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Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) wasn’t fully described until 1956. It is essential for the development of red blood cells. It is also critical for the brain. Myelin, the fatty sheath that surrounds neurons, depends on vitamin B12 for full functionality. This nutrient is also key to neurotransmitters like dopamine, norepinephrine and norepinephrine. A surprising number of medications can deplete the body of vitamin B12. That includes certain antibiotics and powerful acid-suppressing drugs as well as the oral diabetes medication metformin. Many people do not get their vitamin B12 levels measured and may not realize they are either too low or too high in this essential nutrient. Deficiency is more common than excess vitamin B12, but both are worrisome.
What Might High Vitamin B12 Levels Signal?
Q. You have written often about vitamin B12 deficiency, but I can find nothing about too much B12. I had a blood test recently that revealed excess vitamin B12.
Although I take a daily multivitamin, I do not take a B12 supplement. Where could excess vitamin B12 come from? Also, what problems could arise from this? I will have to consult with my doctor, but I’d like to know what questions to ask.
A. First, check your multivitamin to make sure that the dose of vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is under 1,000 mcg (aka 1 mg). Healthcare providers might prescribe such a high dose to correct a deficiency, but it is too much to take without medical supervision.
Your doctor will probably run blood tests to rule out problems with the liver or kidneys. Another possible cause of elevated vitamin B12 levels is a blood disorder (QJM, June 2013).
Some people with high vitamin B12 levels are at greater risk for liver or pancreatic cancer (Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, April 2019). In any case, the physician must do a complete diagnostic workup to track down the reason for elevated vitamin B12 levels.
High-Dose Supplement Led to Excess Vitamin B12:
Q. Years ago, I started taking a vitamin B12 supplement. Over the past few years, I have had disabling pain in my feet diagnosed as non-diabetic neuropathy. The primary symptoms were burning, stabbing pain that felt like electric jolts.
Following extensive neurological testing, a nerve study revealed NO abnormal nerve conduction in my lower limbs. A different neurologist related that he had seen a younger person with very similar symptoms from vitamin B12 toxicity. He asked me if I took this supplement and if so, what dose.
I had been taking 1,000 mcg a day; the RDA is 2.4 mcg! I discontinued this supplement. Within 24 hours my foot pain began to decrease. Within two weeks, nearly all my symptoms were gone.
Even though this dose is nearly 500 times the RDA, it seems to be very common. Apparently, vitamin B12 is considered non-toxic, water soluble and quickly metabolized. Shouldn’t there be warnings about exceeding the RDA by so much?
Toxicity Is Rare, Not Impossible:
A. Vitamin B12 is water-soluble and reports of toxicity are extremely rare. In one case, however, a young woman was treated with 1,000 mcg of vitamin B12 daily to correct a deficiency (Clinical Toxicology, Feb. 2020). She developed insomnia, headache, palpitations, anxiety and acne. The clinicians who published the case described her symptoms of toxicity as “unexpected and unusual.” Fortunately, she recovered within two weeks of stopping the supplement.
Unless a doctor prescribes 1,000 mcg (1 mg) to correct a deficiency, most people should be taking a much lower dose of vitamin B12. Anyone taking high-dose supplements should make sure to have their vitamin B12 levels tested periodically. Persistently high results could signal a blood disorder, a malignancy or a problem with the liver or kidneys.
When Vitamin B12 Levels Go Too High:
Q. My husband takes metformin and some other medications as well as supplements. His last blood work showed high levels of Vitamin B12 (more than 2000 pg/ml), which is disconcerting. Is this harmful, and what could be causing it?
Metformin and Vitamin B12:
A. Your husband needs a thorough workup. High levels of vitamin B12 are unusual for someone on metformin. In fact, many people who take this diabetes drug have low vitamin B12 levels.
A study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (online, Feb. 22, 2016) concluded:
“Long-term use of metformin in DPPOS was associated with biochemical B12 deficiency and anemia. Routine testing of vitamin B12 levels in metformin-treated patients should be considered.”
Because metformin often causes digestive tract upset, many patients are also put on a proton pump inhibitor (PPIs) such as esomeprazole (Nexium), lansoprazole (Prevacid) or omeprazole (Prilosec). Such drugs also deplete the body of vitamin B12. The combination of a PPI and metformin would absolutely require regular laboratory tests for vitamin B12.
