New vitamin B12 test

Image Credit: Bobjgalindo via Wikimedia Commons.

[oddsandendsofstuff]

I think literally everyone should be tested these days BECAUSE of different diets, MDs recommending less meat and dairy (because in the diet it is only found in meat, dairy and eggs), people being put on PPIs or metformin or drugs that block b12 absorption, and many other reasons. It should be a basic blood work screening these days, not waiting for neurological disorders to develop, which by that time you feel terrible. Doctors are failing people by not routinely screening for this. the levels are also way out of whack. Studies show that under 500 you should be taking proper amounts of B12 supplements OR injections (Japanese studies and other experts agree)... if you have a doctor who will do injections but most don't take it seriously. It can be corrected and levels brought up to normal, and many many people find all their symptoms go away. We need to make it a routine blood work on all people to at least screen for it.

[patrickvanmeter]

So take a supplement and don't worry about it. Its not as if you are going to overdose on B12. That is what I did and end of problem.

[Yohanapsg]

hey doc ! what do you think about micronutrient testing?

[MaximC]

It's UMMA (urinary MMA), actually. MMA (from blood) is less accurate, from what I could gather.

[MaximC]

Didn't take into account intrinsic factor deficient individuals though.

What we do about them?

[cassianyhvh]

You didn't mention whether those given oral B12 had sufficient intrinsic factor. Doesn't oral not work for these folks who may have gastric surgery or others ??

[Raj-ulmy]

This is the biggest negligence the NHS and GPS are doing, they are testing the amount in your blood, but not what’s active in your blood, what’s active what counts, that’s why if u get these symptoms it’s likely that even though your b12 in the blood is in normal numerical range, if they are not active the way they should be in your blood/body then it doesn’t matter if your in range or not, this test is not available in the NHS and they are sending patients off calling them depressed and stuff that’s why they are getting symptoms... and their pain gets worse.

[PlantOnlyMan]

1:53
This study appears to be flawed. I'll direct you to Dr. Ralph Carmel's rebuttal "Holotranscobalamin: Not Ready For Prime Time." Valente et al used erythrocyte B12 count, which is a dubious indicator of B12 status. There are additional problems with holoTC not discussed in Carmel's paper. These are discussed in my blog article "Vitamin B12: The Achilles' Heel of Vegan Diets." HoloTC does a better job of identifying elevated MMA than serum B12 though.

[natureasintended]

Tests can be skewed once supplementation has begun, including with algae supplements which may contain B12 analogues. 
Dr.Greger, many are squeamish at the thought of injections. Perhaps it's best to avoid the graphics. :-) 

[misterx]

I had this ruby red injection. It was ok. B12 went over 2000 briefly and then came back down to good levels.

[thebest]

can someone tell me where, in which country or pharmacy i can buy injectable methylcobalamin?

[دنیاکیباتیں-وح]

Please give me answer my B12 level 245 hy deatial give me treatment

[MickeySiller]

should i finish my b 12 supplement (cyanocobalamin) or stop taking it and swap immediately to (methylcobalamin)?