Do You Need a Prescription to Buy B12 Injections Online
Fast Facts
- Buying B12 injections online is safe as long as you have a prescription from a licensed medical provider and get the injections from a reputable pharmacy.
- B12 injections may boost your energy levels and mood, especially if you have a B12 deficiency.
- You don’t even need to visit a doctor’s office. Hone offers prescriptions using asynchronous telehealth. If our doctors prescribe B12, you can have the shots shipped to your home.
One of the buzziest ways to boost your wellness isn’t a high-tech wearable or complicated health program—it’s a humble vitamin. Athletes, celebrities, and everyday folks alike are turning to B12 shots to boost their energy and lift their moods.
And you don’t have to visit a health care provider anymore, you can buy B12 injections online through companies like Hone.
We get it: Buying vitamin B12 injections online might feel a bit daunting or confusing. But if you get them from a trusted source (more on that below), it couldn’t be safer or easier.
If you’re interested in getting vitamin B12 shots online, here’s everything you need to know.
What is Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 (also called cobalamin) is an essential vitamin. That means your body needs it to carry out lots of important functions, including (1, 2):
- Red blood cell formation
- DNA synthesis
- Brain and nervous system functioning
- Energy production (metabolism)
- Immune system health
Risk Factors for Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Your body doesn’t produce B12 on its own; you have to get it through food or B12 supplements.
Men should aim to get 2.4 micrograms per day; that’s about the amount in a 3-ounce serving of ground beef or salmon.
In the United States, between 3 to 6 % of the population are vitamin B12 deficient and up to 20% have marginally depleted levels (3).
What puts you at risk?
- Eating a vegetarian or vegan diet. Most dietary B12 comes from animal products, like meat, dairy products, and eggs.
- Having a condition that impacts nutrient absorption like celiac disease or Crohn’s disease.
- Taking medications that hamper your body’s ability to absorb vitamin B12, including metformin and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), drugs that treat heartburn and acid reflux.
- Getting older. B12 absorption declines with age (4).
- Having a lack of intrinsic factor (IF), a substance that binds to B12 so it can be absorbed into the bloodstream (5).
B12: The Basics
- B12 is a water-soluble vitamin that plays a role in red blood cell formation, metabolism, immune health, DNA synthesis, and brain and nervous system functioning.
- Your body doesn’t make B12; you need to get it from food or oral supplements. Foods high in B12 include fish, meat, poultry, eggs, dairy produce, and foods that are fortified with B12 (like some breakfast cereals.)
- If you follow a restrictive diet or have a condition that impacts absorption, you could be at risk for a B12 deficiency.
Symptoms of B12 Deficiency
If you’re not getting enough vitamin B12, you might feel downright awful. Symptoms of a B12 deficiency—which can develop slowly over time since your body can store B12—may (or may not) include:
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Headache
- Depression
- Pale skin
- Heart palpitations
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Pain, inflammation, and/or soreness in your mouth or tongue
- Erectile dysfunction
- Infertility
- Tingling in your hands and feet
- Trouble balancing
- Confusion or memory issues
Vitamin B12, now available from Hone, may boost your energy, reduce stress, and support your brain.
Health Benefits of B12 Injections
The easiest way to up your vitamin B12 intake is to eat foods that are rich in the nutrient.
But if your body struggles to absorb the nutrient, you may want to consider vitamin B12 injections since they bypass digestion completely (6). There are two forms of B12 used in injections: methylcobalamin and cyanocobalamin. Research suggests methylcobalamin stays in the body longer while cyanocobalamin may be more easily absorbed, but other studies have found little difference in the two in absorption and retention.
Vitamin B12 shots have a hefty list of potential benefits. In addition to reducing or eliminating the symptoms of B12 deficiency, research suggests that B12 shots may:
- Reduce stress (7)
- Support central nervous system function, red blood cell formation, and DNA synthesis (2)
- Reduce the risk of vision loss from age-related macular degeneration (8)
- Lower homocysteine levels, which is associated with cardiovascular disease and stroke (9, 10).
- Reduce the risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease (11)
- Treat pernicious anemia, a condition that can cause nerve damage and increases your risk of stomach cancer (12).
How to Buy B12 Injections Online
If you have symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency or are interested in taking vitamin B12 shots at home to reap the other potential benefits, Hone makes getting a doctor’s prescription easy and provides a high-quality product you can trust.
Hone’s compounding pharmacy partner for vitamin B12 injections is accredited by the Professional Compounding Accreditation Board (PCAB), which certifies compounding pharmacies that meet the highest standards.
There are two easy ways to discuss B12 shots at home with Hone. Let’s get to it.
Option 1: Consult with a doctor asynchronously about B12 shots
If you’re interested in buying B12 injections you can administer at home, you don’t even need to book a telehealth appointment (we know you’re busy).
Instead, you can have an asynchronous consult with a Hone physician. The process is simple:
Step 1. Create an account
It only takes a few minutes. Seriously, you could sign up on your phone while you’re sitting in traffic.
