Just to add to my earlier post about B-12 yesterday- I mentioned two forms of B-12 supplements, oral and injectable. There are two additional forms: sublingual and intranasal. Sublingual medications are absorbed into the blood stream by placing them under the tongue and letting them dissolve. Intranasal medications are sprayed via a pump into the nostrils, where they are also absorbed into the blood stream. Since they go into the bloodstream directly, they don’t have to be absorbed from the digestive system with intrinsic factor.
One of the supplements that I posted yesterday, the Deva B-12
, is actually a sublingual medication- that is, it goes into the mouth, but is dissolved under the tongue instead of swallowing.
, is actually a sublingual medication- that is, it goes into the mouth, but is dissolved under the tongue instead of swallowing. If you also have a B-12 deficency, it’s definitely worth a conversation with your doctor about alternatives to injectable B-12. There are a number of articles that support the use of an alternative, such as this, Oral vitamin B12 can change our practice, in the British Journal of Medicine.
I also mentioned that injectables cost less, but I should have been more clear. The actual cost of the medication may cost less, but injectables mean a trip to the doctor every time you need it, so if you have a co-pay or pay out of pocket, it would in effect cost more, aside from being inconvenient.
I should be able to start my supplement today, and I’ll go back for blood work in two weeks to see if the supplementation is working. I’ll you posted!
