It’s not very common, but what happens if you inject B12 wrong?
It really depends on what type of ‘wrong’ you’re talking about. There are a couple of possible ways to mess up your B12 injecting, and ways to minimize the risk.
6 Ways to Inject B12 Wrong
(And How to Avoid Them)
- Hitting a nerve. This can happen with deeper injections, such intramuscular or intravenous injections. To prevent this, inject B12 into subcutaneous fat tissue. These shots are painless, easy to do at home, and don’t risk nerve injury. The needle is very short (think insulin syringes), and doesn’t go beyond the fat tissue. Vitamin B12 also has a well-established history of effective subcutaneous absorption.
- Introducing microbes. To prevent this, use sterile saline and single-use needles, and make sure they only touch the B12 and your skin. Also, avoid rubber-closure vials, as they allow contamination through their hole and from rubber additives. Such vials are common because they’re cheap, but try to use single-use B12 ampules or tightly sealed B12 vials. Since the staph aureus on our skin causes most problems, clean your skin with soap or alcohol before injecting. Also, don’t inject expired B12.
- Injecting air bubbles. Small air bubbles usually absorb into the blood and leave through respiration. However, a large amount of air can be dangerous, painful and a reason for “B12 injections gone wrong.” To remove air bubbles from a syringe, hold it upside down and flick its side several times until all air has risen to the top. Then push the plunger a little bit, just enough to push out any trapped air.
- Injecting in the same spot repeatedly. To prevent the scarring or hardening of fat tissue, and to improve absorption, rotate your B12 injection sites. Keep them about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart, and avoid injecting into swollen or burned areas.
- Exposing B12 solution to light. Liquid B12 breaks down when exposed to light, so avoid storing it in transparent ampules or syringes. Likewise, don’t buy liquid B12 in transparent vials. If you buy our B12 powder, wrap the vial with aluminum foil right after mixing in the saline. Drawing B12 into a transparent syringe and injecting it within minutes isn’t a problem, but storing it long-term in a transparent container isn’t smart. The B12 won’t become toxic, but it will gradually lose potency.
- Waiting too long between injections. B12 shots aren’t toxic because your body urinates any excess within hours. Therefore, injection frequency is far more crucial than the dose. If you show any signs of B12 deficiency, start by injecting daily.
To Sum Up
What happens if you inject B12 in the wrong place? What happens if you inject B12 into a vein? Don’t overthink it – follow the six rules below, and you’ll be good.
The 6 Rules For Not Injecting B12 Wrong:
- Inject into fat tissue, not deeper.
- Keep everything as sterile as possible.
- Remove air bubbles from the syringe before injecting.
- Rotate your injection sites.
- Don’t store B12 in containers exposed to light.
- Inject daily.
Good luck 🙂