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Abnormally high lab B12

Messages
34
I'm still trying to wrap my head around all my SNP's and better understand the methylation process but am just not quite the braniac many of you are.

I've been experiencing many of the symptoms of B12 deficiency, the worst being burning pain in my legs and feet. I take 1000 much of Solar sublingual methylcobalin, and have been for months, daily but it has not helped my symptoms. So at this point I'm not sure it is even b12 deficiency I'm experiencing. I do have several heterozygous SNPs for B12 absorption though.

A recent lab test marked me at >2000 mcg when the range is 211-946. So my question is- Do you think I'm somehow not absorbing what i take and, if so, do you have any ideas on how to correct this? Or do you think I'm actually just taking too much and this isn't my problem.

Thank you so much in advance for any help!
 

PeterPositive

Senior Member
Messages
1,426
It's very normal to have B12 serum > 2000 when taking sublingual B12 for months. It's nothing to worry about but it's not a marker for absorption. Methyl-malonic acid could give you a better insight of your B12 status.

One final note: taking B12 alone without any of the other Bs (especially B9, some B2 and a bit of B3) may render the B12 less effective, especially in the long run.

Good luck
 

ryan31337

Senior Member
Messages
664
Location
South East, England
Whilst on the subject...does any one have thoughts on high B12 levels without supplementation? At least no supplementation at all for several months prior to testing.

I had mildly out of upper normal range for high total B12 and off the charts high (literally) for Active B12.
 
Messages
34
That is bizarre! I'm not sure what doing cause elevated numbers without taking it. Could it be your body is not converting food sources to the active form so it is building up in your system?
 

ryan31337

Senior Member
Messages
664
Location
South East, England
Yeah, I've heard of functional deficiency being a possibility. Also it can be secondary to all sorts of very serious disease processes.

My endo requested a Methyl-Malonic Acid blood test but the lab rejected it because they had prior record of my total B12 being high :mad: Apparently out of upper range means nothing to most people...

Would be keen to hear if anyone thinks MMA/Homocysteine/etc might give clues to the elevated B12 and especially Active B12 - which I assume to be short lived and definitely not effected by supplementation months ago?
 

PennyIA

Senior Member
Messages
728
Location
Iowa
I had high homocysteine (that's what actually triggered my starting to take supplements prior to understanding MTHFR (if I do) and prior to coming down with chronic pain & fatigue symptoms).

I found that taking cyanocobalamin was enough to lower my homocysteine levels, but not improve my level of fatigue. methylcobalamin and adenocobalamin help more with the fatigue - but I'm still missing some factor.

I'm of the mind that it's like trying to force a bunch of nutrients down the hose... and if every little lacking supporting element, or functional deficiency acts like a kink in the hose. Some bigger kinks, others that barely slow the flow, after three or four, the flow of usable nutrients is down to a trickle. But if you keep pumping in the nutrients, they have to go somewhere... so the find the weak spot and hang out there... floating around in the blood until they can be used.

Everyone sees high B12 as a non-issue as the expectation is that the normal process is ... if you have too much your body will break it down and eliminate it. But what if that part of the cycle isn't working quite right, either. That's how I became toxic on B6 which DOES HAVE toxicity testing levels... even though it also is water soluable and able to be eliminated with process. Mostly b6 toxicity is usually a result of exceptionally high doses of B6 (some body builders try high doses). I wasn't taking high doses and the doctors can't explain how I became toxic and spent years previously refusing to test for it insisting it wasn't a possibility.

So, basically, if your body can't use it or can't eliminate it properly... it's just going to hang out. The key is if hanging out doesn't cause any issues - then they aren't going to call it a problem. B6 hanging out and building up causes problems. Don't know about the b12 nor folic acid (been sky high on both of those for many years now even after switching to better forms of them.).
 

lauluce

as long as you manage to stay alive, there's hope
Messages
591
Location
argentina
I'm still trying to wrap my head around all my SNP's and better understand the methylation process but am just not quite the braniac many of you are.

I've been experiencing many of the symptoms of B12 deficiency, the worst being burning pain in my legs and feet. I take 1000 much of Solar sublingual methylcobalin, and have been for months, daily but it has not helped my symptoms. So at this point I'm not sure it is even b12 deficiency I'm experiencing. I do have several heterozygous SNPs for B12 absorption though.

A recent lab test marked me at >2000 mcg when the range is 211-946. So my question is- Do you think I'm somehow not absorbing what i take and, if so, do you have any ideas on how to correct this? Or do you think I'm actually just taking too much and this isn't my problem.

Thank you so much in advance for any help!
I've got abnormally high b12 levels despite not taking any supplement. This finding has been repeated three different times
 

alex3619

Senior Member
Messages
13,810
Location
Logan, Queensland, Australia
Burning pain in the feet and legs may have nothing to do with B12. If this is the case then B12 treatment will not help. You need to have the issue identified. One possibility is small fiber polyneuropathy. There are probably others.
 

alicec

Senior Member
Messages
1,572
Location
Australia
Would be keen to hear if anyone thinks MMA/Homocysteine/etc might give clues to the elevated B12 and especially Active B12 - which I assume to be short lived and definitely not effected by supplementation months ago?

Elevated plasma B12 associated with B12 deficiency in cells is well known and is revealed by concurrent elevated MMA and homocysteine. See this review.

Active B12 is a test for B12 bound to transcobalamin II (TCNII). This is the form that is taken up into cells (hence the term active) and represents about 1/4 circulating B12. This doesn't mean that it will be taken up however and your very high levels without supplementation suggests that it isn't.
 

alicec

Senior Member
Messages
1,572
Location
Australia
It's very normal to have B12 serum > 2000 when taking sublingual B12 for months. It's nothing to worry about but it's not a marker for absorption. Methyl-malonic acid could give you a better insight of your B12 status.

One final note: taking B12 alone without any of the other Bs (especially B9, some B2 and a bit of B3) may render the B12 less effective, especially in the long run.

Good luck

I agree
 

lauluce

as long as you manage to stay alive, there's hope
Messages
591
Location
argentina
Elevated plasma B12 associated with B12 deficiency in cells is well known and is revealed by concurrent elevated MMA and homocysteine. See this review.

Active B12 is a test for B12 bound to transcobalamin II (TCNII). This is the form that is taken up into cells (hence the term active) and represents about 1/4 circulating B12. This doesn't mean that it will be taken up however and your very high levels without supplementation suggests that it isn't.
great! I'll check it later