Where is the best place for a B12 shot?
Well, it depends. Will you inject subcutaneously (SQ) or intramuscularly (IM)? How’s the fat distribution over your body? In other words, it’s not black and white. Let’s have a look at your best vitamin B12 injection sites, so you can decide for yourself.
B12 Injections: Where to Give Them?
The first question to ask yourself is, are you injecting subcutaneously or intramuscularly? We strongly advise readers who buy our B12 to inject SQ. Reason is, IM shots are painful and put people off self-injecting, and there’s also a slight risk of nerve injury. In contrast, SQ shots are painless, don’t involve any such risk, and are great at delivering B12.
B12 Subcutaneous Injection Sites
Where to give a B12 shot subcutaneously? Here are four recommended spots:
Not shown above, the buttock is another place where you may give B12 shots. For self-injection purposes, we normally recommend to inject in the stomach (around the belly button, see the picture above). It’s going to be the best B12 injection site for most people, because this area tends to have the most fat, and it’s easily accessible.
If you need full instructions on how to inject, here are the guidelines we send our customers to read, right after they purchase our injectable B12.
Intramuscular B12 Injection Sites
If you insist on injecting IM, the three most common vitamin B12 IM injection sites are the thigh, the upper-arm part of the shoulder, and the hips. See this slider:
Illustrations from Clinical Procedures for Safer Patient Care, Doyle & McCutcheon.
How to inject IM? Hold the flesh firmly using your thumb and index finger. Then insert the needle in the center, and inject slowly. Although, again, if you’re self-injecting, SQ will be less painful, and its B12 injection administration sites are more accessible, making self-injection easier. For most folks, we highly recommend it over IM.
Need Injection Instructions?
If learning where to give a B12 injection wasn’t enough for you, we have complete instructions on how to give B12 shots. It’s very easy.
Let us know if you need help.