MMA urine test

[Ecf123]

Hi,

Is the mma urine test more accurate than the blood test. My 23andme results show several mma mutations but the mma blood result was in range. Is it worth getting the urine test? Thank you.

[Gambit62 Administrator]

The test is or was seen as preferably done as a urine test rather than a blood test but this may be because doing it in urine it is easier to look for metabolites indicating kidney problems as the potential cause of raised MMA.

[EiCa]

If you have been supplementing B-12 and your blood MMA has decreased s, a blood test will surely show it. I have had four MMA’s in two years. The first was 1.04 (high end of range is .4; so mine was dangerously high. After one injection my MMA was .75 and after 6 months of injections it is in range at .37). These were all blood tests and they seem to match my blood serum lows. Before supplementing my serum B-12 was 112. My uneducated doctor just tested my serum B-12 last week (I didn’t know she was testing it with my other labs). My B-12 is in the 900’s. The point is it seems blood tests for MMA are probably good enough.

It is important to remember that just because you have a genetic variant, it does not mean it will manifest itself for you. I had gene testing done after I learned about my B-12 problems. The gene tests merely confirmed what my blood results told me. Many of the genetics have not expressed themselves yet, though several of them have.

[Ecf123 in reply to EiCa]

Thank you. Yes I probably wasted money on the urine mma test but will do it anyway. I agree I don’t think that mutation was expressed. BUT I just found homozygous thalassemia anemia mutation (flagged as most significant of all mutations on report) so I’m leaning toward thinking this whole nightmare is that. I appreciate your help.

[EiCa in reply to Ecf123]

I don't necessarily think a urine MMA is useless (I believe my organic acids test (urine) showed MMA, which was high too, I just think blood is probably adequate. And yes, when looking for underlying causes, genetics can be helpful. I think the (understandable) harm is when lay people start worrying about diseases they may or may not have or ever get. I think that is why doctor's kind of hate patients getting a hold of their genetics.

[Ecf123 in reply to EiCa]

I see. Lol. They do get annoyed. I’m only paying attention to the few flagged ones, like two or three. One was thalassemia so I’m going to tell my doctor who specializes in genetics a go from there. Thank you! I will still do the urine test to see!

[EiCa in reply to Ecf123]

Ahh....well...a geneticist will actually be interested and might even know something. Hope it helps.