Your body requires vitamin B-12 to perform processes such as neurological functions and forming red blood cells. Many foods contain vitamin B-12 and you need to eat from these sources or take a supplement each day to ingest necessary amounts of the nutrient. Blood tests can determine the amount of vitamin B-12 in your system. If you have high levels, knowing how much B-12 you need each day will help you make create a better, well-balanced eating plan.
Results
The normal range for serum levels of vitamin B-12 in your blood ranges from 200 to 900 pg/mL. If your test results show a reading above 900, you have high B-12 levels. Increased vitamin B-12 levels are uncommon because excess B-12 is usually excreted in urine. A few conditions can cause high B-12 levels, such as cirrhosis, hepatitis and a type of leukemia. Your doctor will help you understand the results and determine what may have caused high levels of the vitamin.
Effects
High vitamin B-12 levels in the blood do not result in known side effects. In fact, doctors often prescribe high doses to treat conditions such as pernicious anemia. If you have abnormal levels, however, your doctor may want you to reduce your intake to prevent the possibility of an unknown toxic side effect from occurring.
Recommended Intake
The average adult needs 2.4 mcg of vitamin B-12. Your doctor may recommend higher or lower intake requirements based on medications you use or health conditions you have. If you have an intake higher than the recommendations specific to you, then your levels on a blood test may be high. Food sources of B-12 include beef, pork, chicken and other animal products, as well as fish and seafood. Eggs, milk and cheese also contain vitamin B-12.
Considerations
Read the labels on multivitamins and other supplements you take, and take only the dose recommended by your doctor. Talk with your doctor about your diet, and tell her if you eat a diet that largely consists of animal-based products. Follow any dietary or supplement recommendations from your doctor to help bring your B-12 levels back into the normal range.
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