High Levels Of B12

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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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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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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How is your lab results after stopping take vitamin B12? Is your B12 normal now? How long take it become normal after stopped B12 vitamin. My daughter took multivitamin all the time. It is 500% DV the one she took. Her B12 Level is also high, and all other blood works are normal. Please let me know how long it takes for it to be back to normal. Thanks

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High B12 but other tests normal
Hello!

I am 9 months postpartum. I went to the doctor to get my labs checked and everything was normal (CBC, normal Ferritin, normal vitamin D level, thyroid screen) except for my vitamin b12 level. My vitamin b12 level is >2000 (normal range is 211-911). This is my first time getting this test done so I’m a little bit concerned. I would like to note that I was taking a postpartum mood support supplement with 28mcg of vitamin b12z Has anyone experienced this? If so, what is the remedy or what was your experience like?

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