Can B12 supplements cause high B12 levels?

However, in routine laboratory practice serum vitamin B12 (B12) levels are more often above than below normal. Supraphysiological serum B12 levels may result from high dose supplementation, more often, however, they are due to increased levels of the sequestered form of the vitamin.


What causes falsely elevated B12 levels?

Some studies have indicated that elevated serum levels of vitamin B12 might be a sign of a serious and life-threatening disease. Such falsely high valued of serum vitamin B12 levels are observed in myeloproliferative disease, acute hepatitis, severe alcoholic liver disease, and cirrhosis.

Should I be worried if my B12 is high?

Is taking high doses of B12 helpful or harmful? Since B12 is a water-soluble vitamin, it's generally considered safe, even at high doses. No Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) has been established for B12, due to its low level of toxicity.


What happens if your B12 is too high?

In some people, high levels of B12 may cause gastrointestinal problems such as bloating and diarrhea. And if you have high blood pressure or poor cardiovascular health, having too much B12 may further complicate these issues. Pregnant and breastfeeding women may also need to be especially mindful of B12 levels.

Is B12 level of 1500 too high?

An abnormally high vitamin B-12 status is anything over 900 pg/mL. This result may suggest liver or kidney problems, diabetes, or certain forms of leukemia.


Cause of High B12 Level Without Supplementation



How do you get rid of excess B12?

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin, and the risks of dose-related side effects are low. Your body can usually get rid of excess vitamin B12 through your urine. In rare cases, high doses of vitamin B12 injections have been associated with skin reactions.

What cancers cause high B12?

Other studies focusing on specific cancers have shown a strong association between elevated B12 levels and liver cancers (OR 3.3 [95%CI: 1.1–10.4] for hepatocellular carcinomas and OR 4.7 [95%CI: 1.2–17.9] for other liver cancers) [16], a moderate association with prostate cancer (OR 1.1 [95%CI: 1.0–1.2]) [17], and no ...

What is considered a high B12 level?

An elevated B12 is generally defined as a level higher than the upper limit of the normal range, around 1000 ± 100 ng/L (738 ± 73.8 pmol/L)2,3,4.


What are the signs and symptoms of too much B12?

High doses of vitamin B-12, such as those used to treat a deficiency, might cause:
  • Headache.
  • Nausea and vomiting.
  • Diarrhea.
  • Fatigue or weakness.
  • Tingling sensation in hands and feet.


What can affect B12 blood test?

What Abnormal Results Mean
  • Not enough vitamin B12 in diet (rare, except with a strict vegetarian diet)
  • Diseases that cause malabsorption (for example, celiac disease and Crohn disease )
  • Lack of intrinsic factor , a protein that helps the intestine absorb vitamin B12.


Can stress cause high B12 levels?

Stress is known to deplete our levels of B vitamins, especially vitamin B12. Vegetarians, vegans and those on restricted diets can struggle to get enough vitamin B12 to meet their body's needs.


Should you stop taking B12 before blood test?

Here are a few tips on how to get the best results from any home blood test kit: To accurately determine deficiency or low levels of vitamin B12 you must stop taking any vitamin B12 supplements a few weeks before your test. Ask your doctor about this if it is prescribed to you.

Who should not take vitamin B12 supplements?

Who should not take VITAMIN B-12?
  • low amount of potassium in the blood.
  • Leber's hereditary optic atrophy.
  • inflammation of the stomach called atrophic gastritis.
  • past history of complete removal of stomach.


How can I lower my B12 levels naturally?

Research has suggested that the consumption of alcohol may reduce vitamin B12 levels. An older study indicated that moderate alcohol intake diminished vitamin B12 by 5% among “healthy, well-nourished, postmenopausal women.”


What autoimmune diseases cause high B12 levels?

Significantly Elevated Vitamin B12 Levels in Autoimmune Lymphoproliferative Syndrome (ALPS), a Rare Lymphoproliferative Disorder with Apoptosis Defect | Blood | American Society of Hematology.

Does your body flush out extra B12?

The body will typically excrete excess vitamin B-12 that a person gets from the diet or via supplements. The body does not absorb vitamin B-12 supplements very effectively. This means that even if a person takes very high amounts of vitamin B-12, their body still does not absorb a significant amount.

How long does it take for high B12 levels to drop?

Unlike most other vitamins, B12 is stored in substantial amounts, mainly in the liver, until it is needed by the body. If a person stops consuming the vitamin, the body's stores of this vitamin usually take about 3 to 5 years to exhaust.


How long does B12 take to flush out your system?

Generally speaking, around 50 to 98% of the vitamin B12 taken is excreted from the body 48 hours after injection. Other studies have shown that vitamin B12 has a half-life of around six days in the blood, which means that it would take six days before half of the administered amount is excreted from the body.

What are the cons of taking vitamin B12?

Using high doses of vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin) to treat anemia can lead to low levels of potassium and/or high platelet counts in the blood. Severely low potassium levels can cause life-threatening heart problems, and high platelet counts can lead to issues with too much blood clotting.

Is it OK to take 1000 mcg B12 daily?

Even the lowest doses in B12 supplements are many times the recommended dietary allowance. Doses up to 1,000 mcg, though unnecessary, aren't harmful.


What damage can vitamin B12 do?

A lack of vitamin B12 can cause neurological problems, which affect your nervous system, such as: vision problems. memory loss. pins and needles (paraesthesia)

Can taking B12 supplements affect blood tests?

The presence of biotin in blood or other samples from patients consuming high levels of the vitamin through supplementation may result in incorrect test results that may go undetected.

When should I stop taking B12 tablets?

Although it's less common, people with vitamin B12 deficiency caused by a prolonged poor diet may be advised to stop taking the tablets once their vitamin B12 levels have returned to normal and their diet has improved.


Does fasting affect B12 levels?

We observed 7% reduction in the vitamin B12 levels in the fasting group, whereas the control group had an increase of 1% in their vitamin B12 levels. However, these changes were not significant.

What happens if I stop taking my B12 tablets?

If you stop taking prescribed cyanocobalamin tablets, your vitamin B12 levels may start to go down. If your levels get too low you may start to get symptoms such as tiredness again. This may take days, weeks or months to happen because it depends on: what your vitamin B12 levels are.