primary use of B12 shots is to treat pernicious anemia, there is a growing trend to take B12 for other reasons. While efficacy of B12 shots for conditions other than B12 deficiency is debatable, medical doctors do agree that there is no harm in consuming large amounts of B12. For this reason, many people are taking B12 shots in hopes that it may help their medical conditions, regardless whether research has yet to prove that this is the case. Let's look at some health concerns that may be improved by taking a b12 shot.

Taking a b12 shot is a good idea for those who wish for their immune system to run efficiently. This is true for both people who are b12 deficient and those who are not.

Pernicious anemia, which is the direct result of a b12 deficiency, has a devastating impact on immune function. This autoimmune disease results in the body treating natural tissues as a pathogen. The impact of the body attacking itself is inflammation, which can lead to other health issues. Taking high levels of B12 is widely accepted as being critical for the long term health of those with pernicious anemia.
Studies also show that taking b12 shots can improve upon the immune function of people who do not possess a B12 deficiency. Studies show that large doses of B12 can help the body resist pathogenic infection and improve cellular immunity. Based on this Japanese study, it would appear that taking a regular b12 shot is a good idea for anyone wishing to boost their immunity.

Unlike some of the other uses for taking supplemental vitamin B12, taking a b12 to improve your mood and mental outlook has little scientific evidence to support it. B12 is not part of any mood improving process as these bodily functions are governed by neurotransmitters. The perceived connection comes in based on the relationship between SAMe and B12. SAMe has been shown to improve the effectiveness of neurotransmitters in the brain. As B12 is necessary for the production of SAMe, it stands to reason that those who are B12 deficient would have a mood benefit from taking a B12 supplement. There is no further evidence that B12 can help your mood, however many people swear that it does.

B12 has been clinically shown to play a key role in memory loss. A five year Oxford study showed that elderly people with low B12 levels were six times likelier to develop brain shrinkage as compared to those who had above average or normal levels of B12. Since brain shrinkage has been shown to be a major indicator of people who contract Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia, this finding was significant as it suggest that having high levels of Vitamin B12 in your system may lower your chances of developing brain shrinkage.
While there is ongoing research as to the impact of B12 on those who are already experiencing memory loss, these studies are in their early days and it is too soon to speculate as to what the results will be. However, since memory loss seems to be somewhat hereditary, those at risk should probably consider taking b12 shots.