How Many B12 Pills Equal a Shot? Why Dosages and Frequency Vary.
Shots of vitamin B12 are often given in doses of 1,000 mcg/mL, while vitamin B12 pills often come in capsules, tablets, or soft gels of 50 to 5,000 mcg. But you can’t just make B12 pills equal the dosage of a B12 shot.
Vitamin B12 is essential for keeping your central nervous system healthy, making red blood cells, and creating DNA. (Kind of a big deal!) And if you have a deficiency, taking B12 pills or getting a B12 shot are both legit ways to up those B12 levels.
Here are the dosages you can expect from different B12 options.
How many B12 pills equal a shot?
While it might seem like a 1000 micrograms (mcg) B12 shot is equal to a 1,000 mcg B12 supplement, it’s not that simple.
Your body absorbs these B12 formulations differently, so you can’t simply make B12 pills equal to a shot dosage. How often you take B12 pills and get B12 shots also differs.
Vitamin B12 dosage and frequency
For B12 deficiency, a typical injection dose is 1,000 mcg once a week for 4 to 8 weeks and then 1,000 mcg once a month. But dosages can vary depending on if you’re treating severe, mild, or asymptomatic B12 deficiency.
For vitamin B12 pills, most people take these daily in doses recommended by their doc but taking 1,000 mcg daily is pretty standard. However, an oral B12 dose is often larger because your body usually doesn’t absorb it all.
How do B12 shots even work?
Typically, a healthcare professional will inject them for you. Talk with one of our pros to figure out what’s right for you.
Our B12 shots are made from hydroxocobalamin, or methylcobalamin, manufactured forms of vitamin B12. They’re intramuscular injections, which means they’re injected into the muscles — typically in your arm or thigh.
With the shot, the B12 is absorbed rapidly thanks to the blood supply in the muscle and you should experience benefits right away. Within a couple of days, you might start to see your symptoms improve and feel better.
But B12 injections aren’t just a one-and-done thing. You’ll usually start getting injections at least once a week. Then, your dose may change based on your doc’s orders and how you respond to treatment. As your symptoms improve, you might only need them every couple of months.
How often do you need to get B12 shots?
When you first start getting the shots, your doc will probably prescribe an injection at least a few times a week.
Your dose may change depending on how you respond to the treatment and the vitamin B12 levels in your blood.
As your symptoms improve, you might only need them every few months or so.
