High Levels of Vitamin B12 and Ferritin: Any pointers?

You mentioned that there are specific test to see how well your body breaks down/absorbs B12, what are those test? My B12 was 1663 in March and is over 2000 now, (test doesn't say how much over 2000). Primary said its probably autoimmune related, autoimmune doctor says no. Yearly blood work came back normal for most part , Immature Grans, Absolute a little high and MCHC a little low. Not taking any supplements. Kind of at a loss.

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Hi @dougs, welcome to Mayo Connect. I’m happy that you saw this discussion and hopped on board. You, @rubyjag3 and several others in the forum have higher than the ‘stated normal’ ranges for Blood serum B-12 levels. As we age there are changes in our chemistry where we may not be absorbing as much Vitamin B 12 as needed for optimism health. Taken as a supplement, Vitamin B-12 has no toxic limits as whatever isn’t used by the body is simply flushed away. It enters the blood stream and shows up as a high serum level.
The question is, why is it so high in some people when they’re not taking supplements? Finding the cause isn’t always easy. When it’s high, it can also mean the vitamin isn’t being utilized in the body and people with high serum levels can actually be experiencing very low B-12 levels on an essential level.
Low B-12 can cause strange sensations, numbness, or tingling in the hands, legs, or feet
difficulty walking (staggering, balance problems)
anemia
a swollen, inflamed tongue
difficulty thinking and reasoning (cognitive difficulties), or memory loss
weakness
fatigue
vision changes
hair loss
mental problems like depression or behavioral changes

Doing some research today I found some sites worth reading. This one gives a description of tests used in determining how well the body is using V-B12 besides the regular V-B 12 serum test. The article gets the point across and helps give a pretty good understanding on what’s happening with a high V-B 12 level and what it can mean.

-https://www.restartmed.com/how-to-test-for-vitamin-b12-deficiency/

I’m not advocating this site but this particular integrative medicine article has some interesting information on the importance of pursuing the cause of extremely elevated B-12 when someone is not actively taking supplements. https://www.swintegrativemedicine.com/blog/causes-of-high-b12-without-supplementation

This can also be caused by underlying health issues such as liver, kidney or blood diseases. So it’s important to get to the root of the problem. It seems there is a lot of dismissal from doctors that this isn’t anything to be concerned about. But from simple research it looks as though there can be some definite concern for potential health issues.

Have either you or @rubyjag3 thought about a second opinion with an Integrative Medical Professional?

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Thank you for your thoughtful response. I have read the articles you suggested and have additional insight to my issue. I have been trying to convince anyone who will listen that I’m not ok but as you mentioned, it has been dismissed. I am going to renew my advocacy for myself and try to find other avenues of help. Thank you again,

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Hi there,
I'm curious if anyone might have some pointers for me.
I received my ferritin results 10 weeks ago - the result was 23. My B12 at that time was around 700 (I was supplementing B12 for a time before that but not a high dose and not consistently).
My doctor suggested 150 mg of elemental iron once a day which I have been taking since.
9 weeks later I had another blood test. This time my ferritin is reported as 138. My Vitamin B12 is now at 1400. (I had stopped individual B12 supplementation after discovering it was at 700, but there is a small dose included in my 150 mg iron pill).
I don't have obesity, thryoid issues, diabetes or fatty liver.
I'm not sure what to make of this as I assume my readings are way too elevated. I must have an underlying condition? Any pointers about what to explore next?
Thanks so much.

Jump to this post

Hi there,
I'm curious if anyone might have some pointers for me.
I received my ferritin results 10 weeks ago - the result was 23. My B12 at that time was around 700 (I was supplementing B12 for a time before that but not a high dose and not consistently).
My doctor suggested 150 mg of elemental iron once a day which I have been taking since.
9 weeks later I had another blood test. This time my ferritin is reported as 138. My Vitamin B12 is now at 1400. (I had stopped individual B12 supplementation after discovering it was at 700, but there is a small dose included in my 150 mg iron pill).
I don't have obesity, thryoid issues, diabetes or fatty liver.
I'm not sure what to make of this as I assume my readings are way too elevated. I must have an underlying condition? Any pointers about what to explore next?
Thanks so much.

