My recent labs showed I have high levels of Vitamin B12. It's 1328 pg/mL and the reference range is 211-946.
Does anyone know that this could mean? Is this a problem? I currently take one B Complex and had recently added one B12 supplement every day.
thanks!
Posted by lpkayak (Member # 5230) on :
mine tested high like that once...once when i wasnt taking the injections tahat is
my doc wasnt concerned...i take 2 b complex 100s and eat chic and fish mostly but red meat once a week or so
Posted by sickofsick (Member # 29258) on :
My daughter's was high - around 3,000. She wasn't supplementing at the time, but had some Vitamin IV's for awhile.
I think our doctor thinks it points to a deficiency in folate that doesn't allow her to metabolize the B12 efficiently. she recently tested positive for 677T gene that I think helps to explain it
(for more info search MTHFR)
Posted by WPinVA (Member # 33581) on :
Thank you both. It's good to know it's nothing to worry about (for once!) I do take folate but perhaps not enough. I was wondering if there was a link to the MTHFR mutation but didn't understand the connection so thank you, sickofsick, for clearing that up. I'm going to get tested.
Posted by willbeatthis (Member # 31111) on :
I have this same issue. I still get the Methyl B12 shots as I feel they give me energy. What turned the corner for me though has been Deplin. It has made me feel almost like I did before I got sick...
Mine is high too. If I change from cyanocobalamin to methyl... will it be better absorbed?
I just started taking folate. (or increased folate)
Posted by willbeatthis (Member # 31111) on :
My doc said with even the Mehylcoblamin without something like Deplin I would not absorb it.
I have found this to be true.
Posted by shannon12 (Member # 36149) on :
just had mine tested a week ago, level is 1871, I went on a b vit complex about one month ago, but why does being this high mean it's not being absorbed?, wouldn't it just mean your levels are high? I don't understand.
Posted by willbeatthis (Member # 31111) on :
Shannon... I hope someone with expertise will contribute. The understanding I had is if I was able to absorb it, my levels wouldn't be so high. Hence, Deplin. I am not sure about my levels now but I sure feel a whole lot better.
Expertise needed... Sorry I don't understand more about this... my head swims from all of this sometimes...
Posted by Razzle (Member # 30398) on :
If you take a B12 supplement and your blood B12 level is high, then you are absorbing the B12.
The question is whether or not the B12 is being utilized by the body. To determine whether or not the B12 is being utilized requires methylmalonic acid and homocysteine tests, and possibly some other tests.
But a high B12 level by itself is of no concern usually, since B12 is water soluble and the body won't store excess amounts (they'll just be peed out). I would be more concerned about a low B12 level (basically, anything under 600 is too low metabolically).
Posted by JJ29 (Member # 5288) on :
The following quote from Dr. Ben ( MTHFR site...link below) seems to indicate that there is a link between high b12/folate and MTHFR:
Quote: "Many people with MTHFR test high in their serum folate and B12. My belief is that is because they are not able to convert them to the active forms. Both serum folate and B12 are the inactive forms. So testing these is useful but not ideal."
The above article by Dr. Ben seems to confirm what Willbeatthis' doctor is telling him, that he cannot convert B12 and folate to an absorbable form without some help (i.e. use of Deplin)
WP, I agree with Razzle, I would check methylmalonic acid and homocysteine..... and also check MTHFR.
I have high b12/folate (1700) as well, and recently learned that I have the MTHFR C677T gene mutation.
Reading up on MTHFR and methylation issues I'm concerned that I may actually be deficient in B12/folate, but most of my doctors (who are not knowlegeable about MTHFR issues) think there is nothing wrong because the serum blood test is high.
Willbeatthis, you're lucky, your doc is on the ball about this issue. Is he/she an llmd from the Southeast?
Posted by willbeatthis (Member # 31111) on :
Thanks Razzle and JJ29. My LLMD is Dr. H and it was his PA that helped with this. The Deplin has been a huge help to me... I hope others find it is as helpful to them... of course, I am NO doctor
Blessings ...
Posted by terv (Member # 29410) on :
Have to second the deplin. My new LLMD put me on this along with b12 shots and I cant believe the improvement I felt. There is another non-prescription source for methylfolate but dont have it with me. It was cheaper than deplin. My insurance wouldn't cover deplin
Posted by JJ29 (Member # 5288) on :
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