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High Levels of Vitamin B12 and Ferritin: Any pointers?

Blood Cancers & Disorders | Last Active: Jan 23 7:55am | Replies (112)
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@rubyjag3

Hi, For the past few years, my B12 has been VERY high (over 6000) yes, THOUSAND. No one has been able to figure out why and I've been told repeatedly that it's harmless. In my most recent blood work, my transferrin was low, as well as continued high B12. I don't take medications or supplements of any kind. I also eat a low-carb, high-protein diet. I'm a 52yo female, my cholesterol is slightly elevated and I have some arthritis in my lower spine. Any thoughts? Should I be concerned? The physical discomfort I have is joint pain (everywhere) and lower back pain. No digestive issues. Thank you.

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Replies to "Hi, For the past few years, my B12 has been VERY high (over 6000) yes, THOUSAND...."
Lori, Volunteer Mentor | @loribmt | Sep 22, 2022

Hi @rubyjag3 As you can see you’re not alone in your concern over the very high Vitamin B-12 level in your blood tests and wondering what can be done. There is no indicated toxic level if someone is taking the vitamin in a supplement.
However, from my understanding, if there’s a significant excess of B-12 in the blood with no supplements it can be a sign of
low B-12 with what’s actually being used by the body. This can sometimes be caused by underlying conditions which interfere with how well it can be processed and absorbed. Anything in excess is waste and not being used, so it floats freely in the blood and is indicated by that high level.
There are some specific tests that can be done to see how well your body breaks down/absorbs and transport/bonds to Vitamin B-12.
Did any of this increase with your higher protein diet?
You said all of your other bloodwork came back normal. Did this include a kidney and liver panel?

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