Jump to this post

Hi there,
I'm curious if anyone might have some pointers for me.
I received my ferritin results 10 weeks ago - the result was 23. My B12 at that time was around 700 (I was supplementing B12 for a time before that but not a high dose and not consistently).
My doctor suggested 150 mg of elemental iron once a day which I have been taking since.
9 weeks later I had another blood test. This time my ferritin is reported as 138. My Vitamin B12 is now at 1400. (I had stopped individual B12 supplementation after discovering it was at 700, but there is a small dose included in my 150 mg iron pill).
I don't have obesity, thryoid issues, diabetes or fatty liver.
I'm not sure what to make of this as I assume my readings are way too elevated. I must have an underlying condition? Any pointers about what to explore next?
Thanks so much.

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Hi @canada1223, Your ferritin level at 138 is well within the normal range. It’s a safe bet that it raised since your last blood test because of the iron supplements. Ferritin is a blood protein that contains iron. A ferritin test helps your doctor understand how much iron your body stores.

If a ferritin test reveals that your blood ferritin level is lower than normal, it indicates your body's iron stores are low and you have iron deficiency. As a result, you could be anemic. Normal readings for women are 11 to 307 micrograms per liter and for men, it’s 24 to 336 micrograms per liter.

When your reading was at 23 it was in the low normal range for a female and below the norm if you’re a male, so your doctor has you on supplements to get you within a comfortable range. I’ve posted a link below that helps explain the importance of ferritin/iron in our bodies.

Vitamin B12 is a water soluable vitamin so it is readily removed from the body. If a reading is high and you’re not taking suppliments, that can be cause for concern for a liver condition. However, even by taking a minor suppliment and then having let’s say, a steak which is high in Vitamin B-12, that can increase the level in your blood for a short time. Most of the B12 gets flushed out in the urine; the rest is absorbed in the liver, kidneys and muscle tissues.

The standard reference range for B12 is 200 to 700 ppl. While an optimum range is 500 to 1300 ppl. There’s no evidence that Vit B12 does harm to the body. Now, if you are not taking suppliments and that level is high, then that can be an issue. But you are taking suppliments and there is Vit B-12 in a healthy diet.

In my opinion, I’d stop looking for answers with Dr Google and adding to your anxiety. ☺️ It’s easy to have another blood test run in a couple of months to ease your mind. Your doctor can run a liver panel to make sure there is no underlying source of concern. Have you asked your doctor about your results? What do they say?

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My b12 levels are over 20,000 and no Physican has ever seen this. I can’t find any other person online either. If any specialist at the Mayo would like to help I would be so grateful. I don’t have an ounce of energy and a non existent social life. Thanks

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Hi @marciahudson6661, welcome to Mayo Connect. While we are backed by the Mayo Clinic, the members in the forum are people just like you who join in to find answers from other members with our shared experiences. We’re not medical professionals so we can’t diagnose or offer treatments. If you’d like to have an appointment with one of the specialists in the clinic, here is a link for you to request an appointment. http://mayocl.in/1mtmR63

Having Vitamin B-12 levels as elevated as what you’re seeing is excessively high. There isn’t a known toxicity if there is too much in the blood. But often, when there is an increase level of B-12 in a blood test, it can actually point to a condition where the blood cells aren’t absorbing the vitamin which can cause anemia; Explaining the fatigue. It feels counterintuitive but B-12 supplements are then prescribed for that condition.

Do you have any signs of a B-12 deficiency such as tingling in the hands and feet, problems with balance, a racing heart, confusion, memory issues, weakness, loss of appetite?

Having a B-12 serum reading over 20,000 could signal a serious underlying illness. May I ask what types of tests have been done for you? The serum test measures the b-12 in your blood stream but it doesn’t tell you how much of the vitamin is actually being used or if you’re deficient. There’s a blood test called MMA (Methylmalonic acid) which can tell if your body can utilize the B12 floating around in your bloodstream.

Are you seeing any other abnormalities in your blood numbers such as too many white blood cells, large red blood cells with an flagged MCV on your chart or low hemoglobin?

I’m sure this has to be incredibly frustrating for you! How long has this been going on?

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