The thread shows that commercial B12 vials contain cyanocobalamin or methylcobalamin dissolved in water for injection plus sodium chloride, buffers, pH adjusters, and usually a preservative such as benzyl alcohol. Grey-market multi-dose versions vary widely because the exact formula is not disclosed. Users report successful multi-dose use for weeks but acknowledge there is no reliable shelf-life data without testing. Several participants prefer buying lyophilized B12 and reconstituting it themselves with bacteriostatic water.
What this discussion establisheswhether 1.5 % benzyl alcohol is typical for grey-market Chinese-sourced B12 or only for compounded pharma products
Still openexact preservative system and safe beyond-use date for any specific grey-market vial
Nothing here is advice.
Quick question. A lot of places sell B12 already as a red liquid in vials so it must be mixed with something. Does anyone know what liquid they use and what the shelf life is after opening?
Are you talking about B12 added to compound vials? If so check the compound subreddit. Otherwise search results say vitamin B12 is a red crystalline powder and the only vitamin with cobalt. Injections are red or reddish-pink because of cyanocobalamin or hydroxocobalamin.
Yes I mean the B12 sold in 10 ml vials. It never comes as powder so it is already mixed with some liquid. My question is what that liquid is, bac water, saline, sterile water or something else.
I searched online about the B12 that sellers offer, often packaged in small vials of ten milliliters. It never arrives in dry form, which means it must already be combined with some fluid by the seller. I'm wondering about the nature of that fluid, whether it's bacteriostatic water, salt solution, pure sterile liquid or whatever else it might be. According to the details from a source, every milliliter includes one thousand micrograms of cyanocobalamin along with one point five percent benzyl alcohol, sodium chloride to make it isotonic, sodium acetate and acetic acid serving as buffers, and sodium hydroxide or hydrochloric acid for pH balance, plus water meant for injection.
I found the same result but I am not confident it applies here. The 1.5 percent benzyl alcohol level does not seem to match what Chinese sources would use and the overview appears to describe compounded injections instead.
Curious what others find. I have used the lipo-c version with B12 in a multi-dose vial and it seemed fine for ten injections. The higher benzyl percentage might be needed because of the other ingredients. I also saw a description of expected ingredients from an earlier discussion about dyed lipo-c B12.
The red color is from the B12 itself. Pharmaceutical single-dose ampoules usually contain water for injection, sodium chloride, a preservative like benzyl alcohol and pH adjusters, but the exact mix varies. Grey-market multi-dose vials can contain whatever the maker chose. If they used premade bacteriostatic water the benzyl alcohol is already in it. Without knowing the manufacturing date or the preservative system there is no way to know how long a grey-market vial stays good after opening. User handling adds another variable.
Buying non-pharma-grade injectable vitamins and amino acids is risky. One seller I confronted was using a very weak preservative system. There are too many people making these products with whatever they want because there is no oversight. If you want liquid form only buy pharma-grade.
One listing for a Lipo-C product shows per ml: B5 25 mg, B6 25 mg, B12 methylcobalamin 1 mg, L-Arginine 20 mg, L-Carnitine 50 mg, L-Methionine 25 mg, L-Inositol 50 mg, Choline Chloride 50 mg, Lidocaine 1 percent, Benzyl Alcohol 1 percent, sterile water.
I should have checked that listing. I think that is the one I bought.
The lidocaine helps with the burn. Inject slowly and wait a few seconds. I was told the L-Carnitine is what causes the burning sensation.
I use a veterinary B vitamin product. It works great and it is absolutely smooth and painless going in.
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