Does vitamin B12 patch work?
Let's see...

After writing a page about vitamin B12 patch I decided to try it.

After all, any responsible researcher tries the substance of his work on himself...

Or was this true in 18th century only?..

Anyway, I placed an order on Amazon for a pack of B12 patches, and after several days I had a colorful box with the title
B-12 Patch on my desk.

While reading the box label I found that
the form of vitamin B12 used in the patches is cyanocobalamin.
This was a little bit strange.

B12 patch also contains selenium, an essential trace mineral, which your body needs to produce selenoproteins, important antioxidants.

Why selenium was chosen to be a part of B12 patch active elements?

For the same reason as vitamin B12: if you have B12 deficiency, chances are your ability to absorb selenium is also impaired. Usually people with gastrointestinal (GI) problems who have low B12 will also have issues with selenium absorption.

Here I am; I have no secrets from visitors of my website...

Well, I have a secret...Yes I do.

I write about health and diet... and I LOVE POPCORN WITH EXTRA BUTTER!

(Well, I don't eat it three times a day, and I do not advise you to do so, even if you are a popcorn fan just like me.)

So, here I am;

• 41 years old male
• 6 feet (182 cm) tall
• Weighting 197 pounds (87 kg)
• Generally healthy. Do not take any medications on a regular basis
• Regularly taking gel supplements: Agel MIN (multivitamin/minerals) and Agel EXO (antioxidants)
• Do not smoke (quit in 2000 after 13 years of smoking)

In addition, I have not enough time in a day - especially for a good, long sleep. What can I do? Work and family claim their toll.

OK, enough about me - back to the B12 patch.

I placed a small pink circle behind my ear, as was suggested in the directions which I found inside the box. It looked as a round bandage on my neck.

And my "B12 patch experiment" began!

I was wearing the patch for about 26 hours, and during all that time I was trying to indicate, to "catch" a slightest change in my mood, level of energy, feelings, or anything unusual.

. . . . . . .

Nothing happened.

. . . . . . .

Heck, you say - here is another hoax! This B12 patch does not work!

Wait.
This is not as simple as we all want it to be.

Once I calmed down (yes, I needed to calm down!..) and thought logically for a moment, here is what I realized.

The fact that I did not feel any change, does not mean anything yet.

For starters, I never measured the level of B12 in my blood. It might be normal, I may not have B12 deficiency, and therefore, no extra B12 is needed for me. In this case I would feel no change, as extra vitamin B12 is not stored in the body.

Even if I need to take B12 - I am already taking it: as part of my multivitamin! Since I am just over 40, my body's ability to absorb B12 from the supplement is probably good enough to maintain desired level of it in the blood.

All this meant only one thing: I need to find another person for my test!

And I found another person!

Our nanny is a really nice woman, and she agreed to try my B12 patch.

She is about 65 years old, or so. I did not ask, remembering a strange rule from childhood: it is not polite to ask women about their age...
What I know is that she has a son about my age.

I would rate her health condition as above average: she regularly plays tennis, and I've heard, she plays very good.

I explained her all I knew about vitamin B12, B12 deficiency, and possible age-related problems with B12 absorption. I also explained in details how B12 patches work, and assured that it is not possible to have B12 overdose.

Then I gave her the patch, and she wore it for about 27 hours.

. . . . . . .

After 27 hours she told me that... she did not feel either good or bad changes!
No skin irritation, nothing unusual - but also no energy increase.

Until I noticed a minor change.

Our nanny often forgets her glasses at out house, usually twice a week.

After this experiment, she did not forget glasses for about two weeks.

Was this related to the fact she tried my B12 patch?
Who knows.

This was not a scientific experiment, it was not meant to be.
I just wanted to "feel" it, and to share my experience.

I'm looking for another volunteer now, someone older than our nanny, as potential effects could be easier to detect on older person.

To be continued...