B12 results, please help me understand

[fjh29]

can someone please explain! My Doctor told me my b12 is 2000 and is very high because I eat meat!

I don't take b12 or have injections he's told me to stop eating meat!

My head is mashed with what he's told me haha

[Sleepybunny]

Hi,

Welcome to the forum.

"My Doctor told me my b12 is 2000 and is very high because I eat meat!"

Do you eat a lot of meat?

I find it hard to believe that eating meat could raise B12 levels to 2000.

Maybe you could write down a typical weekly diet and highlight foods and drinks that contain B12.

Some energy drinks contain B12.

Are you taking any vitamin/mineral supplements?

If yes, have you checked what's in the ingredient list?

The scientific name for B12 is cobalamin.

High levels of B12 without taking B12 supplements/B12 injections can sometimes be a sign of a serious health condition.

I'm not medically trained but I would expect a doctor to order liver and kidney function tests and full blood count tests (FBC) for someone who had high B12 without taking supplements/injections.

Can you access your blood test results to see what other tests were done?

patients-association.org.uk...

Do you have symptoms consistent with B12 deficiency?

It is possible to have severe B12 deficiency symptoms with a normal range or even above range B12 result.

If you have symptoms that suggest a B12 deficiency even though your B12 levels are high then might be worth reading about functional B12 deficiency.

This is where there is plenty of B12 in the body but it's not getting to where it's needed in the cells so person develops deficiency symptoms.

MMA. homocysteine and Active B12 (holotranscobalamin) tests may help to diagnose functional B12 deficiency.

Blog post about being symptomatic for B12 deficiency with a normal range serum (total) B12 result.

b12info.com/your-serum-b12-...

UK websites with info about B12 deficiency

Pernicious Anaemia Society

pernicious-anaemia-society....

B12info.com

b12info.com/

The B12 Society

theb12society.com/

B12d.org

b12d.org/

[fjh29 in reply to Sleepybunny]

Yes I have my blood test results but I don't understand them

[Sleepybunny in reply to fjh29]

Hi,

I read an older HU thread which mentioned you were taking B12 supplements.

I think results may stay raised for a while even if you have stopped taking B12 but I don't know for how long.

What are your folate and iron levels like?

People need good levels of B12, folate and iron to make healthy red blood cells.

B12 can be in an active form that the body can use or an inactive form that the body cannot use.

It's possible to have normal range or high serum (total) B12 but for most of it be in a form that the body cannot use.

Do you have symptoms that suggest B12 deficiency?

B12 deficiency symptoms

nhs.uk/conditions/vitamin-b...

pernicious-anaemia-society....

theb12society.com/signs-and...

If yes, perhaps GP could order an Active B12 (holotranscobalamin) test which measures how much B12 is in a form the body can use.

Lab Tests Online UK website has clear explanations of various blood tests.

labtestsonline.org.uk/

For example - their explanation of Full Blood Count (FBC) test

labtestsonline.org.uk/tests...

Blood tests linked to B12 deficiency

b12info.com/testing/

Perhaps you could ask GP if you've been tested for health conditions that cause high B12.

Maybe you could give GP a copy of your typical weekly diet, all food and drinks.

If you feel that your GP isn't listening then might be worth writing a short polite letter to GP outlining your concerns.

Can you see another GP?

For urgent health concerns people can contact NHS 111.

nhs.uk/nhs-services/urgent-...

In an emergency, always ring 999.

Might also be worth talking to local pharmacist.

nhs.uk/nhs-services/pharmac...

Care Opinion is a UK health review website who want to hear about people's good and bad health experiences.

careopinion.org.uk/

GP surgeries/hospitals etc sometimes respond to people's stories.

I'm not a health professional.

[Technoid]

Unless you're following some kind of carnivore diet (but even then I would be a bit surprised at levels that high from animal food sources alone), then your doctor should be investigating conditions that cause highly elevated B12 or rare metabolic dysregulations. Following a diet with moderate amounts of animal foods is unlikely to cause these kind of elevations.

High levels of B12 resulting from food, supplements or injections have no clinical significance and are not dangerous. If your doctor thinks that they are, then he is confused and I'm putting that politely.

Plenty of good reasons to stop eating meat 😋 but high B12 levels are NOT one of them.

My opinion : Good recommendation, wrong diagnosis.

I am not medically trained.

[Technoid in reply to Technoid]

I note that you mentioned you would start taking a vitamin B complex about a year ago. Have you been taking it regularly since then? Most B-Complexes contain B12 and sometimes in high doses. It isnt dangerous but would explain your result if you had been taking it since then.

[fjh29]

thank you for your reply I stopped taking them my B12 was ok

[Technoid in reply to fjh29]

So you didn't take a b-complex or any b12 supplements for the last year? And your diet doesn't consist of steak for breakfast, lunch and dinner? (sounds like a joke but some people do this so I just wanted to check 😅)

[fjh29]

No, I haven't it's not a joke! The only joke is my doctor!

[Technoid in reply to fjh29]

Then you need to pursue this with your doctor (or get another doctor) because elevated B12 levels that are not explained by diet, supplementations or injections may have serious causes.

The kind of causes which its better to have investigated sooner rather than later. There are easily accessible medical diagnostic flowcharts to investigate this. If your doctor is not prepared to look into this I would not delay in finding one that does. I would look to pursue this over a matter of days to weeks, NOT months.

[fjh29]

He’s put me on Folic Acid

[Technoid in reply to fjh29]

I assume this is to treat a folic acid deficiency, which is fine, but the cause for the very elevated B12 still needs to be investigated without delay. I have not seen indication that a folate deficiency could cause such a massive elevation in serum B12.

[fjh29 in reply to Technoid]

I have a phone consultation on Friday with my Doctor, thank you for helping me with this I appreciate