Vitamin b12 deficiency

[Arroju]

My vitamin b12 test shows 242 pg/ml. Is it in normal range ? Iam presently suffering from fatigue,loss of memory,unstable mind and eye blurness.

[clivealive Forum Support]

Hi Arroju are you in the UK?

The range shown is from 211pgml to 911pgml so your level at 242pg/ml is within range although only "bumping along at the bottom".

Were your Folate, Ferritin and Vitamin D levels tested at the same time? - if so can you list them here together with their ranges <from - to>.

What sort of diet do you have - can you eat animal products? Meat, fish, eggs, poultry,and dairy produce etc?

There are many causes for a low Vitamin B12 level and it would be good to find out what yours is.

I am not a medically trained person but there are others on here who will be able to advise you if you can provide more information.

[Gambit62 Administrator]

your result is in the statistically normal range. However, there is a lot of individual variation when it comes to how serum B12 levels relate to whether or not you are healthy and using serum B12 as a single measure will miss 25% of people who are B12 deficient but will also catch 5% who are.

For this reason it needs to be interpreted in a context which will include symptoms - one common symptom is macrocytosis - in which red blood cells are larger and rounder than normal but this is only a common symptom and not a defining characteristic and 25% of people will present without any signs of macrocytosis.

the symptoms you describe could also arise from a number of other conditions including thyroid, diabetes and even migraine.

Have you discussed the results above with your doctor? and have other conditions been ruled out.

[Dewbuc]

Neurological symptoms can occur within the normal range and with normal red blood cells and no anaemia.

Do you eat a normal diet? Do you have a family history of Pernicious Anaemia or auto immune thyroid disease? Do you have any bowel or stomach disorder? If the answer to any of these us yes then it's very likely you are B12 deficient. How old are you as you are more likely to be deficient as you age.

Your GP should be discussing these issues with you and checking for Intrinsis Factor antibodies, although 50% of PA sufferers will have a negative result.

My own feeling is that if the GP cannot identify the origin of your problems a therapeutic trial of B12 is fully justified and safe and could prevent deterioration in your symptoms. If you improve then supplementation is for life.

[seamail57]

My B12 levels (242) were “in range” according to one of the GP’s at the local surgery, so no treatment necessary. However I was heavily symptomatic so self treated and have recently persuaded another GP to try me with a therapeutic course of injections!