Help with understanding serum folate test result please?

[Agapanthus1]

Hi i have pernicious anemia and Hashimoto's and am being treated for both on the NHS. I also take extra b12 injections with the guidance of a private GP because my b12 was horrendously low (30) at diagnosis and my NHS GP overlooked the every other day protocol.

I was iron and vit d deficient as well but these have now been treated and are well within the optimal range.

The only test I haven't had done was serum folate, so I have just had a private test done and the result came back high (>20, range 3.9->20.0 ug/l). I have read high folate is often the case with PA, but I am unsure what this result means as the lab just says to re-test in a month. I am supplementing 400ug of folic acid in the multivitamin I take. I also have a mainly veggie diet with some fish.

I would be extremely grateful for any advice. Thank you.

[Gambit62 Administrator]

if you are supplementing and have a rich folate diet then that is going to be the reason why the folate is high - the main risk factors with high folate are around masking an underlying B12 deficiency - but as you have already been diagnosed with a B12 absorption problem and are being treated for it that isn't an issue.

[Agapanthus1 in reply to Gambit62]

Thanks so much. Is it dangerous in anyway or likely to have any side effects? Should I stop supplementing? Thanks for takin the time to reply 😊

[Gambit62 Administrator in reply to Agapanthus1]

always harms the pocket a bit if you are supplementing more than you need but the levels you are taking aren't associated with any known harmful effects and people have been using that dosage for years

[Agapanthus1]

Ok, many thanks 😊

[FalkorsMom]

Hi, have you been tested for the MTHFR gene mutation? Because I also had high serum folate and low B12. I have it and if you do, your body is needing methylation to process nutrients, such as B12. You need to stay far away from folic acid and other synthetic vitamins, as they only make it worse. You need methyl folate in it's place, along with methyl B12. Please get tested.

[Agapanthus1]

thank you will look into it 😊

[Agapanthus1]

Thank you so much for your reply. I was supplementing at the time with folate, so stopped it. I had forgotten but I had further blood tests a few minths later and my folate was within normal range. 😊