What Could Be Causing High Test Results?
We do not want to scare you, but elevated vitamin B12 levels could be one sign of liver problems. That is why your husband needs to see his physician promptly for a complete examination and another vitamin B12 test. Make sure he takes all his pill bottles (including vitamins and minerals) along, just in case he is getting too much vitamin B12 from the supplements he is taking.
If your family physician doesn’t have any answers, we encourage you to make an appointment with a hematologist (a blood specialist).
Readers Share Thoughts:
Kathy responded with this observation:
“A high B12 reading could indicate a methylation issue which causes the B12 to “pool” in one’s system because it can not be broken down and used properly. There is a low-cost blood test available that can detect this genetic defect. It is MTHFR.
“Part of the solution is to use methylated B12 and folate, rather than folic acid; however, it is best to learn how this issue may apply to yourself and your personal family history before taking action on your own. Then at that point, there are several well documented nutraceutical combinations which can help reopen the blocked methylation pathways, thus facilitating improved health.”
Linda also wants to know what is going on:
“My doctor just looked at my B12 level and it was 4000. I also am diabetic and have been on metformin for years. Fatigue has been a huge problem. The doctor tested me and now I’m on a c-pap nightly. I have had nightly and daily leg and toe cramps. Sometimes they are very intense. My legs are weak, and I’m winded when I try to walk. I also have fibromyalgia so it is really hard to figure what is causing what with me.”
“I really would like to know if B12 at 4000 can be harmful or be a sign of something being wrong?
Our answer to Linda:
Probably everything is all right, Linda, but ask your doctor to rule out myleproliferative syndromes. They can sometimes cause B12 levels to be too high.
https://www.ucsfhealth.org/tests/003705.html
Krismis shared this story:
“An update from my neurologist’s visit: there were no abnormal findings on the head/neck MRI the neurologist ordered. He seemed stumped as to the cause of the high B12. I have since had two other B12 levels drawn, 6 months ago and last week. Both came back at 1800. This was with taking no B12 supplements at all for 12 months. My liver function tests, kidney function tests, CBC, homocysteine, all look perfect. Luckily, the brain fog and numbness and tingling went away on its own a few weeks after I first went to the doctor. My PCP is very laissez-faire about the elevated B12.
“When I read articles on elevated B12, they are scary, and these are articles from medical journals. I feel perfectly fine now and haven’t had so much as a cold in the last year. I figure if something was terribly wrong, it would show up in some other test. But, I just don’t want to find out down the line that I have had something lurking in my body causing this elevation. With the last B12 result still being the same, I think I am going to ask my PCP for a referral to a hematologist.
Ken offered this perspective:
“There are so many different causes that you need to understand your condition including what you eat or take as in drugs – prescription and alternates. Your environment and life style. Various things we eat, inject, breathe and contact can also cause false test readings – high & low.
“Doctors are usually far too busy to research and rely on information available to them. Confer with your doctor on going back to a basic diet and only medicines absolutely needed. Try to assess your exposure to things in the environment around you. Include things that cause stress. Once you have that base level, document it and try to avoid anything adverse. Then research and find any info that seems to apply and document it. There is a wealth of info on vitamin B12, including some misinformation. Take what info you have and take yourself back to your doctor and he or she should be able to take it from there. If you are fobbed off – try another doctor.”
This is surprisingly complicated. Here are two links:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30761942
and
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30761552
Share your own experience with vitamin B12 levels in the comment section.
Lacey
In 2021 my B12 levels were really low so started taking a supplement. In 2023 my B12 levels were back to normal, so i stopped the supplement. 2024 my B12 levels are too high, still not taking anything. I am having constipation and stomach problems, and my back hurts so badly I can barely move. My doctor doesn’t seem concerned. What is going on?
Steve
My B12 levels came back at 3400, and I have not taken any supplements in ten years. Glucose at 181 but doctor says not a diabetic even though every member of my family is diabetic.
