Blood tests MMA, B12

[milupa]

A conundrum about blood tests:

I know that once substituting B12 blood levels are not reliable and that MMS should be tested instead.

But if not substituting B12: do high B12 levels mean that there is no deficiency or should MMS and Homocysteine always be the preferred values?

(My husband has blood tests tomorrow)..

Thank you!!

[bookish]

Hi, is your question theoretical, or does your husband have high unsupplemented serum B12? It looks as if some years ago you were both supplementing and had low B12 originally. Any of the many related tests in respect of B12 and folate absorption may help to identify a deficiency, MMA included, but there is no test that can rule out the possibility as all of them can be 'normal' but a cellular deficiency still exist. Best wishes.

[milupa in reply to bookish]

That is very helpful!

My husband stopped taking his B supplements a while ago. He has symptoms and even his behavioir changed.

But the GP says that because blood levels are high within range he doesn’t need to supplement any more.

I am doing relatively well, thanks mostly to all the advice given so generously in this group.

[bookish in reply to milupa]

He could ask for Intrinsic Factor antibodies, serum gastrin, methylmalonic acid, homocysteine as any may show useful information.....but they may not. If your husband was on oral supplements and levels raised and symptoms improved even a bit, but he hasn't had injections, then you won't know how much they might help until you've tried them. The only certain way to know that B12 can't help is regular injections making no difference, although you have to pay attention to the cofactors too. I had been taking increasingly large doses of B12 in all forms and formats except injections as never offered. My serum was at top of range. GP suggested injections and it is chalk and cheese - I am actually starting to heal! - bear in mind that it may be tiring, emotional and painful as your nerves repair and blood issues resolve, so many find it worse before better. Good luck.

[milupa in reply to bookish]

Gosh, I did not see your reply (I don’t get notifications any more). Apologies.

I screenshot your answers and will get those tests done privately, luckily the lab is just around the corner.

My husband possibly developed anaemia as well but the GP won’t investigate further because the blood values are ‘only just below reference’.

More health sleuthing to do!

Thank you so much!!

[bookish in reply to milupa]

No problem, hope you can make some improvements for him. Cheers