What should your vitamin B12 number be?
The normal range for vitamin B12 (total) is between 200 – 1100 ng/L (nanograms per liter), 200 – 1100 pg/mL (picograms per milliliter), or 148 – 811 pmol/L (picomoles per liter).
Is 300 a low B12?
A serum B12 above 300 pg/mL is interpreted as normal. Patients with B12 levels between 200 and 300 pg/mL are considered borderline, and further enzymatic testing may be helpful in diagnosis. Patients with B12 levels below 200 pg/mL are considered deficient.
What does dangerously low B12 mean?
If you have vitamin B12 deficiency, you could become anemic. A mild deficiency may cause no symptoms. But if untreated, it may lead to symptoms such as: Weakness, tiredness, or lightheadedness. Heart palpitations and shortness of breath.
How long does it take to recover from low B12?
Once you begin treating your vitamin B12 deficiency, it can take up to six to 12 months to fully recover. It is also common to not experience any improvement during the first few months of treatment. If you can, it’s a good idea to address what’s causing the deficiency.
What does a low level of B12 mean?
Vitamin B12 is available only in animal foods (meat and dairy products) or yeast extracts (such as brewer’s yeast). Vitamin B12 deficiency is defined by low levels of stored B12 in the body that can result in anemia, a lower-than-normal number of red blood cells.
What number is considered deficient with B12?
If the levels of vitamin b12 in the body stoop below the number of 200 picograms per mL, it is considered as a deficiency of this component. Treatments and medications are provided to the patients as per the severity of their case. Image Source: doctorc.in
Why would B12 be low?
Your body stores the vitamin, so deficiencies caused by low intake are rare, but they can occur with celiac and other digestive diseases. Because the main dietary source of vitamin B12 is food from animal sources, a deficiency is a possibility with vegan diets.
What does it mean when your blood test shows high B12 levels?
High vitamin B12 is a symptom of an underlying illness that causes the amount in your blood to increase. For example, a damaged liver may release the vitamin out of storage and into the blood. In early stages, illnesses associated with high vitamin B12 often have generic symptoms, such as fatigue and loss of appetite.