An abnormally high vitamin B-12 status can be an early sign of liver disease, diabetes, or certain types of leukemia. A doctor may use the results of a vitamin B-12 test to help form their diagnosis. Children and older adults are more likely to experience low vitamin B-12 levels.
Full Answer
What does a high vitamin B12 level indicate?
If your test shows excessive B12 levels – in the absence of supplementation – this may be a sign of liver disease or cell death (and the breakdown of tissues) that release the B12 back into your blood circulation. Therefore, hypercobalaminemia (high serum B12 levels) may be a warning sign of some serious underlying pathology:
What does it mean when your blood test shows high B12 levels?
High vitamin B12 is a symptom of an underlying illness that causes the amount in your blood to increase. For example, a damaged liver may release the vitamin out of storage and into the blood. In early stages, illnesses associated with high vitamin B12 often have generic symptoms, such as fatigue and loss of appetite.
What is considered a high B12 level?
Therefore, blood levels depend on your diet and supplementation at any given time. The B12 normal range for healthy adults is between 160 to 950 picograms per milliliter (pg/mL). Anything over 950 (pg/mL) is considered high. There are a few reasons why your blood levels may be elevated:
What does it mean if your B12 is too high?
“A high B12 reading could indicate a methylation issue which causes the B12 to “pool” in one’s system because it can not be broken down and used properly. There is a low-cost blood test available that can detect this genetic defect. It is MTHFR.
What is the normal B12 level?
The B12 normal range for healthy adults is between 160 to 950 picograms per milliliter (pg/mL). Anything over 950 (pg/mL) is considered high. There are a few reasons why your blood levels may be elevated: If you've just had a B12 injection, your blood levels could be temporarily high.
What are the symptoms of a B12 deficiency?
Symptoms of a B12 deficiency include fatigue and weakness. Finally, high blood levels of B12 can be a sign of more serious health conditions, including liver disease and blood cancer. If your doctor is alarmed by your B12 levels, he'll likely perform repeated tests at intervals to confirm your status.
What is the function of B12?
B12's primary function is the formation of healthy red blood cells. Your red blood cells contain a protein called hemoglobin, responsible for carrying oxygen throughout your body. In people with low B12 levels, weakness and fatigue are common symptoms. However, the opposite — high energy — is not a sign of high B12. Although many people take this supplement with the goal of improving their energy levels, endurance and sports performance, B12 increases energy only in those with a deficiency.
Can B12 cause acne?
According to a 2015 review in The American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, B12 supplementation may cause acne and rosacea. If you experience any side effects of any kind from taking B12 as a supplement or receiving an injection, talk to your doctor about whether you should continue taking the vitamin. Advertisement.
Can B12 injections cause muscle cramps?
According to WebMD, potential but unlikely side effects of B12 injections include muscle cramps, weakness and irregular heartbeat. This is because the injection can cause blood levels of the mineral potassium to decrease. Therefore you may experience symptoms associated with potassium deficiency.
Is B12 high in blood?
High blood levels of B12 are rare. Image Credit: bee32/iStock/Getty Images. High blood levels of B12 are rare. If your levels are high, you might not know it unless you visit a doctor and have a B12 blood test. Although there are a few potential side effects from any dose of B12, it carries little risk of causing serious symptoms or side effects, ...
Does B12 increase energy?
Although many people take this supplement with the goal of improving their energy levels, endurance and sports performance, B12 increases energy only in those with a deficiency. B12 is also in charge of controlling blood levels of an amino acid called homocysteine.
What causes a B12 level to increase?
Health conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), certain medications, genetic mutations, age and dietary restrictions can all contribute to an increased need for B12.
Why is B12 important?
B12 is an important nutrient that is essential for red blood cell formation, DNA synthesis and many other vital processes. Supplements may help boost mood and reduce symptoms of depression in those who are not deficient in this vitamin.
How much B12 is safe?
Though doses of up to 2,000 mcg of vitamin B12 are considered safe, it’s best to speak to a doctor to find out whether taking a supplement is necessary.
How much B12 should I take daily?
For reference, the recommended daily intake (RDI) of vitamin B12 is 2.4 mcg for both men and women, though pregnant and breastfeeding women have a higher need ( 11. Trusted Source. ).
What is the UL of B12?
UL refers to the maximum daily dose of a vitamin unlikely to cause adverse side effects in the general population. This threshold has not been set for B12 because your body excretes whatever it doesn’t use through your urine. However, supplementing with excessively high levels of B12 has been linked to some negative side effects.
What are the benefits of B12?
For example, studies show that supplemental B12 may benefit people without a deficiency in the following ways: 1 Improved mood: One study found that supplementing healthy men with a B-complex vitamin containing a high dose of B12 improved ratings of stress and enhanced performance on cognitive tests ( 3#N#Trusted Source#N#). 2 Reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression: Treatment with a supplement containing a high dose of B12 for 60 days significantly improved depression and anxiety symptoms in adults when compared to a placebo ( 4#N#Trusted Source#N#).
How long does B12 help with anxiety?
Reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression: Treatment with a supplement containing a high dose of B12 for 60 days significantly improved depression and anxiety symptoms in adults when compared to a placebo ( 4. Trusted Source. ).
What does it mean when your B12 is high?
