B12 serum versus B12 active

[Eton]

Dear members

I would be grateful for any advice you can offer.

My GP surgery blood tests on 21st June showed a serum B12 of 832ng/l (197-771). My levels ahve been high/ above range for many years and I have never supplemented.

However my recent Medichecks Active B12 results is 70.8 (37.5-188). I am not sure is this indicates the need for supplements or whether this could be dangerous given that high levels of B12 seems to be link to some very worrying conditions.

Thank you

[JanD236]

Your active B12 result is well within range and therefore doesn’t indicate to me that you have any reason to supplement.

[Eton in reply to JanD236]

Many thanks Jan

[wedgewood]

You don’t mention any B12 deficiency symptoms , which would be a reason for your B12 to be tested Do you have any ?

[Eton in reply to wedgewood]

Hi Wedgewood i feel very very tired, feel off balance and light headed on occasions, nauseous, constipated and freezing cold almost always. I have psoriatic nails and hypothyroidism also. My blood results also showed under range platelets and under range white blood cells. Ferritin low in range but not under range.

[wedgewood in reply to Eton]

Feeling very tired /exhausted is a symptom for many health conditions , B12 deficiency included . If you were B12 deficient I would expect you to be experiencing more B12 deficiency symptoms . Also your B12 results are good . You must be eating a diet with meat , fish , dairy and eggs . , as you are not taking supplements .

Your feeling cold most of the time reminds me of my neighbour who has a thyroid problem which she maintains is inadequately treated . If I were you I would take the best Thyroid test at Medichecks . It’s very thorough I have been told . The NHS thyroid test is very limited indeed , I hear from thyroid patients . GPs often don’t get it right when treating Thyroid problems .

Psoriatic nails are an autoimmune condition - like many thyroid conditions are . It’s rare to only have one autoimmune condition

I wish you all the best in getting to the bottom of your health problem . You will get there in the end , if you are persistent . 👍🍀

[Eton in reply to wedgewood]

Thank you Wedgewood. I really believe my thyroid is the root of my problems, but wanted to check re B12 just in case. I have been struggling with uat for a long time now.

[am111 in reply to Eton]

Your results are suggestive of hypothyroid and/or iron problems. Hypothyroidism can cause low iron. I also had not so low ferritin and haemoglobin was fine, but still felt these kinds of symptoms that got relieved with iron supplements. Extreme tiredness and feeling cold are some of the common symptoms of low iron. The difference between low iron weakness and hypothyroid weakness is that low iron weakness can be extreme and one can have difficulty even getting up from bed, but hypothyroid weakness is more like sluggishness.

Try some iron supplement. Generally, one can feel the effects of iron supplementation within a few days to a week. If you feel better with iron supplementation, that may be the problem.

Your serum B12 is not high enough for worrying and active B12 is fine, so I don't see a need for B12 supplementation currently, but you should do an yearly test as hypothyroid patients are prone to developing B12 deficiency as well. I have all these - iron, B12, hypothyroidism

[Cornwaller]

Could your hypothyroidism be under treated. Slow dragon on the thyroid HU site would suggest you up your ferritin. It might be worth messaging her.

[Eton in reply to Cornwaller]

Thanks Cornwallwaller. SD has suggested I supplement with Thornes B complexe or Igennus B complex.

[Technoid]

Although tests cannot entirely exclude deficiency there's nothing at all alarming in your results. They do not suggest a need for supplementation, nor are they high enough to suggest the possible serious health conditions that very high B12 levels without supplementation could.

Reading your background and described symptoms it seems like your symptoms are not clearly specific for B12 and may be related to an existing condition, or one not yet diagnosed.

All things considered, it's not clear that there is any B12 issues. The slightly over range serum result does not seem significant to me but I have no relevant training in assessing that, so may be better for FlipperTD to comment.

Personally I would look elsewhere especially with the symptoms described being nonspecific and non-neurological and sound possibly more suggestive of thyroid issues than B12.

[Eton in reply to Technoid]

Thank you Technoid. I agree that the real problem may be a poorly medicated thyroid. My profile gives more details.