Elevated B12
 

Trying to reach mrsD. I have been diagnosed with elevated B12 and I have no idea what this means, trouble is my doctor doesn't either and I'm not comfortable with the "wait and see" approach. At the same time I can't really be upset with him, because all my other tests are normal.

CBC-normal
Calcium
Folate
C-reactive protein
CMP
Liver Panel
Sed Rate
VDRL

All normal. So why is my B12-1300 on a 870 scale?

Please if anyone has thoughts, similar experience or input, please help! What kind of doctor should I follow up with?

This question comes up now and then.

The "range" is only an average made statistically years ago by selecting people who seem healthy and taking readings. So there are going to be people who are at the top end of that range.

That is why the low end is so low too.

1300 is not that high.

There are rare conditions that may elevate B12.
Some people with kidney disease cannot excrete it, so it reads higher than average.

Some Liver disease.
Some bacterial dysbiosis in the colon. (bacteria synthesize B12)
This link gives some of the less common and alarming causes:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science...2&searchtype=a

Some foods and flours are fortified now... and B12 might be in them. Some breakfast cereals as well. B12 is in multivitamins.
Some liquid foods like SlimFast, Boost and Ensure have B12 in them. Some nutrition bars, etc. People with intact and well functioning intrinsic factor would absorb the small amounts in fortified foods easily.

There are no real studies showing any negative effects from high B12. Other than being a marker for some uncommon disease, it is considered benign. Therefore there is no upper limit set for this vitamin intake.

Also it is possible the lab is in error. Sometimes they do not calibrate their instruments properly. An example of this was a year long error at Quest regarding Vit D3. So don't assume this result is 100% accurate.
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Hi, MrsD,
Thank you so much for the response. Unfortunately, I got a repeat test (from the same doctor and lab) and it was 60 points higher in just one week. I'm very disconcerted because I'm trying to get pregnant and don't want any other problems. I'll be going to the hematologist and endocrinologist just to make sure everything is on the up and up. My liver and kidney functions are apparently just fine, so I just want to rule out the other scary stuff.

In the mean time I've stopped the crazy prenatal vitamin with 8x the amount of B12. Also was receiving B12 injection from my dermatologist, which helped with my acne and hair loss. Hopefully that will bring it down to normal.

Thanks again!!!!

Just to let you know, my B12 level runs close to 1800 all the time and if it gets lower, my neuropathy symptoms kick in.

Well, what you've mentioned--
 

In the mean time I've stopped the crazy prenatal vitamin with 8x the amount of B12. Also was receiving B12 injection from my dermatologist, which helped with my acne and hair loss. Hopefully that will bring it down to normal.

--might certainly explain a B12 result in that range, especially if you absorb normally; how often were you getting those injections?

A lot of us who megadose B12 for various neurologic reasons are used to much higher readings than that (my last one was 1864--I do take a lot of B12, though)--and to having to explain this to not-so-savvy doctors.

I believe your higher levels will be an asset to your future child.

They will also help you make more red cells, during the pregnancy which puts a huge load on the new mother. Anemia is very common then.

There are infants today born with B12 deficiency and are very ill and don't develop.

Your prenatal has folic acid in it too, to prevent spina bifida, which is a crippling defect in the spinal cord.

Your high result could be from that prenatal. I would not stop it.
http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitaminb12/
http://pediatrics.aappublications.or...tract/99/2/255

B12 deficiency in infants can be due to severe animal protein restriction in vegans, or in mothers with undiagnosed pernicious anemia.

Consider the possibility that the high B12 (also how's your B9-folate level?) without taking supplements means either you have kidney failure, or, if the kidneys are fine, your kidneys are hanging on to it for another reason such as your body NEEDS it. Why does your body need a high level? We have human genetic variations such as the MTHFR genetic variation which reduces capacity to methylate it and therefore use it. See here: Folate Although it is related to some mental illnesses, that article also talks about other neurological manifestations, and explains about MTHFR. And here for Nutrition and Epigenetics

You may want to have your homocysteine level checked. That is a measure of cardiovascular health.

SYDJD ... I completely agree with all the advice you have received. Not sure why your doctor made mention of your B12 being elevated (according to the "normal" range) in the first place. All of your B vitamins are water soluble. This basically means that your body will not hold on to the vitamin unless it is used. The unnecessary vitamin remaining in your body will be excreted in your urine. As stated above, there are instances where a person's kidneys are not filtering properly & may cause an abundance of a multitude of substances. That being stated, the BUN & Creatine levels would have been out of the normal range indicating your kidneys are not functioning properly. According to your blood tests, you show absolutely no indication your kidneys are not working properly; thus, your body is in balance. Your body likely requires more B12 than the average person. This could be temporary or permanent. You may want to increase your water intake, being sure you are taking in enough fluids, so that the unused B12 is properly excreted along w/all other waste. Rest assured, your B12 being "elevated" is not a diagnosis, condition, or disease. The "normal" range is not an absolute, particularly when regarding the measurement of B12. Good luck & keep us posted on any new information you receive. ~ Stacy

I'm curious how this turned out or if anyone has new updates or ideas. I'm at 1500 now and also around 1500 for two tests a week apart 4 months ago. My doc says in 30 years he has never seen this. I'm 40 and all other bloodwork was perfect. I am off supplements for four months but had taken 500 mg most days for four years since I am vegan. Never had it tested before this year. I'm puzzled.

This is a reminder about lab values and vitamin testing.

The ranges that labs report were done on people NOT taking any supplements.

If you take a supplement, then you would expect to see higher reported values than a person not taking ANYTHING.

The original poster reveals that she was taking prenatal vits and getting B12 injections! So yes, one would expect a higher blood level.

Anyone with intact intrinsic factor (no autoimmune disease destroying it), will absorb 500 MCG daily B12 well, and it would show up in testing. There is NOTHING in the literature about B12 being harmful in higher than "normal range" amounts in people.

Doctors don't really understand B12. That is the bottom line.
So do some research on your own, to help you understand the meaning of your blood work.

Here is a good resource to start with:
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocente...ns/vitaminB12/

Remember, doctors are not trained much concerning nutritional issues. They are not chemists and do not have much chemical experience. They rely on lab ranges and the flags labs provide to test results. Since these flagged items are typically serious in medicine they become habituated to any red flag in test results.
They basically do NOT understand therefore, when a non serious item is flagged.

In a person NOT taking fortified foods, vitamins or B12 supplements in any form, testing high in B12 levels, may indicate one of the rare conditions I listed to in the beginning of this thread. But for those taking some form of B12 or eating it in fortified foods, a high reading is not alarming.

Here is a little personal factoid:
I was testing out the new methyl B12 offered by Puritan's Pride now. This is very inexpensive and I wanted to see if it really worked.
So I took 5mg orally on an empty stomach for 3 months, and then had my B12 tested. My own doctor who is always curious about my supplement interest, assured me that oral B12 does not work! (that is what she learned in med school, many years ago). Well my test was 1999...the upper limit that lab could reach. In the past with no supplements many years ago I tested at 849 (this test was done prior to starting metformin, which is known to lower B12 levels in many people). That result was in the upper normal range, and expectable since I don't use acid lowering drugs, and I eat alot of animal source foods. So ...my doctor now understands that oral B12 works when taken correctly. It is my understanding that B12 tests from labs cannot exceed 2000...as that is as high as the calibration takes it.