Is serum B12 test accurate?
Is serum B12 test accurate?
1. Serum B12 is a conclusive test. The serum B12 test is still widely used as thé test to confirm or rule out a vitamin B12 deficiency. However, a normal blood value cannot rule out a B12 deficiency, as has often been shown in scientific medical literature.
What is the most accurate test for B12?
An MMA test is most often used to diagnose a vitamin B12 deficiency. This test is also used to diagnose methylmalonic acidemia, a rare genetic disorder.
Can B12 levels be normal but still have symptoms?
Values of less than 160 pg/mL (118 pmol/L) are a possible sign of a vitamin B12 deficiency. People with this deficiency are likely to have or develop symptoms. Older adults with a vitamin B12 level less than 100 pg/mL (74 pmol/L) may also have symptoms.
What causes falsely elevated B12 levels?
Such falsely high valued of serum vitamin B12 levels are observed in myeloproliferative disease, acute hepatitis, severe alcoholic liver disease, and cirrhosis. Vitamin B12 binds with transcobalamin (TC) II.
Do B12 levels fluctuate?
Serum vitamin B12 levels can fluctuate significantly over time in the same individual. Median intraindividual variation is 23 percent (range: 0 to 119 percent).
Can B12 deficiency go undetected?
B12 deficiency can cause a variety of symptoms, including fatigue, headaches, depression, pale or yellow skin, mental impairment, and pain and inflammation in the mouth and tongue. Many of the symptoms caused by low B12 levels are not specific to B12 deficiency, which can cause the condition to go undetected.
When should B12 levels be rechecked?
Monitor serum B12 every 6 months. If still low check IFAB. If positive, then treat lifelong with IM hydroxocobalamin every three months.
Can your B12 levels fluctuate?
What can affect B12 blood test?
You should not eat or drink for about 6 to 8 hours before the test. Certain medicines may affect the results of this test. Your health care provider will tell you if you need to stop taking any medicines….Medicines that can affect the test result include:
- Colchicine.
- Neomycin.
- Para-aminosalicylic acid.
- Phenytoin.
How quickly can B12 levels rise?
It may take a few weeks before your vitamin B12 levels and symptoms (such as extreme tiredness or lack of energy) start to improve. If you have hydroxocobalamin injections to boost your vitamin B12 levels at the start of treatment, the cyanocobalamin tablets may start to work within a few days.