Active B12

[SpiritualT]

Can anyone help me please. I’ve had an active B12 result of 68.6pmol/L which I paid privately for through Medichecks. It says it’s within normal range but the range is 37.5 - 188 so seems on the low side.

[fbirder]

It's well above the bottom of the range. And we are told that the Active test is much more accurate than the serum B12 test.

However, it doesn't mean that you're not suffering from a deficiency. It's just unlikely.

[SpiritualT]

So I don’t need to carry on supplementing?

[Nackapan in reply to SpiritualT]

You have to keep supplementing to stay at that level of you were taking them before the test.

[SpiritualT in reply to Nackapan]

I stopped for 2 weeks before taking the test. I know it seems in normal range but it seems on the lower end of the range.

[Nackapan in reply to SpiritualT]

No harm to carry on taking your supplements to stay well in range. Have you symptoms that suggest a defiency?

[Shhilo in reply to SpiritualT]

I would agree with this. We tend to try to help ourselves, because we feel we're not looked after. But then that interferes with tests.

Best of Luck, let us know how your next test results are if you do stop. I'd even stop for more to have a true reading.

🌷🌼🧚‍♀️🌞🌻

[MiniMum97]

For someone who is supplementing that seems quite low to me but not sure what that means exactly. If you were not supplementing and your active b12 was below 50, MMA testing is recommended.

As a comparator, my active b12 when supplementing is always significantly over range. 2 weeks of stopping b12 isn’t enough time to tell you much. You either need to keep supplementing right up to the test (although stop taking anything with biotin 4-5 days before testing) or stop supplementing for 4-5 months I believe to get a baseline of your b12.

My understanding is that testing for b12 is pretty redundant when you are already supplementing.

Hopefully someone will be along to give further advice.

[SpiritualT]

I stopped supplementing 2 weeks before the test as advised. I was having 1000mg of sublingual b12

[fbirder in reply to SpiritualT]

Two weeks wouldn’t be anywhere near long enough for a large drop in your B12 levels.

Keep up the supplements. They seem to be keeping your levels OK. What are your symptoms doing?

[SpiritualT]

I’m just having headaches tingling in hands and feet. I was tested for MS initially

[Gambit62 Administrator]

SpiritualT - recommendation for active B12 (and serum B12) is that you need to stop supplementing for 3-6 months before the test if you want to get a base line.

If the supplements are helping then continue.

[SpiritualT in reply to Gambit62]

The thing is though if you stopped supplementing for 3-6 months and you are deficient in B12 this could make you really ooorly.

[SpiritualT in reply to SpiritualT]

*poorly

[fbirder in reply to SpiritualT]

Which is why I wouldn't recommend stopping the supplements. It's much more important to have treatment that works than to get yet another blood test result.

[EAPLind]

I live in the US. I cannot find any whereto get an Active B12 test.....even privately. Has anyone been able to find a testing company that gives the test in the US? I have had Peripheral Neuropathy for more than 2yeats and wonder if the twice werkly shots are even being absorbed into my body . Thank you.

[Gambit62 Administrator in reply to EAPLind]

test is called holo-T in the US

[EAPLind]

Thank you.... They do not offer that either. I wonder why ?