Vitamin B12 deficiency: Experts find no superior administration method

A Delphi consensus study involving 20 Brazilian experts has concluded that there is no clinically proven advantage to any single administration method for treating Vitamin B12 deficiency. The study, published in the journal eClinicalMedicine, evaluated 31 items regarding the diagnosis and therapy of the deficiency.

According to the findings, oral tablets, sublingual melt tablets, and intramuscular injections all effectively normalize serum B12 levels. However, 95% of the experts agreed that current evidence is insufficient to demonstrate the long-term clinical superiority of one method over others regarding symptom relief, neurological recovery, or overall quality of life.

The consensus was based on a systematic review of databases including PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL, which identified only 13 comparative studies. While biochemical efficacy may vary, the lack of robust, adequately powered randomized controlled trials makes it difficult to determine which method provides better clinical outcomes for patients.