Most people are familiar with vitamin B12 supplements that come in the form of oral or sublingual tablets, or even the most outdated injections. But you can actually get all the vitamin B12 that your body needs from skin patches.
This relatively unknown method of supplementation is becoming increasingly popular, especially because skin patches have several advantages over alternatives.
Prevent B12 Scarcity
As with any natural B12 supplement, vitamin B12 patches will provide enough cobalamin (the second name for B12) to keep your body fit and healthy. So, if you are concerned that you run the risk of having a vitamin B12 deficiency, then skin patches are a safe option. Certainly, they are not just a useless trick and they definitely work.
What happens if you have already been diagnosed with a B12 deficiency or suspect you have it? Once again, skin patches will work. Many people think that patches do not work as well as tablets, but there is no evidence that skin patches are less effective, in fact, it is the exact opposite.
Safe and Effective
Transdermal skin patches of various types have been on the market since the 1980s. Even that only happened after many years of clinical trials and safety tests, so you can be assured that there is no risk of patches for the skin with vitamin B12.
The B12 patches work in exactly the same way as the nicotine patches we're all familiar with. They are also just as effective, although obviously, the ultimate goal is different!
Convenience
Skin patches are small and are usually placed behind the ear. You only have to do this once a day, and usually only one day a week. Once the patch is stuck, you can forget about the need to take supplements for another week. You don't worry about whether the pills should be taken before or after the meal, how many to take, etc. Just hit a patch and forget. What could be easier?
The main exception is for people with especially oily or sweaty skin. If it is you, then it is possible that you have problems for a B12 patch to stick and stay there, in which case it would be better to look for alternatives such as oral tablets or sublingual pills.
Keep in mind that not all vitamin B12 patches are waterproof, so you may have to remove them before bathing or swimming.
No problems with Absorption
As you get older, your ability to absorb B12 gradually decreases. This is one of the most common reasons for people suffering from vitamin B12 deficiency, and it is for this reason that it is recommended that all people over 50 take vitamin B12 supplements.
Supplements B12 If you take oral tablets, they have to pass through your digestive system before any of the cobalamins are absorbed into the bloodstream. With sufficiently high oral doses, even patients with extremely poor absorption of B12 can get enough of this essential vitamin. But why worry about whether you have enough or not?
By using the B12 skin patches, the vitamin enters directly into the bloodstream where it is needed, without having to worry about going through the potentially problematic digestive system. This makes skin patches an ideal option for many patients suffering from pernicious anemia or anything else that impairs the absorption of B12.
Higher Doses
Because the B12 in the skin patches goes directly into the bloodstream, you will get the full available dose of your supplement (as you would with an injection). This is often not the case with other forms of supplementation such as pills and tablets because you can lose a lot of B12 in the digestive tract.
This means that for some people, the use of a B12 patch could give you up to ten times the amount of B12 you can get from an oral tablet of the same dose. Therefore, you do not have to use the patches as often as you would take the tablets.
In addition, we have spoken before about the risks of an overdose of B12. Basically, there's no risk, it's practically impossible, so do not worry about that. If you are not convinced, read this!
Delay Time
If you take vitamin B12 tablets, there is a delay of a few hours before your body receives some of the vitamins, and then everything occurs immediately. With skin patches, B12 is gradually released over the course of 24 hours and begins to flow as soon as the patch is placed. Definitely a great improvement!
Same Price
Despite all the advantages of vitamin B12 patch, it will not cost you any more than oral or sublingual tablets, or any of the other options. The cost per skin patch is certainly greater than the cost per tablet, but you need many fewer patches to meet your B12 needs, so the prices are matched.
