A combination of the amino acids methionine, inositol, and choline, along with vitamin B12 can work with your body's natural system to encourage the loss of stubborn body fat, improve your #metabolism, improve cholesterol levels and detoxify the body. Vitamin B12 further helps energize your body, improve your mood, and potentially even help regulate your sleep. This combination is sometimes referred to as #LipoStat or "The Skinny Shot." This works best of course, alongside a clean diet and an effective exercise program.
Lipotropics are often administered in medical spas and weight loss clinics, but not often offered alongside a wellness plan or with an extensive history and physical. Keep in mind there is no quick fix. You really must commit to self-care, creating healthy boundaries, evaluating your habits, and digging into the underlying cause of your weight gain. This is where we really get excited; the transformation work is tough, but incredibly rewarding.
There is some mixed science with these MIC injections and whether they do directly affect weight loss separate from a healthy diet and exercise plan. Certainly, their risk is minimal and less so than remaining obese or even some of the pharmaceutical alternatives. Their cost isn't horrendous as well, at $35 to $75 an injection, so many clients feel the potential advantage is worth the investment and even holds them accountable to their weight loss plan otherwise. Insurance may cover #lipotropics, although for our clients, reimbursement will have to be obtained as we are a cash-based practice. Certainly, utilization of your health savings account or healthcare ministry is a viable option. These shots don't require much time, easily obtained on your lunch break if so desired.
The goal for weight loss is about a pound or two each week, as too much weight loss at once can negatively impact your muscle and bone mass, cause significant toxic dumping, and can lead to sagging skin. Many of us are mean when we lose weight too fast as well, so your loved ones will appreciate a more wise approach to exceedingly rapid weight loss. Ten percent of your body weight, assuming you initiated this plan while obese, is a great six month goal. Someone weighing 230 pounds for example, would keep their eyes on a goal of losing 23 pounds by summer.
Seven to nine hours of sleep is important any night but especially while actively losing weight, as you are detoxing many stored toxins which will need effectively eliminated from your body as they are dumped from your adipose tissue. This is significant enough that we recommend not starting a weight loss program until your bowel is functioning properly. #Constipation and weight loss can invite a plethora of issues, as your toxins accumulate if they can't be eliminated.
L-Methionine
One of two sulphur-containing amino acids which plays a role in synthesizing other amino acids. L-L-Methionine plays the role of an antioxidant and is an essential amino acid, which means it must be consumed in the diet or through supplementation. We find this in foods such as meat, dairy products, spinach, sesame nuts, and Brazil nuts.
L-Methionine helps the body produce proteins which are believed to aid in weight loss. Ultimately, this is believed to happen by improving the function of the liver, so more so than helping the body break down the lipids, L-Methionine is helping the liver move the broken down fats out of your body. I find particular interest in their ability to move fat deposits out of the liver as many with chronic stress struggle with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease which can be really difficult to address. Further, L-Methionine helps with elasticity in the skin and strengthens hair and nails (PubChem, 2020).
Additional benefits of L-Methionine include reducing outbreaks of shingles and herpes simplex, minimizing urinary tract infections and menopausal discomforts. Pancreas inflammation has been found to be reduced with supplementation of L-Methionine, as has the expression of schizophrenia and depression, even alcoholism. Those with a history of cancer, Alzheimer's disease, or even those who have overdosed with Tylenol have potentially utilized L-Methionine as part of their treatment plan.
Inositol
Another essential nutrient found in a number of foods, useful for signal transfer, growth, and metabolism is inositol. This carbohydrate forms lecithin, which helps metabolize fat. Usually found in fruits like oranges, cantaloupes, and bananas, as well as kidney beans, peanuts, and raisins.
The benefits of inositol go beyond weight loss, however. I was offering it to my infertility clients a decade ago as it plays a role in improving the impact of polycystic ovarian syndrome. It can also help regulate blood sugar, so useful during pregnancy, with type 2 diabetes, and for those with metabolic syndrome. Inositol has been used to improve mental health, specifically panic disorder, bipolar, obsessive compulsive disorder, and depression. There is even some evidence that it can be helpful for easing respiratory distress symptoms, but another important aspect is its ability to lower cholesterol which many obese individuals suffer (Donne et al., 2019).