An elevated vitamin B12 level can be a nonspecific indicator of several types of solid organ cancer.
Why is vitamin B12 high?
High vitamin B12 levels are associated with many blood diseases, including various types of leukemia and related blood disorders. According to a September 2012 study in "PLoS One," people with high vitamin B12 had a 4- to 18-times higher risk of having a blood disease. Chronic myeloid leukemia is one such disease, in which the elevated vitamin B12 levels are thought to be due to release of excess B12 carrier proteins from the cancerous white blood cells. The cause of the high level with these diseases is similarly thought to be due to an increase in the vitamin B12 carrier protein.
What causes high B12 levels in the liver?
High blood B12 levels can occur in liver conditions such as cirrhosis and hepatitis. Alcoholic liver disease is an example of a liver condition associated with high vitamin B12. With alcoholic liver disease, vitamin B12 as well as its carrier proteins can be elevated. One of the main causes of increased vitamin B12 with liver disease is release ...
Why is B12 high in myeloid leukemia?
Chronic myeloid leukemia is one such disease, in which the elevated vitamin B12 levels are thought to be due to release of excess B12 carrier proteins from the cancerous white blood cells. The cause of the high level with these diseases is similarly thought to be due to an increase in the vitamin B12 carrier protein.
What is the importance of B12?
Vitamin B12, or cobalamin, is important for the development of healthy red blood cells and proper nervous system function. The main dietary sources of vitamin B12 include meat, dairy and fish. While doctors are often more concerned with low vitamin B12 levels, high levels might also signal a serious medical problem. Elevated blood levels of vitamin B12 are generally associated with increased amounts of proteins that carry vitamin B12 in the bloodstream or release of stored vitamin B12.
Why is B12 in the liver?
One of the main causes of increased vitamin B12 with liver disease is release of stored vitamin by liver cells that have died due to the disorder. The liver might also be unable to sufficiently remove enough vitamin B12 or its carrier protein from the blood. With cirrhosis, the severely damaged liver typically can no longer store B12, ...
What causes elevated B12 levels?
Other cancers that might cause: an elevated B12 level include lung . breast. colon. stomach. pancreas. kidney. possibly prostate cancer. It is thought that excess production of vitamin B12 carrier proteins by the tumors is the primary culprit for elevated levels.
Why is B12 high?
Alcoholism and genetic factors can cause elevated B12 levels, but an excess is more often associated with an underlying illness. High levels can be associated with diseases of the blood, such as leukemia; cancerous and other tumors; chronic liver disease; intestinal disease; blood disorders; autoimmune diseases with chronic inflammations; and hepatitis that causes vitamin B12 to accumulate in the liver, according to B12-Vitamin.org.
What happens if you take too much vitamin B12?
Too much vitamin B12 activates specific bacteria that can lead to acne-promoting inflammation.
What causes vitamin B12 to accumulate in the liver?
High levels can be associated with diseases of the blood, such as leukemia; cancerous and other tumors; chronic liver disease; intestinal disease; blood disorders; autoimmune diseases with chronic inflammations; and hepatitis that causes vitamin B12 to accumulate in the liver, according to B12-Vitamin.org.
Why is B12 water soluble?
Your body needs Vitamin B12 for nerve tissue health, brain function and the formation of red blood cells. Because the vitamin is water soluble, any excess is excreted with your urine. For this reason, it's unlikely you could get too much vitamin B12 from food alone, but you could experience side effects ...
Can you get autism from taking too much B12?
Excess B12 During Pregnancy. Although folate is important for women during pregnancy, excess vitamin B12 intake could be associated with a greater risk of autism in their infants. A study published in Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology examined the effect of high vitamin B12 levels during pregnancy and at birth in relation to early brain ...
Does B12 cause autism?
Findings were that women who had extremely high levels of B12 had 2.5 times increased risk of their children developing autism, as compared with mothers who had normal levels of vitamin B12 — though, as the researchers stress, that doesn't necessarily mean B12 causes autism. In addition, because breast milk contains vitamin B12, ...
Can vitamin B12 cause allergic reactions?
Vitamin B12 can also cause very rare but serious allergic reactions. Symptoms may be swelling of the face, tongue and throat, and difficulty swallowing and breathing. If this occurs after you take vitamin B12, call 911 or your local emergency contact immediately. Advertisement.
Why is B12 in the blood?
The most common cause of high B12 in the blood is due to recent ingestion or injection of supplemental vitamin B12. We don't worry about overdosing on B12 supplements because excess can be excreted in your urine. It could also be possibly from your diet if high in animal products such as meat, eggs, and shellfish.
What diseases release B12?
Liver disease due to release of B12 from damaged liver cells into the bloodstream. Kidney disease due to impaired function of the kidneys to excrete excess B12. Increased levels of transcobalamin, which is a transporter of B12 in the bloodstream. Inflammatory conditions: rheumatoid arthritis, lupus.
Can you get high blood levels from too much B12?
However, it is extremely rare to have a high blood level from too much vitamin B12 in the diet.
Is my B12 blood test abnormally high?
Accidentally, it was discovered that my B12 blood test has been always running abnormally high. This has been since 2013 after a complete hysterectomy as I had an ovarian tumor removed which was of low malignant potential. Usually, it is running in the 1100s, and in 2014 was up to 3737.
