Underlying health conditions: Some health conditions, such as gastrointestinal disorders or liver disease, can affect B12 absorption and metabolism, potentially leading to shorter-lasting benefits from B12 injections
Using this serum vitamin B 12 cut-off alone, the prevalence of vitamin B 12 deficiency is estimated to be in the range of 5% to 15%.3 4 5 6 However, when higher serum vitamin B 12 cut-off at 258 pmol/L (350 pg/mL) or using elevated serum homocysteine or MMA level in addition to a low or low-to-normal serum vitamin B 12 level to diagnose vitamin B 12 deficiency, the prevalence of deficiency increases to 40.5%.1 3 Also, the prevalence of vitamin B 12 deficiency appears to increase with age among the elderly population.4 5 Furthermore, reports have indicated that institutionalised elderly with multiple co-morbidities and with increasing dependency are more prone to vitamin B 12 deficiency than non-institutionalised (free-living) elderly
Any discomfort typically resolves quickly with minimal aftercare needed
Rare side effects: itching, exanthema, chills, fever, hot flushes, nausea, dizziness, and very rarely anaphylaxis
