What Is Vitamin B12 And What Does It Do?
Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin, also known as cobalamin. Chemically, vitamin B12 can exist in a number of different forms, but all of them contain the mineral cobalt. The vitamin can be stored in the liver for a long time, so it may take a few years for a deficiency to develop
What Is Vitamin B12?
Covid-19: Advice, Updates And Vaccine Options
Vitamin B-12 is a water-soluble B complex vitamin found naturally in a variety of foods, including meat, fish and dairy products. Vitamin B-12 is also added to some foods and is available as a dietary supplement. Vitamin B-12 injections are commonly prescribed to help prevent or treat pernicious anemia and B-12 deficiency.
Some weight-loss clinics offer vitamin B-12 injections as part of their weight-loss programs. Proponents of vitamin B-12 injections say the shots give you more energy and boost your metabolism, helping you shed unwanted pounds. But unless you have a vitamin B-12 deficiency, vitamin B-12 injections aren’t likely to give you an energy boost.
Metformin (Fortamet, Glucophage, Riomet) is a drug sometimes used as part of a weight-loss strategy for people with type 2 diabetes. Vitamin B-12 deficiency can be a side effect of this drug. If you take metformin, talk to your doctor about strategies to maintain adequate B-12 levels.
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Side Effects
This medication may cause low potassium levels in the blood (hypokalemia).
Get medical help right away if you have any very serious side effects, including: symptoms of heart failure (such as shortness of breath, swelling ankles/feet, unusual tiredness, unusual/sudden weight gain). However, seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.
In Canada – Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.