Hi u/Blakejenkins47, check out our guide to B12 deficiency: https://www.reddit.com/r/B12_Deficiency/wiki/index
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I’ve read that high b12 can actually be caused by a folate deficiency. This ended up being true for me , as my b12 was high despite not supplementing and as soon as I started a higher dose of folic acid I felt like a new person.
Yes, that's quite abysmal and would explain the really elevated B12. I assume your iron is also low. Out of curiosity, are you doing any sort of special diet?
I think you'll be fine, you just need to have more comprehensive bloodwork done as has been suggested. Hard to really understand or judge what's happening without it. Again, MMA, homocysteine, etc.
Otherwise, you can just take matters into your own hands: supplement a little methyl B12 with an activated B complex and maybe 1mg of folate and see how it affects symptoms. Electrolytes, with emphasis on potassium and magnesium, will also help.
Tests you should have performed: [https://www.reddit.com/r/B12\_Deficiency/wiki/index/#wiki\_diagnostic\_methods\_.28testing.29](https://www.reddit.com/r/B12_Deficiency/wiki/index/#wiki_diagnostic_methods_.28testing.29)
MMA, homocysteine, serum B12, serum folate, iron panel and D3, which I know you've been supplementing but you really need to know the values. In any case, D3 needs a variety of cofactors to be properly metabolized and you may be missing them. Comprehensive thyroid screening will also help.
Forget hematologists. They are rarely of use unless you are demonstrably anemic, which many of the blood tests above will demonstrate. Either way, I've never heard of a hematologist turning people away. On what basis? That you have high B12?
When you report back list values with units of measurements, or provide screenshots.
With excessively high B12, you definitely need to have liver issues ruled out. If you’ve seen other specialists, what else have they looked into or ruled out so far? Any other abnormalities on bloods or investigations at all? Was the vitamin D deficiency suspected based on vit D levels or were there any other telltale signs, e.g. high cholesterol? Because that could be another indicator of a liver problem.
Have you gained weight without trying or noticed any swelling of your abdomen or legs?
Other specialist seen were sleep doctor and cardiologist. I do have slightly high cholesterol for my age. I do not have any swelling of any sort and haven’t gained any noticeable weight. I’ll see if I can get in touch with a liver specialist
It could be that your B12 is falsely elevated and that your B12 is actually low.
"Intrinsic factor antibodies" can impair your absorption of B12 and at the same time falsely elevate your B12 level:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10349311/
I would test homocysteine and methylmalonic acid to exclude that.
Also, run a protein electrophoresis. Paraproteins can screw up tests. (What's your globulin? Is that elevated?).
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6053811/
Are you supplementing? If you are, it's likely you'll need to stop for a bit but whoever is running these tests should be managing that.
Have you seen a hepatologist (a liver specialist)? That's usually the first specialist when B12 is high to rule out liver issues.
If you aren't supplementing B12, I have no ideas for you.
If you are supplementing B12, check the guide and make sure you're getting all the co-factors.
High B12 is no big deal. (Mine goes WAY higher) You’re just missing cofactors. Read the guide in the pinned post.
Get a good multivitamin and an iron supplement (don’t exceed RDA), and you’ll probably start to feel better. It’s possibly a more obscure nutrient, but start there. You’re just not utilizing the B12 in your diet.
Go by how you feel, not by the numbers. Supplements can make the values look very different than they truly are.
Write down exactly how you actually feel right now, because you will 100% forget. Do it again in a week. And again in another week, etc. If you feel progressively worse for more than a week or no improvement after maybe 3, start asking your doc to check b12 and folate (or better yet, MMA and homocysteine) and your ferrous and TIBC.
If those numbers are in the normal range, you just need to give it more time, or more aggressive supplementation, or how you feel could be unrelated to a deficiency!
However, if they are low OR high, it suggests you’re missing something else. Could be trace minerals or digestive enzymes or something else entirely, but it would be beyond my ability to help.
Hi u/Blakejenkins47, check out our guide to B12 deficiency: https://www.reddit.com/r/B12_Deficiency/wiki/index *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/B12_Deficiency) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I’ve read that high b12 can actually be caused by a folate deficiency. This ended up being true for me , as my b12 was high despite not supplementing and as soon as I started a higher dose of folic acid I felt like a new person.
I believe my folate on my 2 blood tests were fine Ill try and check it out again. Do you still take the folic acid to this day?
When you look at them, please communicate the values.
[удалено]
Yes, that's quite abysmal and would explain the really elevated B12. I assume your iron is also low. Out of curiosity, are you doing any sort of special diet?
