"Booster shot" is a marketing phrase, not a medical one, so let me say what it means on our menu. A booster shot is a single quick injection, given in a 15 to 20 minute appointment, with no drip, no cannula time in a chair and no bag of fluid. We offer three: a vitamin B12 injection, a vitamin B complex injection and a glutathione injection, separately or together as the Booster Stack. This article explains what each one does, what the evidence honestly supports, who they suit and who should not have them.
The three shots and what they cost
- Vitamin B12 injection, £25. A single injection into the muscle. A 15-minute appointment with a short assessment included.
- Vitamin B complex injection, £35. One injection into the muscle containing B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid) and B6. It does not contain B12. Suitable for all adults, including over 60s. Not for anyone who has ever reacted to a vitamin B injection.
- Glutathione injection, £45. 750mg of glutathione given as a slow three to five minute push through a small cannula in the arm. Usually weekly for up to 12 weeks, then once or twice a month if continuing.
- The Booster Stack, £89. All three in one 20-minute visit, £16 less than booking them separately.
Each is also available as an add-on after any of our drips: B12 £20, B complex £25, glutathione £35, and a vitamin D injection £65 where the doctor agrees it is appropriate. The Energy Drip, £169, is the Myers cocktail with a B12 injection built in.
What each one contributes
Vitamin B12
B12 contributes to normal energy metabolism, the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, normal red blood cell formation, the normal functioning of the nervous system and normal psychological function. An injection bypasses the gut, which is why it is the standard treatment for people who cannot absorb B12. For a fuller account of who needs one, read our B12 injection article.
Vitamin B complex
The B vitamins work as a team. Thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and B6 each contribute to normal energy metabolism and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue; B1, B2, B3 and B6 to the normal functioning of the nervous system; B6 to normal red blood cell formation and normal psychological function. They are water-soluble, so the body uses what it needs and passes the rest in urine within hours. That is reassuring from a safety point of view and sobering from a value point of view: a large dose does not build a reserve.
Glutathione
Glutathione is the body's main antioxidant, made in every cell from three amino acids. Its job is to mop up the reactive by-products of metabolism and to help the liver process toxins. Levels fall with age, illness, heavy drinking and smoking. Taken by mouth it is largely broken down in the gut, which is why clinics give it intravenously. It is the only one of the three that goes into a vein rather than a muscle.
What the evidence honestly supports
This is the part most clinic websites skip, so I will not. B vitamins help when you are short of them. Correct a deficiency and tiredness, nerve symptoms and anaemia improve, sometimes dramatically. Give the same vitamins to someone with normal levels and controlled trials show no improvement in energy, concentration, mood or weight. The vitamin can only restore what was missing.
Glutathione is thinner still. It is a genuine and important molecule, and intravenous glutathione is used in hospital for specific poisonings and a few rare conditions. For general wellness, the human evidence is small and mixed. The skin-lightening claim that drives most of the demand comes from case reports and short studies of poor quality, and glutathione is not licensed for that purpose anywhere. We do not promise lightening or brightening, and you should be cautious of anyone who does.
Who they suit
- People in heavy training or physical work who are eating well but run their reserves down.
- People on restricted diets: vegan, very low-calorie, post-bariatric, or limited by illness or allergy.
- Recovery after an illness or a run of poor eating, once the illness itself has settled.
- People who cannot tolerate tablets, or have tried a course and not finished it.
- Anyone with a low or low-normal blood result and symptoms that fit.
Who should not have them
- Anyone with a known allergy or a previous reaction to a vitamin injection or to glutathione.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding, unless a doctor prescribes a specific vitamin for a specific deficiency.
- Under 18s.
- For the glutathione injection: a kidney or liver condition, or heart failure. It is given into a vein, and we want those organs working well.
If you are unsure, book anyway and tell us at the consultation. Advising against a treatment costs you nothing.
Test first
If the question behind the booking is "am I low in something", a blood test is the better first spend. The Vitamin B6, B12 and Folate panel is £149 and covers the three B vitamins that most often cause trouble; a straightforward vitamin B12 level is £45. A true deficiency is treated free on the NHS, and we will tell you so rather than sell you a series.
