Would like to know if B12 injections help with weight loss after Menopause?

sabrinarodriguez7777

yirara

Nope. If you think you're deficient in vitamin B12 then you should get tested, including folate. Note: a blood test only works if you've been off all B12 supplements for at least 4 months.

One more comment: if you're severely deficient in B12 then you will feel miserable, thus likely move less and burn less calories.

AnnPT77

If a person is B12 deficient, then energy level and mood may suffer. As we age, we may be more likely to become B12 deficient, I think because of potential reductions in stomach acid that's needed to absorb B12, plus potentially some other nutrient absorption issues whose incidence increases with age.

In those scenarios - deficiency scenarios - B12 injections might improve energy level and mood, indirectly making it slightly easier to lose weight. So might B12 supplements, depending on what's creating the deficiency.

There's no evidence any of that is directly related to menopause.

IME - as a li'l ol' lady myself, in menopause for nearly a quarter century so far - menopause weight loss isn't dramatically different from any other weight loss: It's directly about eating the appropriate calorie level, and there are maybe indirect benefits from increasing activity (daily life activity or intentional exercise or both), getting good overall nutrition, adding muscle mass, getting enough good-quality sleep, and that sort of thing.

Lots of marketers these days are hyping special hacks for weight loss in menopause. Why wouldn't they? It's a good way to rake in more money. To the extent that I've been able to find out what's in some of those plans, a couple of common elements are getting enough protein, and doing strength exercise. Another common theme is "buy their special supplements", but I'm pretty sure those are scammy.

Both strength exercise and better nutrition are good ideas, though not exclusively for people in menopause, so why not do them? I'd add that both of those - muscle mass and protein intake/absorption - are things that can decline with age, and later age tends to be when menopause kicks in for most women.

Some women can take HRT and benefit. (I can't, due to history of estrogen-fed cancer.) Other than that, menopause is just a fact, not reversible. IMO there's no point in focusing on something we can't change. We may be able to counter some of menopause's side effects via those things like nutrition and exercise. I think those would be a more productive focus than menopause itself.

P.S. I lost weight fine at appropriate calories at age 59-60, and have maintained the loss for 9+ years since, menopausal the whole time. I'm also severely hypothyroid (medicated), if that matters - I think it doesn't. However, hypothyroidism is another thing more common with age, and more common in women, even though mine is likely genetic. If you haven't been tested for hypothyroidism or other possible issues relevant to weight management, including B12 and other vitamin/mineral deficiencies, you might want to start there.

megomerrett

B12 injections will only make a difference (and not just in weight loss terms but energy levels etc) if you are deficient in B12. My ex hairdresser used to sing the praises of B12 injections for skin and hair but guess what, she was SELLING them. Of course she'd say that. Instinctively I called BS but did some research anyway.