Sublingual B12, taken every day, is the one Dr. Martin picks, and he has said so on the show for years. He likes the shot too and is not against it, but in his words the sublingual is the proven form, because it melts under the tongue, goes straight into the bloodstream and can be topped up daily.
Key takeaways
- His pick is a sublingual B12, every day, and he says the research backs it.
- He is not against the shot. He gave thousands of them in practice.
- The shot gets in faster. The sublingual gets in every day, which is his whole argument.
- Swallowing a B12 capsule is the one he says not to do. In his words you are not getting it.
Side by side, in his words
Every line in the table is something he said on The Doctor Is In. The episode is beside it.
| What he covers | Sublingual B12 | The B12 shot |
|---|---|---|
| How it is taken | A tablet that melts under the tongue. He says do not swallow it, because that way you are not getting it. |
An injection into the muscle. He says you can give it to yourself, if your doctor is not giving it. |
| How fast it gets in | Bypasses the digestive tract into the bloodstream, but in his words slower than a shot for sure. |
Straight from the muscle into the bloodstream, which he says is why some people feel a rush from it. |
| How often | Every day. Most people are so low in it, he says, that the daily top-up is the point. |
Not every day. You usually don't take a B12 shot every day, and that is the whole of his argument. |
| Who he says it suits | Anyone low in B12 who needs it every day. He names the people on stomach medication, anyone without good stomach acidity, and his vegan and vegetarian friends. |
Anyone who can get one. If you get a B12 shot, good for you, he says, and he thinks care homes should be giving one every week. |
| What he says the catch is | It takes a while to dissolve. He has heard the complaint from patients, and his answer was suck it up buttercup. |
Good luck getting one. In his words the doctor ain't giving it, and a shot is not a daily habit. |
| What the research says, as he tells it | Tested, and more effective. Proven over and over again, in his words, when it is a methylcobalamin taken daily. |
At one time the only way really to get B12. He liked it then and still does, but the newer studies moved him. |
Hear him answer it
A listener sent the exact question in to episode 1688. His answer, in one minute, is on the Q&A page for that question, with the audio. The episode is here.
His words, with the episode
The answer to the question as asked
Dr. Martin, The Doctor Is In, Episode 1688Well, listen, this has been proven, by the way, okay, now when you take, because most people need to take B12 every day. They're so low in it. The sublingual. Okay. What's sublingual mean? Under tongue. Let it melt in your mouth. Sublingual. B12 is the best B12. You know, I talked to a person the other day and they said, “Well, I'm taking B12.” I said, “How?” “Well, I take a capsule of it every day and swallow it.” I said, “You're not getting that. You're not getting that.” So, do I like B12 shots? Yep, absolutely I do. But good luck. You know, like, well, the doctor ain't giving it. You can give it to yourself, I guess. But the sublingual, proven, take it every day.
Hear it on the episode: YouTube, episode 1688 at 21:03
Why the sublingual wins for him
Dr. Martin, The Doctor Is In, Episode 779And guys, you can take a B12 shot if you want. I'm not against B12 shots whatsoever. But here's the research. Okay? Here's the science. When you are taking a sublingual, melt in your mouth, under your tongue B12. And if it's a methylcobalamin, they're showing that the supplement, if it's the right one, if it's sublingual, meaning it melts in your mouth, doesn't have to go through your digestive tract. It goes immediately into your bloodstream. What happens? That is better than the B12 shot.
Hear it on the episode: YouTube, episode 779
The shot gets in faster. Daily still wins
Dr. Martin, The Doctor Is In, Episode 1753But when you're taking sublingual, which by the way, it's been tested, it's more effective. And to take B12 every day, you usually don't take a B12 shot every day, but B12, they're finding now and it's been tested.
Hear it on the episode: YouTube, episode 1753
He gave the shots himself
Dr. Martin, The Doctor Is In, Episode 1530The best B12 is not a B12 shot. Now, I love B12 shots, don't get me wrong. I administered a lot of B12 shots and we did a lot of B12 and doctors in the past in the fifties and the sixties, they did a lot of B12 shots, but today, if you're in an old age home or whatever, maybe you'll get a B12 shot, but probably not, and they should every week. However, here's the research. When you take an oral sublingual under the tongue, let it melt sublingual B12 methylcobalamin and you do it daily, that's the best way to elevate your B12 levels.
Hear it on the episode: YouTube, episode 1530
The research is conclusive, in his words
Dr. Martin, The Doctor Is In, Episode 761I personally tell you, and the research is conclusive, it's better to supplement with a sublingual methylcobalamin, B12 every day, than taking a B12 shot. Now I'm big on B12. You know that. And B12 shots at one time were the only way really to get B12. And I like that, but they're showing, and I did this in my practice for well over 40 years, B12 sublingual, better form.
Hear it on the episode: YouTube, episode 761
When does he say one over the other?
When does he say take the shot?
When you can get one. He never tells a listener to skip a shot that is on offer. If you get a B12 shot, good for you, is how he puts it, and he says the care homes should be giving one every week. What he does say is that a shot on its own is not a daily habit, so he would still top up.
When does he say take the sublingual?
Every other time, and every day. His line on episode 1500 is the shortest version of the whole argument.
Dr. Martin, The Doctor Is In, Episode 1500That's why when you don't have a good stomach acidity, we're always telling people, take a sublingual B12, you don't have to take a B12 shot anymore. You can, but it's not the most effective. This has been proven over and over again. Taking a sublingual B12, okay? A sublingual B12 methylcobalamin is better than even a B12 shot because you're not taking a B12 shot every day, but you can take a supplement every day.
Hear it on the episode: YouTube, episode 1500
What he says never to do
Swallow it. A capsule or a B complex with B12 in it is the one form he rules out, on both sides of this comparison. His words on episode 1157 are the plainest.
Dr. Martin, The Doctor Is In, Episode 1157You don't want to just swallow B12, you're not going to get it. People take B12 every day. They usually take the wrong type and they're not taking the methylcobalamin but they don't take the sublingual. I said, you're not getting that. You need sublingual B12, let it dissolve in your mouth. It's the best form.
Hear it on the episode: YouTube, episode 1157