Janice
Do any of you take whey protein shakes or bars on a regular basis?. For many years I have eaten a small whey protein bar most days. I recently read an article saying that whey protein supplements have been shown to increase the B12 levels in elderly deficient patients. I’m wondering how many of us may take whey protein on a regular basis, and is there any correlation in it greatly increasing our B12?
Nonnie
My doctor was okay with my B12 being hig–said it was water-soluble. Had me taking extra B vitamins. But am wondering about the B6. Have quit taking the extra B vitamins b/c I have paresthesia in one arm. Wonder if that could be caused by too much B6 but also having some pain in one shoulder and probably arthritis.
Ltas
Since I was in my late teens I have had all-day extreme fatigue that has negatively affected my life in all areas. Getting out of bed is so painful. I went to doctors, had blood tests, but there was no diagnosis. About 2 weeks ago my mother let me try her B12 supplements. I did, and within days I was feeling “normal” like before I developed the fatigue.
Hubbs
I have had a high B12 level every time I was tested in last 6 years, 1338pg/ml, regardless of whether I took multivitamins with B-complex or months without. I do have 1 MTHRF mutation so I only supplemented with methylated B vitamins. Recently, upon reading that high B12 level increases cancer risk and wanted to find a way to get my B12 & B6 level back in normal range.
I found a tip that not enough folic acid could prevent B12/B6 absorption and result in those high levels in blood stream. I supplemented folic acid for a month, and now B12 came down to 946pg/mL and B6 86 nmol/L. I will try Milk Thistle too, as someone suggested above, as I do have nonalcoholic fatty liver and liver cysts.
Patti
I had high B-12 levels – double the upper range- and not taking any supplements. A year previously I completed chemo/radiation for lung cancer and surgery for thyroid cancer. A surveillance PET scan revealed a colon mass. The surgeon agrees with research I found indicating high B-12 is often a marker for colon cancer. Levels returned to normal within a couple of weeks following surgery.
Lyn
My PCP suggested that I take 500-1000 mcg of B12 daily to counteract mild cognitive decline. When shopping for a supplement, I noticed several over-the-counter formulations that were far, far more potent. I don’t recall the number of mgs, but did see that the label showed them as having something like 206,000 times the recommended daily allowance!! What’s going on with this?
Sharon
THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR THIS ARTICLE!
We moved to spend our retirement years in a warmer climate. I couldn’t find my usual brand of vitamins, so I ordered a ‘women’s over 55’ formula from a popular web site. Since then, I have not felt well, but neither doctors nor I had a clue as to what was wrong.
I get hour-long hot flashes in the evening and at night. My heartbeat becomes very loud (no change in rhythm, just volume), and I have tingling in my fingers. I developed headaches and fatigue. I read this article, and something clicked in my brain. Last night I checked the label on my vitamins. Yup, contains twice the RDA for vitamin B12.
Incidentally, I have the MTHFR mutation but never thought it was causing me a problem. Well, I guess that’s not true anymore. So I’m stopping my daily multiple vitamin tosee what happens over the next 2 weeks. I have checked popular vitamin labels. All contain 2,3,5 times the RDA for vitamin B12.
Can you recommend an OTC vitamin that adheres to the RDA? If you can’t, I’ll just rely on my diet to provide what I need.
ARLINE
Could you please comment on very high level B12 on lab tests related to frequent B12 injections for pernicious anemia?
Can this high level also suggest dangers to liver, kidneys, pancreas, and if so, should the injections be less frequent?
All the articles and comments here seem to be about only oral supplements, which are water-soluble.
But I assume that injections would not be water-soluble. If not, could injections accumulate too much B12, especially if one also has double MTHFR defects?
Thanks for any info on this related problem.
Janice
I am a vegan, so take a B-vitamin supplement. It provides 25mcg, not 2.4mcg that an earlier part of your presentation mentioned. But I have no unusual health reactions. As a 71 year old, when i miss my calcium pills, my nails start to chip or break, for instance.
Peter
Hi Jay –
Would you mind clarifying the premise that one can achieve an affective overdose of Vitamin B-12 by supplementation, or otherwise, and that the high dose can be validated by a sustaining blood test. I would challenge that presumption based upon the fact that B-12 is a water-solable vitamin and thus any ingested high levels of B-12 would easily and quite readily be eliminated in the urine. One might ingest and cause a high dose initially [for as long as it remains in the body], however the excess B-12 would soon be eliminated from the body because it is not stored, as oil-soluble vitamins tend to be.
