High level vitamin b12

[B122017]

Hello.

About 3 months ago I thought I should go and get an overall checkup. Had all my bloods tested. What came back was my vitamin b12 was sitting at 1100. Normal range I was told was 250-500. I don't take a multivitamin or b12 supplements. They sent me off for another blood test for b12 and all my blood cells. Was a nervous wait for tne results. What came back was still high reading of b12 but my blood count was normal. I was then sent to a specialist for liver cancer as high b12 is assoc with either luekemia or liver disease . I was sent for ultrasounds and them more bloods and then another liver scan . Fortuneately no hepatitis or other liver related symptoms but still high b12. The doctors and specialist cannot understand the b12 with no other related symptoms. I was wondering if anyone can shed any light on this for me.

Thanking you in advance.

Cheers

Carol

[pvanderaa]

Did they test for folate? It is a balance between B12 and folate. You should be taking a daily multivitamin is any case.

How much red meat do you eat?

My B12 is high because I inject. I wasn't aware that high B12 might mask other conditions that would cause it to be high.

[Gambit62 Administrator]

250-500 is an odd range and not what I would associate with normal range in either of the two main units of measurement ng/L or pmol/L. Normal range is usually somewhat higher than that and 1100ng/L is around the top of the normal range (which would catch 90-95% of people).

Some people just do have higher levels without any underlying reason - probably down to genetics - if causes that are untoward have been ruled out then it probably just means that you are one of the outliers - someone who is outside where 90-95% are quite naturally and, unless you are symptomatic of B12 deficiency (cell level deficiency can be triggered by high level serum in some people) then there isn't anything to worry about. B12 isn't toxic, unlike iron and a lot of other vitamins and minerals.

Normal range is a statistically based measure and is based on averages.

you can find a list of symptoms of B12 deficiency here:

pernicious-anaemia-society....

but from your post it sounds as if you aren't symptomatic.