B12 Blood Test

Is a High Level of Vitamin B12 Bad?

Vitamin B12 is an essential water-soluble vitamin. Adequate intakes of vitamin B12 are necessary for the production of red blood cells and to prevent anemia. Vitamin B12 is also important for neurological function and the synthesis of your DNA. A...

Normal B12 Range

B12 is a vitamin commonly found in dietary sources such as poultry, shellfish, milk and milk products, meat and eggs, as well as in various types of supplements. Although upper limits for the vitamin have not been established, maintaining adequate...

Blood Tests and Increased Vitamin B-12 Levels

The B-vitamins are important for energy production in the body. With essential roles in the conversion of carbs to glucose and in fat and protein metabolism, these vitamins are needed for every tissue of the body. Vitamin B-12 is a member of this...

Vitamin B12 & the Elderly

According to Harvard Health, a deficiency in vitamin B12 is common in the Western world and is of particular concern for the elderly population. Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin necessary for the production of DNA and the maintenance of the...

What Is a Low B12 Reading?

Vitamin B12 is necessary for healthy blood cells and nerves, as well as DNA production. B12 is attached to protein in food, but stomach acid separates the two. Your body then combines vitamin B12 with intrinsic factor, a protein made by your...

How to Take Vitamin B12 Orally

Vitamin B12, part of the vitamin B family, is mainly responsible for red blood cell formation and healthy neurological function. Primary causes of a vitamin B12 deficiency are intestinal disorders, which can result in the vitamin not being...

How to Test for Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12, or cobalamin, is an essential water-soluble vitamin that plays an important role in red blood cell formation, metabolism, energy production and other body functions. Disorders such as megaloblastic anemia or pernicious anemia are...

How to Fix a Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Your body uses vitamin B12 to manufacture red blood cells and maintain healthy nerve tissue. A B12 deficiency may take up to five years to manifest. Symptoms of this type of deficiency include fatigue, weakness, pale skin, heart palpitations and...

Normal Levels of B12

B12 is an important vitamin that is involved in metabolism, red blood cell formation and central nervous system function. Vitamin B12 is found in milk products, shellfish, poultry, eggs and meat. A vitamin B12 level is generally drawn to diagnose...

Names of B12 Vitamins

Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient, meaning that the human body cannot produce sufficient amounts of it, so people must get it from dietary sources, such as protein-rich meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products, from fortified foods such as...

Test for Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Vitamins are needed in small amounts for the body to function properly. Often vitamins are needed to manufacture proteins or tissues within the body. Vitamin deficiencies can cause a variety of health issues, depending on what is lacking. A...

Why Do We Need B12 in Our Body?

B12 is a water-soluble vitamin meaning that your body excretes the excess vitamins in the urine. Your body has the ability to store B12 in the liver for three to five years, according to Lab Tests Online. Your body does not create B vitamins and...

What Happens When You Have a Vitamin B12 Deficiency?

Vitamin B12 is a mineral found in certain foods such as milk products, shellfish, poultry, meat and eggs. This vitamin is needed for red blood cell formation, central nervous system function and metabolism. People at risk for a deficiency or those...

B12 & Peripheral Neuropathy

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble essential vitamin that helps maintain nerve cells, red blood cells and genetic material. A clear link has been found between deficiency of B12 and peripheral neuropathy. Even a mild B12 deficiency can impact proper...

What Causes Gray Hair in Teenagers?

A pigment in your hair follicles known as melanin determines the color of your hair. According to MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, your follicles naturally slow down their production of this pigment as you age,...

Low B12 & Heart Palpitations

Having an issue with your heart can be scary. Though heart palpitations are common and usually do not indicate a heart issue, feeling your heart beat quickly can certainly cause anxiety. Often, heart palpitations are linked to psychological or...

The Normal Range for the B12 Vitamin

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin necessary for red blood cell formation, DNA synthesis, metabolism and central nervous system function. Vitamin B12 is found naturally in certain foods, added to fortified foods and found in dietary...

Vitamin B12 for Burning Tingling & Numb Feet

Numbness and tingling in the extremities is an annoying symptom with many causes. Diabetes, tight shoes and a vitamin deficiency can all be culprits. Before talking to your health-care provider, take careful note of your other symptoms to help...

How Much B12 Do You Need a Day?

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin that exists in several forms and is active in human metabolism. The vitamin is essential in the formation of red blood cells, neurological functioning and in the synthesis of DNA. Normally, vitamin B12 is...

How Much B12 Should I Take a Day?

Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is an essential micronutrient that aids in digestion, helps build red blood cells and supports central nervous system fitness. Like all B vitamins, vitamin B12 is water soluble. This means it dissolves in...

Skin Rashes From Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 helps in the creation of red blood cells, which deliver oxygen to cells throughout your body. Also, vitamin B12 helps to maintain the nervous system and participates in metabolism, which is the breakdown of carbohydrates, protein and...

B12 & Anemia

Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin found in animal protein. It is required to produce red blood cells. Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to impaired red blood cell production and to a condition called anemia, which is characterized primarily by...

Does Vitamin B12 Help with Depression?

People need a number of vitamins and minerals to achieve optimal health and to avoid health problems associated with nutrient deficiencies. B12 is a vitamin found naturally in many foods that has been linked to depression and mood. Though there is...

B12 & Gluten

While vitamin deficiencies are a common problem in people today, those with conditions such as celiac disease are especially susceptible. When not adhering to a strict gluten free diet, celiac disease can cause extreme damage in the intestines. A...

Vegans and Vitamin B12 Deficiency

A vegan diet, which focuses on vegetables, fruits, legumes and grains, offers the body a variety of vitamins and nutrients. Vitamin B12, an essential vitamin, is found mainly in animal products such as meat, dairy and fish. Vegans can be at risk...

Vitamin B12 Test Range

Vitamin B12 is one of eight B vitamins that your body needs to maintain the health of your nerve and blood cells, as well as assist in the making of DNA, MayoClinic.com reports. Also known as cobalamin, this vitamin is, like the other seven B...

Muscle Twitch Problems After Hard Work

Muscle twitches or tremors are a common reaction to overworked muscles are are usually not harmful. The key to determining if the twitch is a problem is to note when it happens, how long it lasts and if it is accompanied by any other symptoms....

Vitamin B12 & Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is characterized by loss of the myelin layer, the protective sheath that surrounds nerve cells. Symptoms of MS include muscle weakness and rigidity, vision problems, urinary and bowel dysfunctions. Some vitamins,...

How to Determine the Dosage of B12 for Weight Loss

Thanks to its role in energy metabolism, vitamin B12 is often touted as a weight-loss and energy-boosting aid. B12 is an essential water-soluble vitamin found in a variety of foods, including fish, shellfish, red meat, poultry, eggs, many...