Step 2. Complete an online intake form
Once your account is set up, you can fill out an intake form about why you’re interested in vitamin B12 shots. You’ll add some basic health information, too.
A medical provider who is licensed in your state will review your request. They may have some questions for you; if they do, they’ll message you for more information. If they think that you might benefit from vitamin B12 injections, a prescription for the shots will be sent to the pharmacy.
It’s worth noting that vitamin B12 shots aren’t appropriate for everyone. Your doctor will screen for certain allergies or health conditions that can make them a bad fit.
If you’re given a prescription, you’ll get all critical information, including:
- How frequently to give yourself an injection (usually once or twice a week)
- How to self-inject (many customers tell us it’s easy and relatively painless).
- Notes on potential side effects
Step 3. Subscribe to your treatment plan for vitamin B12 shots
Then you can start a membership with Hone and your medications will be delivered monthly to your home.
Step 4. Let your doctor know how you’re doing
After three months, your doctor will check in to see if you have any questions or concerns. Assuming everything is going well, they’ll check in again after another six months.
Of course if you have any questions outside of those check-ins, you can log into your Hone account to message your doctor any time
Ready to buy B12 injections online? Just send a message to a Hone doctor today. It’s that easy.
Option 2: Start with an at-home blood test
If you’re interested in vitamin B12+ injections as well as other treatments offered by Hone, like testosterone replacement therapy, the steps are a bit different.
Step 1: Order an at-home test
Hone’s at-home hormone test measures 8 biomarkers including testosterone.
These biomarkers aren’t specifically used to determine whether vitamin B12 might help you, but they help your doctor understand your overall health and can help identify the cause of symptoms like low energy, mood swings, or a lagging libido.
When you receive your test in the mail, collect a blood sample (just a finger prick!) and mail it to Hone’s CLIA and CAP-accredited lab partner.
Step 2: Have a telehealth consult with a Hone doctor
A Hone doctor will review your lab test results during a telehealth appointment.
If the tests indicate that your testosterone levels are clinically low, the doctor will explain the different types of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) available from Hone, along with the benefits and any potential side effects of each.
He or she will also answer any questions you have about treatment to make sure you feel fully comfortable with the plan.
During this visit you can also discuss vitamin B12 injections.
Step 3: Subscribe to your personalized treatment plan, including B12 shots
After your doctor prescribes TRT, B12 injections, or a combination of the two, you’ll subscribe to a personalized treatment plan.
Your medications will be delivered every month right to your home.
Step 4: Follow up with your doctor
Depending on which medications you are taking, you’ll have follow-up lab tests (typically every 90 days) and review the results with your doctor. Your doctor may adjust your treatment plan based on these lab results and how you are doing.
Hone’s hormone assessment is fast, simple, and you can do it from home.
How Much Do Vitamin B12 Injections Cost?
Costs vary by provider, but if you buy vitamin B12 injections online through Hone, the shots cost $60 per month. You’ll also pay a monthly membership fee, which varies depending on whether or not you are receiving testosterone therapy.
If you’re not on TRT, your monthly membership fee is $25. If you are on testosterone therapy and require periodic lab testing, your monthly membership fee is $129.
How to Get a Prescription for B12 Shots
You do need a prescription, yes. But you don’t need to go to a doctor’s office.
You can easily complete an online evaluation with a licensed doctor who will determine if a prescription is appropriate.
If you have questions about buying B12 injections through Hone, please feel free to contact us at support@honehealth.com.
The Bottom Line
Vitamin B12 can lift energy and mood, especially if you have a deficiency. You can buy B12 injections online but you will need a prescription. Whether you work with Hone or another healthcare professional to get a prescription, it’s important to make sure your B12 injections come from a trusted source.
References
1.Bardheci K, et al. (2021). Testing and Prescribing Vitamin B12 in Swiss General Practice: A Survey among Physicians.
2. Vitamin B12 (2022). [Fact Sheet for Healthcare Professionals]
3. Lindsay H Allen. (2009). How common is vitamin B-12 deficiency?
4. Vitamin B12 (2021). [Fact Sheet for Consumers]
5. Pernicious Anemia [Fact Sheet]
6. Watanabe F. (2007). Vitamin B12 sources and bioavailability.
7. Young LM, et al. (2019). A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of B Vitamin Supplementation on Depressive Symptoms, Anxiety, and Stress: Effects on Healthy and ‘At-Risk’ Individuals.
8. Christen WG, et al. (2009). Folic acid, pyridoxine, and cyanocobalamin combination treatment and age-related macular degeneration in women: the Women’s Antioxidant and Folic Acid Cardiovascular Study.
9. Djuric D, et al. (2018). Homocysteine and homocysteine-related compounds: an overview of the roles in the pathology of the cardiovascular and nervous systems.
10. Debreceni B, Debreceni L. (2014). The role of homocysteine-lowering B-vitamins in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease.
11. Douaud G, et al (2013). Preventing Alzheimer’s disease-related gray matter atrophy by B-vitamin treatment.
12. Vitamin Deficient Anemia [Fact Sheet]
