Help Interpreting Blood Test Results

[ottiliefloyd]

Sorry to post so much in the space of one week! My B12 crashed (due to a large gap between injections) and new GP ordered a bunch of blood tests. Since starting B12 injections in September 2020 my, AST and ALT have raised considerably - is there a link? The results below are from three tests taken over the past year

27 Jun 20

AST (< 30) U/L 27

ALT (< 30) U/L 43

12 Oct 20

AST (< 30) U/L 18

ALT (< 30) U/L 26

17 May 21

AST (< 30) U/L 35

ALT (< 30) U/L 84

I drink alcohol once maybe twice a week?

MCH and MCHC are also low, but I don't how to interpret this

MCH (27-34) pg 26

MCHC (320-360) g/L 317

My iron levels seem to have come back all in range. I'm not supplementing with anything so it's an accurate reading.

Iron (10-30) umol/L 12

T'ferrin(32-48) umol/L 40

T. Sat. (13-45) % 15

Ferritin(30-165) ug/L 59

Just so exhausted with the GP circus that we all seem to find ourselves continually in! Bottom line I should never have tried to stretch the injections out to 6 weeks in the first place - the peripheral neuropathy, mental exhaustion and dizziness is worse than ever.

[fbirder]

The only connection between high B12 and high ALT and AST is that liver damage can cause all three. But high B12 alone cannot raise the levels of liver enzymes.

I don't think your ALT levels are that high, and if your doctor hasn't got you doing a load of liver tests then they obviously don't think so either.

I've read in the past that folate can help lower ALT. If you don't already, you could try 400 mcg of supermarket brand folic acid.

[ottiliefloyd in reply to fbirder]

Thanks fbirder

GP is concerned as ALT is nearly 3 x higher than its meant to be. He wants more testing done but I can barely walk let alone drive atm so he's waiting for next F2F visit.

He doesn't know much about B12 and PA and I'm still very much learning so was interested to know if the results were connected.

I've got folate tablets so I'll start taking them and see how we go!

[Cherylclaire Forum Support in reply to ottiliefloyd]

My ALT apparently was 85 u/L in 2018 which was considered "mildly elevated" by the consultant from Adult Inherited Metabolic Diseases in a report to my GP. Every time it has been checked since, it has been around 14 u/L - 16 u/L, as it was previously.

So I'd say one less thing to worry about, as long as it continues to be monitored.

About once a year, I get folate, ferritin, vitamin D and thyroid etc checked and ALT continues to be part of that list.

[ottiliefloyd in reply to Cherylclaire]

Thanks Cherylclaire, that's good to know!