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1. Vitamin B12 test: A Complete Insight Vitamin B12 is an important nutrient for your good health. It helps in the formation of Red Blood Cells and also keeps your nervous system healthy. A low level of this vitamin can lead to many health complications and diseases. Most of the people having a balanced diet have the required level of this vitamin, but there are reasons for a dip or low vitamin B12 in your body. A simple blood test can help know the vitamin B12 levels in your body which can help doctors suggest you the best treatment for that. What is Vitamin B12 deficiency? A dip in the level of Vitamin B12 from the normal range is called its deficiency. It can be mild to severe. It can lead to a number of health problems pertaining to your brain, nervous system, body cells and more. However, some specific effects of vitamin B12 deficiency are listed below. • Permanent nerve damage • Deteriorating brain functions • Memory loss • Temporary infertility in women People who eat more of seafood and non-vegetarian diet might have high vitamin B12 level. It is again a matter of concern and may point towards liver damage, certain types of leukemia, or diabetes. They should also get their blood tests done and seek proper treatment to avert any impending serious medical condition. Signs & Symptoms of B12 Deficiency Some of the common symptoms include, • Fatigue • Confusion, fuzzy thinking, and forgetfulness • Numbness and tingling in hands and feet • The problem in balancing the body

2. • Headaches • Moodiness • Loss of appetite These symptoms are common for many other diseases. So, only a B12 test can help in confirming or ruling out that your B12 level is an issue. When your doctor will order a Vitamin B12 test? When you complain of a few of the above-mentioned symptoms, your doctor might suggest you get a Vitamin B12 test done. Few other conditions when this test is ordered are: • Past history of anemia • A medical condition that can affect the level of B12 absorption in your body • A treatment or medication that might affect your capability of vitamin B12 absorption • You exhibit specific symptoms related to low B12 levels Who are at risk of Vitamin B12 deficiency? Our body does not produce Vit.B12 and it comes from outside source and animal products like fish, meat, and dairy. People who are at risk of displaying signs of vitamin B12 deficiency are: • Older adults • Children • Vegans & strict vegetarians • Diabetics • People with gastric bypass surgery Pregnant women and nursing mothers having any symptom of B12 deficiency or if they fall in the high-risk group, should consider getting their blood test done. A breastfeeding mother deficient in Vitamin B12 can put the infant at risk of neurological disorders and developmental problems. A B12 test that gives insight into the level of her vitamin B12 can help the doctor advise her some supplement or dietary changes to compensate for the low levels. It is quite important to strictly follow the doctor’s instructions considering the growing child who needs a proper nutrition from her mother’s milk.

3. Medical conditions that can affect B12 absorption: There are conditions in which your body might fail to absorb B12. Some of these conditions are listed below: • Pernicious anemia • Celiac disease • Crohn’s disease • Atrophic gastritis Preparation for a B12 blood test Vitamin B12 test does not require any specific preparation and can be done at any time of the day. You need not be on fasting for this test. However, if your doctor has ordered for the test in combination with other tests, then follow the instructions as suggested. Also, make sure to discuss all the medicines you are taking or any supplements you are on. They may affect the test results. So, discuss everything with your doctor. Risks with Vitamin B12 test This test has no significant reported risk factor. While the sample blood is taken out, you might feel the pricking of the needle, but the process is actually painless. The bruising or a little sore can remain at the site for a few days, but it will go on its own. You must report to the doctor if you find any swelling in your arm or any throbbing pain after the test which is not resolving. Also, discuss with your doctor if you have any bleeding disorder or any past history of the problem in blood clotting. Vitamin B12 level chart: Interpretation Below are the values for the low, normal or high-level range for vitamin B12. • Below 150 pg/mL: Low • 200 to 600 pg/mL: Normal • 800 pg/mL: High If your vitamin B12 is less than 150 pg/mL, then your doctor might suggest you go for additions test to find out the cause for this. A methylmalonic acid can be ordered which checks the level of this substance in the blood. A higher level can lead to low vitamin B12 and hence pernicious anemia. Vitamin B 12 values on the lower side just need a few dietary changes or supplements to compensate. The doctor might also suggest taking B12 injections or vitamin B12 complex as per a definite schedule. Vitamin B12 Rich food: •Animal liver and kidneys •Shellfish •Sardines •Tuna •Fortified nutritious yeast •Trout •Salmon •Eggs •Milk and dairy products •Fortified non-dairy milk like rice, soy or rice milk

4. When should you take Vitamin B12 supplement? Taking Vitamin B12 supplement without any doctor’s advice is never good. You might feel some symptoms, but based on that, starting any supplement might have a far-reaching unhealthy effect on your body. So, first of all, you should visit a doctor who will check other symptoms and your present and past medical history to order a vitamin b12 blood test or any other tests in combination. Based on the test results, you would be prescribed either an oral supplement or a B12 injection. Not only this, if there is any intrinsic factor leading to a B12 deficiency in your body, then the doctor might order a few more tests. After all these test results are obtained, a treatment plan can be designed to address the root cause of your deficiency. How to manage high Vitamin B12 levels? Those diagnosed with a high level of Vitamin B12 should consider dietary changes to manage their levels. They should minimize the consumption of dairy products, meat, and fish. Red meat should especially be avoided. Many times, we face general symptoms like weakness and fatigue and keep on tolerating them considering the side-effects of our daily work. However, there are solutions to such health conditions only if we know the reason behind them. Vitamin B12 is one such blood test that can give insight to the level of this important nutrient which can cause a lot many problems if left unaddressed. So, consult a nearby doctor regarding your symptoms and get the right advice now. Link: https://www.zoylo.com/hyderabad/diagnostics/vitamin-b12