Ask a doctor

Q. What is your opinion of receiving vitamin B injections to assist in weight loss?

A. My professional opinion is that vitamin B injections for weight loss are a waste of your time and money. There are several B vitamins, vitamin B 12 being the most commonly purported to stimulate weight loss. Again, there is no credible evidence that this is true, even in people who are truly deficient in the vitamin.

As a physician who has a board certification in holistic medicine, I use supplements and herbal products in my practice but almost never specifically for weight loss. In 2008, the supplement market in the U.S. was almost $4.8 billion, and it is estimated that nearly one-third of all sales were related to weight-loss products. None of these products have proven to be effective in helping people to safely lose weight over the long term. My advice is to focus your attention on healthy eating and exercise habits, which in the long term will be better for your health.

-- Dr. Jeffrey S. Jump,

Center for Integrative Medicine;

member, Chattanooga-Hamilton

County Medical Society

Upcoming Events