- With Mayo Clinic nutritionist
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
As a specialty editor for the nutrition and healthy eating guide, Katherine Zeratsky helps you sort through the facts and figures, the fads and the hype to learn more about nutrition and diet.
A Marinette, Wis., native, Katherine is certified in dietetics by the state of Minnesota and the American Dietetic Association. She has been with Mayo Clinic since 1999.
She is active in nutrition-related curriculum and course development in wellness nutrition at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and nutrition education related to weight management and practical applications of nutrition-related lifestyle changes.
Other areas of interest include food and nutrition for all life stages, active lifestyles and the culinary arts.
She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, served a dietetic internship at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and worked as a registered dietitian and health risk counselor at ThedaCare of Appleton, Wis., before joining the Mayo Clinic staff.
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Question
Vitamin B-12 injections for weight loss: Do they work?
Are vitamin B-12 injections helpful for weight loss?
Answer
from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
There's no solid evidence that vitamin B-12 in any form — including vitamin B-12 injections — improves weight loss.
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 can also be made commercially in a lab. Vitamin B-12 is added to some foods and is available as a dietary supplement in tablet form or as an injection. Vitamin B-12 is commonly prescribed to help 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 for weight loss 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. Getting large amounts of vitamin B-12 through vitamin B-12 injections isn't likely to harm your health. But vitamin B-12 can interfere with the effectiveness of some medications, so if you receive vitamin B-12 injections, be sure to let your doctor know.
If you're hoping to lose weight, resist the lure of quick and easy solutions. What counts is a healthy lifestyle. Enjoy healthier foods and include physical activity in your daily routine. If you're worried about your vitamin B-12 level, talk to your doctor and consider eating more foods that are rich in vitamin B-12, rather than turning to vitamin B-12 injections.
- Vitamin B12. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed May 4, 2010.
- Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin B12. Office of Dietary Supplements. http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitaminb12.asp. Accessed May 4, 2010.
- Bauer BA (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 17, 2010.
- Nelson JK (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 17, 2010.
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