Is my low folate causing B12 to be low. .New to me and I'm a bit lost!

[Mdolly]

Hi there...I wonder if you can help me..

I've recently had bloods that show

Serum folate deficiency at 1.8 ug/l

Serum B12 was 233 ng/l

All my other bloods looked fine.

My GP wants to prescribe folic acid. However I am concerned that my B12 is on the low side and I have experienced all neurological symptoms of B12 deficiency for many years now.

GP has agreed to further intrinsic factor test.

Can anyone explain if my low folate level could be making my B12 low.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and time..

[pvanderaa]

Since treating with folate only can allow neurological symptoms to progress, get the B12 sorted first and then balance the Folic acid with it.

Here in the USA, the labs add a caveat to blood results that 10% of the population exhibit neurological symptoms when B12 is under 400 pg/ml (ng/L).

You probably need B12 injections rather than supplements.

Get any further diagnostic testing done before you start treatment as taking supplements will make the results look “more normal”.

Provide a printed list of all your neurological and psychological symptoms to your GP and get through the phase where he thinks “I’ve got a hypochondriac on my hands” and wants to treat you for anxiety ( a psychological symptom derived from neurological damage).

[Mdolly in reply to pvanderaa]

Hey...Thanks for that reply. I am having the intrinsic factor test. My GP didn't want to pursue the B12 but I have insisted. She said that the only reason my B12 was borderline was because my folate is low.

I want to confirm if this is true. ..

Thanks

[mattoid-mags]

Hi Molly,

I don't have PA that I am aware of.

I have recently been having neuropathy symptoms and had my B12 and Folate tested.

My folate was 2.4 and my B12 was 318.

My GP said that my B12 is in the normal range and has prescribed me just folic acid supplements to be taken for four months.

I have learned from this great site that there is both active B12 and inactive B12 and that it is all measured together.. therefore, how can we know for sure just how low our active B12 levels really are?

Now my GP has decided to test me for Celiac disease.. bloods and stool sample taken last Thursday but checked today and the results still haven't come back.

Wishing you the best of luck 💐🌼💐

[thyroidorwhat in reply to mattoid-mags]

There is an Active B12 test you can order privately.

[mattoid-mags in reply to thyroidorwhat]

Oh really I didn't know that.

Would you hapoen to know what level would be classed as low for the active B12 test?

Thank you 🌼

[thyroidorwhat in reply to mattoid-mags]

You'd need to have the Active B12 test done as it's a different test and you can't tell from the test you've had. When I had the test the range was 25-108 pmol/L and it's often said the upper third of the reference range is best.

[mattoid-mags in reply to thyroidorwhat]

Oh right thyroidorwhat,

thanks for clarifying that for me.

So it is the inactive B12 level that needs to be checked?

Sorry I have my fribo-fog head on today.

[thyroidorwhat in reply to mattoid-mags]

Nope, to check how much B12 you are using you would need an Active B12 test to see You can get it tested privately via Medichecks for £39

[mattoid-mags in reply to thyroidorwhat]

Oh yes right..

Thank you very much.

I'm going to get it checked out.

Thanks again 👍👍

Ps.. is that in the UK?

Just had a look, yes UK.. thanks again 🌺🌸😁

[Gambit62 Administrator]

low B12 will not cause low folate - though there is a high probability of low B12 and low folate occurring together - that is a correlation and not a causal link.

Both are vitamins absorbed from your diet.

An absorption problem that causes low folate can also make absorption of folate less efficient. If folate levels are low due to a folate absorption problem then the BCSH guidelines say that a B12 absorption problem should be suspected.

A B12 absorption problem will eventually result in significant drops in B12 levels.

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi...

[fbirder]

Low folate cannot cause low B12, but the same problem may cause both.

Low B12 can cause high folate.

[Mdolly]

Thanks for all your replies! I guess I will wait and see what the intrinsic factor test results are...

[dianewilson1900]

Low folate can mimic low B 12 symptoms. I'm not an undergrad medical student and can't explain how FOLIC acid helps B 12 works, but it play an intricate role alongside it. A lot of times, people with low B 12 often have low Folate levels, but you can have one without the other. But if you swore up and down you had low B 12 but the labs work shows you don't, low Folate can be to blame. May I add...always seek your doctor's advice before taking folate supplements from a store in the future if, and when, he no longer prescribes them. I don't know if this is true, but someone posted online that taking too much folate can mask a B 12 deficiency. So seek your doctor's advice first before starting ANY supplement in the future from the store because this may skew future blood test results...