High B12 & ferritin

[Nct1982]

Hi, does anyone else have elevated B12? I was diagnosed with NAFLD on 7/11/18. My ALP was 160, ALT 34, ferritin 200 and B12 720pg/ml. Everything else was normal (AST, GGT etc). With diet my ALP is now back in normal range, ALT remains the same. But my B12 has risen to 788pg/ml. The haematologist said it can be raised by liver disease but I’ve read only with viral hepatitis (I’m negative) or cirrhosis. I don’t think I have cirrhosis as my fibroscan score was 4.7.

I know other things, like blood cancers etc, can cause elevated B12 but my FBC is normal too.

I’ve had my autoimmune antibodies checked and these were also negative.

I can’t find anything that indicates raised B12 with NAFLD.

PS I don’t use supplements.

TIA xx

[Hidden]

I've had raised B12 a couple of times. Along with the high B12 I had several other slightly abnormal blood test values as well. My vitamin B12 level was 809 & my GP congratulated me on having such a high level thinking that it was a sign of good health! When I checked it online I discovered that the liver stores B12 but when it's struggling it releases it into the bloodstream. My B12 level went back to normal after I eased up on my use of painkillers. In retrospect it was an early warning of problems with my liver that I was to experience further down the track that led to me to stopping drinking alcohol & using painkillers altogether. In your case the high B12 along with high ALP could be an early warning sign of your fatty liver beginning to turn to NASH. Your ferritin level at 200 is fine. If I were you I'd avoid anything that stresses the liver (e.g. alcohol, painkillers, supplements etc.) & do all I could to rid your liver of excess fat through diet & exercise.

[Nct1982 in reply to Hidden]

Many thanks for the info. My B12 and ALP have been raised since my first blood test in Oct 17. It was 849 then so dr said repeat in 3 months and it had gone down to about 710 so he did nothing about it even though it was still above range for our lab. Since following a strict diet my ALP is back in range but B12 rising. I don’t drink or take painkillers so will just continue with the exercise.

[Hidden in reply to Nct1982]

First of all, Are you taking any vitamins with B12? It would depend on the range of b12, on my labs the range is up to 1100. What did your doctor say about the iron? it's probably not over range at 200, but give it a couple of months and see if your iron levels go down because it could be high due to inflammation, I would do a ferritin test(stored iron) to see how much iron you have stored in your body, since the ferritin iron is stored iron, it is stored in the heart and liver, large amounts can be dangerous to the heart and liver.

[Nct1982 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Sophia,

Thanks for replying.

The levels have been around this mark for the past year or more. I don’t supplement but I used to eat cereal fortified with B12, however I stopped this a couple of months ago yet the B12 has actually gone up since I stopped.

My ferritin is 200 but iron is 12 and saturation is 24% so not heamochromatosis. Apparently not anemia of chronic inflammation either as my Haemoglobin is good.

Our lab is 150-663pg/ml for B12. Is that the same measure as your lab? Do you think our lab has it set low? And for ferritin our lab is 30-150.

Thanks for your help. Are you in the U.K.?

Nicky

[Hidden in reply to Nct1982]

I sent you a PM