Vitamins delivered the way your body actually wants them — straight into the muscle, into the bloodstream, full dose, no stomach acid filter. Energy, metabolism, recovery, and skin radiance, supported from the inside.
Most of what your multivitamin promises never makes it to your bloodstream. Here's why an IM shot is a different conversation.
When you swallow a vitamin, it has to survive a long obstacle course before doing anything useful: your stomach acid, your liver's first-pass metabolism, your intestinal lining, and your body's transport proteins. For many nutrients — especially B12, glutathione, and high-dose NAD+ precursors — that pathway loses most of the dose. What's left is what actually circulates.
Stomach → liver first-pass → intestinal absorption → bloodstream. Estimated bioavailability for B12: roughly 1–10% in healthy adults; lower with age, medications, or absorption disorders.
Needle into muscle → absorbed into the bloodstream over hours. Bioavailability is effectively 100% of the active dose. No GI processing, no first-pass loss, no absorption variability.
This isn't about taking more vitamins — it's about actually getting the dose. Many clients who book a shot have already been taking oral B12 or NAD+ precursors for months without much change. The first injection is often the moment they realize it wasn't the nutrient that wasn't working; it was the delivery method.
That said: wellness shots aren't a replacement for a balanced diet, sleep, movement, or addressing underlying health issues. They're a real, well-established support tool — not a substitute for the basics.
Each shot does something different. We use them individually or pair them into programs based on your goal.
The everyday recharge.
B12 supports red blood cell production, nervous-system function, and metabolic energy. Delivered IM, it bypasses the GI tract entirely — most clients notice clearer energy, better mood, and sharper focus within 24 to 48 hours of their first shot.
Weekly × 4–6, then monthlyEnergy at the source.
NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a coenzyme present in every cell, central to how your mitochondria convert food into usable energy. Levels decline naturally with age. Replenishing NAD+ supports mental clarity, cellular repair, and overall vitality. Some clients feel a same-day shift; others build over a few weekly sessions.
Weekly × 4, then monthlyThe master antioxidant.
Glutathione is your body's primary antioxidant — present in every cell, central to detoxification, immune function, and oxidative-stress repair. Levels drop with age, alcohol, illness, and chronic stress. Replenishing glutathione supports brighter, clearer-looking skin, immune resilience, and recovery from oxidative load.
Weekly × 4–6, then bi-weekly/monthlyMetabolism support, the working version.
A blend of three lipotropic nutrients that support how your body processes and eliminates fat. Methionine helps the liver metabolize fat; Inositol supports cellular signaling and mood; Choline supports liver function and fat transport. Best paired with a balanced diet and consistent movement — MIC supports the work, it doesn't replace it.
Weekly or bi-weekly × 6–8Certain shots do more in combination than alone. These are our standing pairings — each addresses a specific goal as a complete protocol, not a one-off.
NAD+ & B12
Our most-requested pairing. NAD+ restores energy at the cellular level — your mitochondria, your metabolism. B12 delivers a faster-acting boost to mood and vitality. Together, they address fatigue from both ends: the long, structural side and the immediate, surface side. Recommended weekly for 4–6 weeks, then monthly.
More energy. Sharper focus. Better days.
Glutathione & NAD+
Where skin health meets cellular renewal. Glutathione clears oxidative stress and supports brighter, more even tone. NAD+ supports the cellular repair that makes those results hold. An ideal add-on alongside a chemical peel, microneedling session, or facial — supports the skin from the inside while topical treatments work from the outside. Weekly for 4 weeks, then bi-weekly.
Radiant skin. Renewed energy. Deep repair.
MIC & B12
For clients working toward weight-management or metabolic-health goals. MIC supports fat metabolism and liver function; B12 keeps energy levels up for the workouts and active days that drive results. Works best alongside a balanced diet and consistent movement — supports your routine, doesn't replace it. Weekly or bi-weekly for 6–8 weeks.
Feel the momentum. Support the process.
NAD+ & Glutathione & B12 & MIC
Our most comprehensive program. Four shots in a single session: cellular energy (NAD+), antioxidant clearance and skin (Glutathione), immediate vitality and mood (B12), and metabolic support (MIC). Clients describe it as a deep recharge — inside and out. Best at the end of a stressful period, after illness or travel, or as a seasonal ritual. Weekly for 4–6 weeks, then monthly.
Complete restoration. Inside and out.
Brief screen, light meal recommended, and one quick IM injection per shot (upper arm). Walk out, resume your day.
B12 is the first to show up — clearer energy, better mood, often within a day. NAD+ can show same-day for some, a few days for others.
Glutathione shows up in skin clarity over 2–4 weeks. NAD+ effects compound across weekly sessions. MIC works alongside diet and movement.
Most clients settle into a monthly cadence after the initial 4–6 week loading series. Some stay on weekly indefinitely — your body, your call.
Wellness shots are a real, well-studied support tool. They're also not magic. The clearer we are about both, the better the result.
One shot is informative. A series is where the rhythm shows up. Most clients commit to 4–6 weeks of weekly shots, then settle into a monthly maintenance.