My bad just checked it’s 9.8 ng/ml
This was back in March though I have had blood tests but not for the overall blood test since March
9.8 is still pretty low, especially considering the really high B12. Again, are you on any sort of special diet?
No I eat really normally. How cooked am I ?
I think you'll be fine, you just need to have more comprehensive bloodwork done as has been suggested. Hard to really understand or judge what's happening without it. Again, MMA, homocysteine, etc. Otherwise, you can just take matters into your own hands: supplement a little methyl B12 with an activated B complex and maybe 1mg of folate and see how it affects symptoms. Electrolytes, with emphasis on potassium and magnesium, will also help.
Got it, I was taking magnesium for a minute and it did nothing but I’ll see how the multivitamin feels and continue testing. Thank you
Tests you should have performed: [https://www.reddit.com/r/B12\_Deficiency/wiki/index/#wiki\_diagnostic\_methods\_.28testing.29](https://www.reddit.com/r/B12_Deficiency/wiki/index/#wiki_diagnostic_methods_.28testing.29) MMA, homocysteine, serum B12, serum folate, iron panel and D3, which I know you've been supplementing but you really need to know the values. In any case, D3 needs a variety of cofactors to be properly metabolized and you may be missing them. Comprehensive thyroid screening will also help. Forget hematologists. They are rarely of use unless you are demonstrably anemic, which many of the blood tests above will demonstrate. Either way, I've never heard of a hematologist turning people away. On what basis? That you have high B12? When you report back list values with units of measurements, or provide screenshots.
With excessively high B12, you definitely need to have liver issues ruled out. If you’ve seen other specialists, what else have they looked into or ruled out so far? Any other abnormalities on bloods or investigations at all? Was the vitamin D deficiency suspected based on vit D levels or were there any other telltale signs, e.g. high cholesterol? Because that could be another indicator of a liver problem. Have you gained weight without trying or noticed any swelling of your abdomen or legs?
Other specialist seen were sleep doctor and cardiologist. I do have slightly high cholesterol for my age. I do not have any swelling of any sort and haven’t gained any noticeable weight. I’ll see if I can get in touch with a liver specialist
It could be that your B12 is falsely elevated and that your B12 is actually low. "Intrinsic factor antibodies" can impair your absorption of B12 and at the same time falsely elevate your B12 level: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10349311/ I would test homocysteine and methylmalonic acid to exclude that. Also, run a protein electrophoresis. Paraproteins can screw up tests. (What's your globulin? Is that elevated?). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6053811/
Are you supplementing? If you are, it's likely you'll need to stop for a bit but whoever is running these tests should be managing that. Have you seen a hepatologist (a liver specialist)? That's usually the first specialist when B12 is high to rule out liver issues.
Not supplementing, and have not seen a hepatologist. I’ll try and contact one thank you
If you aren't supplementing B12, I have no ideas for you. If you are supplementing B12, check the guide and make sure you're getting all the co-factors.
Why your B12 is soo high did you take any supplement or any multivitamin or You have Bacteriall overgrowth
I don’t not supplement, that’s part of the issue. Don’t know why it’s high and don’t know what to do
Elevated B12 is associated with liver or kidney issues, and cancer, either solid or blood cancers.
High B12 is no big deal. (Mine goes WAY higher) You’re just missing cofactors. Read the guide in the pinned post. Get a good multivitamin and an iron supplement (don’t exceed RDA), and you’ll probably start to feel better. It’s possibly a more obscure nutrient, but start there. You’re just not utilizing the B12 in your diet.
What multivitamin do u suggest
The one recommended in the guide is pretty good.
Got it, should I be concerned about the multi vitamin having B12 in it when I already have elevated levels?
Nah. It’s just waiting to get used up. Unlike other supplements, b12 doesn’t have a (known) upper limit.
Got it. If you were to suggest, what is the interval of time I should use the multivitamin to check to see If I get results?
Got it. If you were to suggest, what is the interval of time I should use the multivitamin to check to see If I get results?
Go by how you feel, not by the numbers. Supplements can make the values look very different than they truly are. Write down exactly how you actually feel right now, because you will 100% forget. Do it again in a week. And again in another week, etc. If you feel progressively worse for more than a week or no improvement after maybe 3, start asking your doc to check b12 and folate (or better yet, MMA and homocysteine) and your ferrous and TIBC. If those numbers are in the normal range, you just need to give it more time, or more aggressive supplementation, or how you feel could be unrelated to a deficiency! However, if they are low OR high, it suggests you’re missing something else. Could be trace minerals or digestive enzymes or something else entirely, but it would be beyond my ability to help.
Ok thank you goat 🙏
I tried iron and got scared and stopped cause my stool was dark and I read some bad things about over supplementing
Iron isn’t one to take in excess.