What to expect
You see Dr Ahmed first for a few minutes: symptoms, diet, medicines, previous reactions, and your results if you have them. The B12 and B complex injections go into the muscle of the upper arm or buttock and take seconds. The glutathione injection needs a small cannula in a vein on the back of the hand or forearm, and runs in slowly over three to five minutes. Eat and drink normally beforehand, do not come fasting, and bring a list of your medicines. You can drive home and go straight back to work.
The Booster Stack
B12, vitamin B complex and glutathione in one 20-minute visit with Dr Ahmed at our CQC-registered clinic in Kings Heath, Birmingham. Short assessment included. £89, booked online.
Book the Booster StackSide effects
- Injection-site soreness or a small bruise for a day or two. The commonest by far.
- Bright yellow urine after the B complex. This is riboflavin leaving the body and it is harmless.
- A niacin flush: warmth, redness and tingling of the face and chest for half an hour or so after the B complex. Uncomfortable, not dangerous.
- With B12, occasionally itching, mild nausea or a temporary acne-like rash.
- With glutathione, a warm feeling or a metallic taste during the push, and rarely a headache afterwards.
- Very rarely, a true allergic reaction. Breathing difficulty or swelling of the face or lips is an emergency: call 999.
A hot, swollen or painful injection site, a fever, or a rash in the days afterwards: contact us.
How often?
Water-soluble vitamins do not accumulate, so there is no point stacking them close together. Without a specific reason we do not give B12 or B complex injections more often than monthly. Glutathione follows the usual course pattern of weekly for up to 12 weeks, then once or twice a month if you choose to continue. If you find yourself wanting any of them more frequently than that, the right next step is a blood test and a conversation, not another booking.
Where we are
OneMedicine is a CQC-registered clinic at 1 High Street, Kings Heath, Birmingham B14 7AR, opposite Kings Heath railway station, with free parking at the rear of the clinic. Appointments are booked online and you do not need a referral.
Frequently asked questions
What are vitamin booster shots for?
They top up vitamins in people who are running low or cannot absorb them well from food and tablets. They are not a cure for tiredness in someone whose levels are normal, and a blood test is the honest way to find out which you are.
What is the difference between a B12 and a B complex injection?
The B complex contains B1, B2, B3, B5 and B6 but no B12. The B12 injection contains only B12. People who want the full set have both, which is why the Booster Stack exists.
Does the glutathione injection lighten skin?
We do not promise that it does. The evidence is weak and glutathione is not licensed for skin lightening. We give it as an antioxidant for people who want it, with that caveat stated plainly.
How much do vitamin injections cost in Birmingham?
At our clinic a B12 injection appointment is £25, a B complex injection £35, a glutathione injection £45, and all three as the Booster Stack £89. Each price includes a short assessment with the doctor. Prices are lower as add-ons to a drip.
How long do booster shots last?
B12 is stored in the liver, so an injection lasts weeks to months. The other B vitamins are used or passed in urine within a day or two. Glutathione's effect is short, which is why it is given as a course rather than a one-off.
Can I get vitamin injections on the NHS?
Only to treat a proven deficiency, where the NHS gives them free. The NHS does not offer wellness injections. If your blood test shows a real deficiency we will direct you to your NHS GP.
Can I buy vitamin injections and do them at home?
We advise strongly against it. Products sold online without a prescription are unregulated and self-injecting risks infection and nerve injury. Vitamin injections are prescription-only medicines in the UK.
Is there a booster shot clinic near me?
We are in Kings Heath, Birmingham, opposite the railway station with free parking at the rear. The appointment takes 15 to 20 minutes and is booked online.
The Booster Stack
Book online with OneMedicine, a CQC-registered clinic in Kings Heath, Birmingham. B12, B complex and glutathione in one 20-minute visit, assessment included, £89. Prefer one on its own? Each shot is bookable separately. Full details and FAQs.
Book now
Specialist interest: Cardiovascular Medicine · OneMedicine, CQC-registered clinic