One legacy of the misuse of cobalamin as a tonic for fatigue and other nonspecific symptoms has been misperception of the serious medical nature of clinical deficiency.
Prof. Ralph Carmel; How I treat cobalamin (vitamin B12) deficiency
Does B12 give you energy?
The answer is both yes and no.
Yes, because B12 plays a key role as a co-factor for DNA synthesis and cellular energy production. It is crucial in the metabolism of fatty acids and amino acids, and it helps form red blood cells and therefore prevents anemia. Anemia, as we all know, leads to fatigue and weakness. Seen from this perspective, B12 does increase energy levels.
At the same time, the energy that people associate with B12 shots isn’t like the immediate boost you get from stimulants like caffeine. B12-related energy production supports natural processes to provide cells with the fuel they need, and to form healthy red blood cells to carry fresh oxygen around your body. So no, vitamin B12 isn’t something you can take on demand and expect an immediate energy boost.
So, When Can B12 Give You Energy?
Our main question is:
Under what conditions does B12 give you more energy?
Well, it depends on your underlying B12 levels.
If you have sufficient active-B12 levels, there is no evidence to suggest that higher levels will result in boosting your energy at all. In other words, B12 stores are very much like gasoline in a car; having more gasoline won’t make your car run faster. However, a car with depleted gasoline levels will barely run. This is a key point.
However, when someone has a deficiency in B12, they may feel tired and lethargic due to the impact on their red blood cells and nerves. In such cases, restoring their B12 levels will correct the anemia, and thus significantly increase their energy.
“But some places sell vitamin B12 shots for energy!”
Some misconceptions to address:
Wellness clinics often market B12 shots for energy purposes. Ads like ‘Get your vitamin B12 energy shot today for $69.99!’ are common. Well, it’s nothing more than false marketing. Many people fall for it, because the idea of a quick fix for energy is appealing. In our view, it is unethical to promote B12 shots as an energy booster for anyone who’s not deficient. It’s simply not true, and a waste of money to the customer.
For this reason, we’d never promote our injectable vitamin B12 for energy purposes to a regular person, just as we wouldn’t promote it for weight loss purposes.
If you ever visited one of these clinics, had a B12 shot, and noticed increased energy, consider the possibility of a placebo effect. Even if you do have a B12 deficiency, it takes daily injections over months to fully correct your anemia and restore energy levels.
Again, excess B12 beyond what the body needs does not translate into more energy. But will B12 give you energy if you are deficient after all? Yes. Only in such a case are you likely to see real benefits to your energy from the B12 shots.
However…
In Cases of B12 Deficiency
Why does vitamin B12 give you energy in cases of deficiency?
Because it addresses the anemia and impairment of red blood cell function. This directly leads to restoring your oxygen carrying capacity, which reduces fatigue.
Even then, it takes a lot more than just one injection.
However, in cases of B12 deficiency, daily supplementation for 90 days significantly improves energy levels. 90 days, because this is the life cycle of each red blood cell. Therefore, to replace all of your dysfunctional red blood cells with healthy ones, 90 days of daily injecting is required. Only at this point are you likely to really recover your energy levels. That being said, full B12 deficiency recovery may take longer than 90 days in cases of neurological damage and/or gastrointestinal issues.
We recommend B12 shots over oral tablets, because injections bypass the digestive system. This is particularly beneficial for individuals with malabsorption issues, such as those with pernicious anemia, atrophic gastritis, or other gastrointestinal disorders that may prevent the adequate uptake of B12 from food or oral supplements.
Please, do not delay treatment if you have a vitamin B12 deficiency. Daily injections are not just about restoring your energy and getting rid of the fatigue that’s chronically haunting you. They also minimize the risk of lifelong nerve damage.
In short, don’t buy B12 injections for energy purposes. Buy them only if you have (or suspect you have) a vitamin B12 deficiency to resolve.
B12 And Energy Production Insurance
Now that we’ve established that B12 and energy are tightly related, how about using a B12 supplement just in case, for ensuring proper energy production?
You can certainly supplement with B12 on a daily basis as an insurance policy, because vitamin B12 is water-soluble, and there’s no toxicity threshold. Your body will use what it needs, store some, and then urinate any excess. You can’t overdose.
We suggest all vegetarians, vegans, and the elderly to supplement with B12 on a daily basis. These are the primary target demographics of B12 deficiency. Symptoms include fatigue, weakness, constipation, loss of appetite, and megaloblastic anemia. Neurological changes, such as numbness and tingling in the hands and feet, can also occur. The more you experience any of these symptoms, the stronger our advice to supplement.
Of course, you can suffer from B12 deficiency even if you’re not vegetarian or an elderly person. If you suspect you have a deficiency, by all means supplement for at least 90 days and see if there’s any improvement. If you’re waiting for full diagnosis, we still suggest to supplement as you’re waiting. The risk in waiting untreated is too high.
In Summary
To sum up, will vitamin B12 give you energy?
While B12 is crucial for energy production, it does not give you energy in the sense of a stimulant. It just enables your body to produce energy as it should, and taking a B12 supplement when you already have adequate B12 will not provide an “energy boost” in the typical sense. However, since B12 has no toxicity threshold, feel free to supplement. If you find that B12 gives you energy, maybe you were deficient after all.
All the best.