Your body relies on several nutrients, including vitamin B-12, to maintain your health. Your cells use vitamin B-12 from your bloodstream to help access energy and use the vitamin to carry out a range of enzymatic reactions in your cells. An elevated level of B-12, also known as cobalamin, in your bloodstream can occur for a number of reasons and might pose a health risk for some individuals.
Normal B-12 Levels
Under normal circumstances, your body seeks to maintain a moderate level of vitamin B-12 in your bloodstream, since abnormally low or high cobalamin levels can indicate an underlying disorder. In general, a cobalamin level above 200 mg/ml of blood is considered normal, while lower cobalamin indicates a vitamin B-12 deficiency, according to the Merck Manual. Though your doctor can determine if you have abnormally high vitamin B-12 in your bloodstream, there is no definitive upper limit for vitamin B-12 levels in your blood. When taking a vitamin B-12 blood test, your doctor might also check the levels of other nutrients that interact with vitamin B-12, such as folic acid.
Possible Causes
In many cases, a high level of vitamin B-12 in the bloodstream occurs as a result of over-supplementation. Many individuals -- especially those following a diet deficient in animal-based foods -- receive vitamin B-12 injections to help prevent a nutrient deficiency, but too-frequent injections can cause a buildup of cobalamin in the bloodstream. Alternatively, bacteria in your digestive tract might over-produce vitamin B-12, and a disorder affecting the bacterial species in your intestines might lead to a high level of vitamin B-12 in your bloodstream. Your doctor may perform additional tests to determine the underlying cause.
Effect on Medication
Though high levels of cobalamin in your bloodstream might not have direct adverse effects on your health, the excess vitamin B-12 might interact with medication. For example, vitamin B-12 in your body can affect the activity of tetracycline, an antibiotic used to treat a range of bacterial infections, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Cobalamin from your diet can also impair your body's ability to absorb the drug, further decreasing its effectiveness. If you suffer from high levels of cobalamin in your bloodstream, talk to your doctor about the potential for harmful interactions with medication.
Treatment and Prevention
Treating and preventing high levels of vitamin B-12 in your bloodstream depends on the underlying cause. If you take vitamin B-12 injection supplements -- either alone or in the form of a multivitamin -- consult a physician to determine a safe and effective supplement schedule. If the high cobalamin levels are a result of abnormal bacterial synthesis in your intestines, restoring the normal balance of bacteria can treat the excessive cobalamin production and restore normal vitamin B-12 levels in your blood.
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