Do I Need The Test?
You’re taking medications that may interfere with B12 absorption. You follow a vegan or strict vegetarian diet. Without it, you can’t absorb enough vitamin B12 from food.
Crohn’s disease and celiac disease may also cause your B12 levels to go down. Several types of medications might affect your vitamin B12 levels. Among the most common are drugs to help treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
What Is Vitamin B12?
The body uses vitamin B12 very wisely, simultaneously using, recycling, and storing it. In fact, a healthy person can store up to 3 – 6 years’ worth of vitamin B12 in their liver.
How The Test Is Performed
Nk for about 6 to 8 hours before the test.
Your health care provider will tell you if you need to stop taking any medicines. Do NOT stop any medicine before talking to your provider.
Why Is A Vitamin B-12 Level Test Useful?
Researchers believe that up to 15 percent of people in the United States have vitamin B-12 deficiency.
Pernicious anemia People with symptoms of pernicious anemia may also need a vitamin B-12 level test. Pernicious anemia, which causes low levels of red blood cells, results from an inability to absorb vitamin B-12. It often affects older adults or those who are lacking intrinsic factor.
They can also increase the likelihood of anemia. Symptoms of other conditions 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.