Choline
Choline is also helpful for weight loss, as it helps you feel full faster, supports the function of your kidneys, liver, and gallbladder. While the body does produce choline naturally, it still needs to be consumed or supplemented in order to keep healthy levels in the body. Choline is vital for metabolism of fat and detoxification within the liver, but the FDA has acknowledged that most people consume less than the recommended daily allowance. Choline deficiency can cause muscle damage, liver damage, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (Fischer et al., 2007).
The benefits of choline beyond weight loss include lowering the risk of breast cancer, aiding in muscle performance, supporting memory development, protecting nerve fibers, and reducing inflammation. There is evidence it can help protect DNA or minimize damage, as well improve cardiac health and liver function. We use this to help prevent defects from neural tube defects and similar to #inositol, to improve symptoms of bipolar, schizophrenia, and autism.
Vitamin B12 Injections
These are quite popular it seems, for a variety of reasons, primarily fatigue but what surprises me is consumers are unaware of their baseline status, nor are they aware where their current measurements, or even which variety of cobalamin they are receiving. Cyanocobalamin for example, is the more stable and least expensive of the options, but just as the name says, this is compounded with cyanine. Our bodies have to break this down and detoxify it utilizing our #glutathione and other natural defenses for which you are hoping to build with the vitamin B12 injection in the first place, ultimately negating your effort.
There are four varieties of vitamin B12, each with their own positive attributes. We primarily offer methylcobalamin as this is best for those with any variety of MTHFR expression and has been shown to reduce the expression of autism. We also have hydroxocobalamin as some don't do well with the methyl version. Either way, while the conventional medicine clinician will tell you there is really no risk to high levels of vitamin B12, this simply means it hasn't demonstrated an immediate risk, but excess vitamin B12 can cause unnecessary oxidation which is certainly not beneficial to our long term health. Our clients are evaluated at the onset of therapy and after a few weeks to assure we are reaching and maintaining optimal levels. At minimum, this can save you a few dollars if you've reached optimal levels.
Other beneficial B vitamins can be added as well, including vitamin B1, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, as well as various minerals, amino acids, chromium and carnitine, not all in the injection, some intravenously, but others orally. Again, this is all part of our discussion in the wellness exam.
Lipotropic Injections
If you decide lipotropic or MIC injections are part of your wellness plan, these are typically offered weekly as injections. Vitamin B12 can be added to this if appropriate for you. Certainly we require a wellness exam prior to offering these injections, although you do not need to be an active client with Eden. We simply want to rule out issues such as thyroid disease, cardiovascular disease, and even anxiety as players in your weight. We also want to assure you are an appropriate candidate for MIC injections. We can do this as part of your first MIC injection visit for an additional fee.
The side effects of MIC include a fishy body odor, nausea, diarrhea, low blood pressure, and excessive sweating. Individually, the fishy body odor is typically the fault of choline, as is the sweating. Choline can also cause vomiting and diarrhea in the rare individual. L-Methionine can cause headaches, nausea, diarrhea, dizziness, drowsiness, and heartburn, sometimes irritability. Inositol may lead to stomach pain, nausea, headache, dizziness, and fatigue. Each of these are quite rare, and although many people effectively utilize MIC, there are a few who this regimen is not appropriate. Children and pregnant women are the more obvious, but those with atherosclerosis, cirrhosis, MTHFR deficiency, loss of bladder control, or acidosis should be cautious. There are no known drug interactions.
While lipotropic injections could promote fat loss in the body, these shots are not bulletproof. You can't skip the health diet and movement plan. Meal planning is necessary for most. These shots aren't thought to have any significant side effects though, so give it a go! Schedule your visit with us today! If you are implementing a rigorous exercise routine, we can off IV therapies for helping you prepare for and recover from your effort, or even improve performance.