B12 affect iron levels

[Nikilb0902]

Good evening everyone,

I just have a quick question about b12 injection and Iron levels. I had my iron levels done before my scheduled B12 injection and they seemed to all be on the lower normal range but then I had my B12 shot and a week or so later, my iron levels are up, my diet hasn't changed and I'm just wondering if B12 shots will raise your iron % and ferritin levels after having that shot and then having your iron labs done?

[helvella]

Iron tests are not simple and straightforward. Perhaps it would help if you posted exactly which tests were done? And the results, including reference ranges.

[Gambit62 Administrator]

As far as I am aware there isn't a direct link between iron levels in blood and B12 levels.

Having an absorption problem, such as PA, can affect other vitamins and minerals but I wouldn't expect having a B12 injection to affect the efficiency of absorption, as it is actually a way of by passing absorption in the gut.

As helvella says measuring how you are processing iron and assessing if you have adequate iron levels from blood results is extremely complicated and going on single measures, in isolation from a full blood count can result in drawing the wrong conclusions.

[Sanders1]

For me they do. One of my iron levels was high and my ferritin was low. I started B12 injections (loading doses) for a month then re-checked all of my iron levels and my high level normalized but my ferritin dropped dangerously low. I'm somewhat of a medical mystery and have a lot of issues so my doctor & naturopaths aren't sure why.