Weeks 1–6: Loading. Weekly shots establish a baseline and let your body adapt to the new nutrient levels. This is when most clients feel the meaningful shift — the "I forgot what this felt like" moment.
Month 2 onward: Maintenance. Monthly shots hold the result. Some clients stay weekly indefinitely — high-performance athletes, demanding professional schedules, perimenopause support, or simply because they prefer the steadier rhythm. Both work.
Programs vs. à la carte. Programs (Energy + Clarity, Glow + Detox, Metabolic Support, Full Reset) deliver more in combination than a single shot alone, and we typically price the program below the sum of its components. À la carte single shots are fine for clients who want to start small or who only need one piece of the picture.
Pricing depends on the shot or program selected and whether you book single sessions or a multi-week package. Multi-week packages typically offer better per-session value. Full quotes are provided at consultation or by reaching out. Hosting friends? See Glow Party for group savings.
Oral vitamins have to survive your stomach acid, get processed by your liver, and pass through your intestinal lining before reaching your bloodstream. For many nutrients — B12 in particular — that pathway loses 50–90% of the dose.
Intramuscular injection delivers the full active dose directly into muscle tissue, where it absorbs into your bloodstream over hours and reaches every cell at the intended concentration. The difference is usually most noticeable for clients who have tried oral supplements and not felt much change.
It depends on the shot. B12 is often felt within 24 to 48 hours — clearer energy, better mood, sharper focus. NAD+ varies: some clients notice mental clarity the same day, others build up over a few weekly sessions. Glutathione is more about skin radiance and shows up over 2 to 4 weeks. MIC works alongside diet and movement and shows up in metabolism and steady energy over the same window.
The first session is informative. The second and third tell you how your body responds.
The injection itself takes a few seconds and feels like a brief pinch followed by a slight pressure or warmth as the fluid enters the muscle. Most clients describe it as far less unpleasant than a flu shot. The deltoid (upper arm) is our default site; gluteal injection is an option for larger volumes.
Most shots are recommended weekly for the first 4 to 6 weeks to establish a baseline, then monthly for maintenance. Some clients (athletes, high-stress phases, perimenopause, recovery from illness) stay on weekly indefinitely. Others use shots seasonally or for specific events.
There's no one cadence that fits everyone — we'll discuss what makes sense for you at consultation.
When administered by a trained injector with high-quality, US-compounded products, intramuscular vitamin and nutrient injections have an excellent safety profile. The components we use (B12 as methylcobalamin or hydroxocobalamin, NAD+, Glutathione, MIC blend) are well-established.
Side effects are typically minor: brief tenderness at the injection site, occasional flushing with niacin-containing products, rare allergic reaction. We screen for contraindications at consultation.
IV drips deliver larger volumes of fluid and nutrients directly into a vein over 30 to 60 minutes — useful for hydration, very high-dose nutrient sessions, or when bioavailability over hours isn't enough.
Wellness shots are intramuscular injections that take a few minutes and absorb over hours. For most clients pursuing energy, metabolism, mood, and skin radiance, IM shots deliver the same physiological result as IV for a fraction of the time and cost. We currently offer IM shots only.
Yes — that's what our programs are for. Energy + Clarity pairs NAD+ and B12. Glow + Detox pairs Glutathione and NAD+. Metabolic Support pairs MIC and B12. The Full Reset combines all four.
Combining shots is safe and often more effective than a single shot. We'll discuss the right pairing at consultation.
If you have specific health concerns — chronic fatigue, neurological symptoms, anemia, pernicious anemia history — bloodwork through your primary care physician makes sense before starting B12 or any vitamin protocol.
For clients without diagnosed deficiencies who are simply looking for an energy or wellness boost, the doses we use are within standard wellness ranges and don't require bloodwork. We're honest about this at consultation.
Yes — all common use cases. B12 and NAD+ are popular before long flights or after travel for energy and recovery. The Full Reset or Glow + Detox is popular pre-event. Glutathione is popular for hangover recovery, but it's not a license to overdo it.
The shot supports your body's own systems; it doesn't override them.
Yes — wellness shots are some of the most-combined services at the practice. Many clients add a B12 or NAD+ shot to their Tox, filler, microneedling, or peel appointments. Glow + Detox is a natural complement to chemical peels and microneedling.
The shot itself adds 5–15 minutes; we'll plan the timing at your appointment.
Pricing depends on which shot or program you choose, and whether you book single sessions or a multi-week package. Programs and packages typically offer better per-session value than single sessions. Full quotes are provided at consultation or by reaching out.
For most medications, yes — but always tell us at consultation. Certain medications (notably some chemotherapy drugs, immunosuppressants, blood-thinners, and a small list of others) interact with specific shot components. We screen at consultation and decline to treat anyone for whom a shot isn't appropriate.
Send a few details and I'll reply within 24 hours — questions, next steps, or a tailored shot/program recommendation. No pressure, no obligation.
Thank you — I'll reply within 24 hours. If anything's urgent, you can also email info@essencebyshine.com.