Ideal B12 range

[Ali8655]

Recent. Lloyd tests show my B12 to be 246 (211-911). Can anyone advise the best place to be in the range. I have a doctors appt today to discuss it and would like to go with an "ideal" number is poss. Many thanks

[Gambit62 Administrator]

guess you may well have had your appointment

There isn't actually an 'ideal number' for B12 - there is a lot of variation in how people process and what works for them which means what is right for one person isn't for another.

The serum B12 test isn't the best in the world as it only tells you what levels are in blood but it is what is happening at the cell level that really counts. Guidelines are increasingly recognising this and how much people vary in what is right for them by trying to highlight that evaluation shouldn't just be based on range but needs to look at clinical presentation as well. This often comes in the form of a statement about macrocytsis and / or neurological symptoms ... but think many GPS don't notice this change and still don't get further than macrocytosis.

In Japan they tend to use levels of around 500/550 as the point at which it is unlikely that you will have an underlying deficiency at the cell level. There are some tests that can help clarify by providing a guide as to what is going on at the cell level - homocysteine and MMA which look at waste products that don't get recycled into useful building blocks if cells don't have enough B12 but there are other things that can lead to elevated levels so they aren't first measures.

[Ali8655 in reply to Gambit62]

Although the GP thought my B12 was okay, and after he put it down to my age and "it could all be in your head", he finally agreed to prescribe B12 injections. Fingers crossed I will see an improvement.

Thanks for replying, any informtion that clears up the B12 minefield is appreciated.

[Gambit62 Administrator in reply to Ali8655]

glad that you managed to get treatment.