Here is what the MAYO CLINIC has say about it:
When taken at appropriate doses, vitamin B-12 supplements are generally considered safe. While the recommended daily amount of vitamin B-12 for adults is 2.4 micrograms, higher doses have been found to be safe. Your body absorbs only as much as it needs, and any excess passes through your urine.
High doses of vitamin B-12, such as those used to treat a deficiency, [before the excess remained] might cause:
Headache
Nausea and vomiting
Diarrhea
Fatigue or weakness
Tingling sensation in hands and feet
Lida
I may have been taking too much vitamin B 12 under the mistaken notion that it would help lower my homocysteine level, which is higher than it should be. Is there a connection between the two?
Kathie
I have one copy of MTHFR. If I take regular or methylated B12 for more than a few days, I get all kinds of neurological issues; headaches, intermittent buzzing under my skin, numbness in my lower legs and feet. I have never had my levels measured, but obviously they must be high. I eat a very healthy diet and exercise. I will ask my doc for a lab test.
Robert
B12 is very complicated & requires more than just a B12 lab draw. The 3 metrics I use to assess total B12 sufficiency are: MCV, urinary MMA ( Methylmalonic acid test) and high homocysteine. If MCV >93 consider taking a form of adeno or Hydroxy B12 not cobalamin. If MCV doesn’t come down in 3-4 weeks consider investigating Lyme or mold as likely culprits. There are also SNP’s (genetics) which can play a role such as MTHFR & FUT2 etc..
Swantje
I have been taking 1000mcg B12 for quite some time and have not felt ‘more alive or alert in any way. After reading this article, I will ask my Dr to do a level for my next Annual. That will help me decide whether I even need it. I eat a very healthy diet, but not much of the foods which are providing Vitamin B12, That is why I had decided to use the supplement in the first place.
Dinah
The first time I discovered my elevated B12 was in 2012 after discovering I had a hyperparathyroid tumor, but Dr didn’t seem concerned and blew me off. My researching pointed to it being rare and a cause of concern. I had previously expressed concerns about always having low Fib-4 and Anion gap results because it was related to cirrhosis of the liver. But I did not become overly concerned because I always thought of cirrhosis as an alcoholic problem, but I was wrong.
Fast forward now about to 2019. In researching I found that Milk Thistle (MT) was good for liver and Kidney support so I started taking it, and for the first time I saw my B12 close to high normal. However in 2017 I was diagnosed with breast cancer with was estrogen receptive, and MT can stimulate estrogen so I stopped it. Fast Forward again to March 2022. I was determined to prove there had to be a problem with either the liver or kidney, even though function tests were normal. B12 had gotten as high as 1500+ so I re-started MT 175mg cap daily and stayed on it for 4mths… received my lab results from my oncologist and she was as excited as I was because for the first time since 2012, my B12 was 689. She did not know I was taking the supplement, and I explained it to her. She’s going to do some research on the estrogen issue and get back with me. My Primary Care Dr is ordering scans of my liver and kidney to do more investigation. It is very necessary sometimes to be your own diagnostician/advocate.
Mary
Several years ago my blood test showed low B12 levels. The doctor told me to take B12 and Super B complex. My fingers have been numb for about four months so my new Doctor sent me for a blood test. My B12 level is now >2000. My doctor said to continue taking because it is good for memory,is water soluble, and wouldn’t hurt me. After researching, I see that high B levels can be toxic so I have stopped taking.
Kathryn
Many Energy drinks on the market have B-12 in them. If you drink these daily, can that be a cause for high B-12 levels?
Mary
It would help if you answered the question in the title to this article! Just how dangerous are high vitamin B12 levels?!
Daniel
Apparently, high B12 levels can also be related to GI problems–specifically gut dysbiosis and malabsorption from high levels of bacteria that actually manufacture and consume B12. That’s why you’ll often see it in patients with IBS, SIBO, and other GI diseases, as several people noted below. The problem is that even though the B12 may seem high in the blood tests, it is not necessarily getting into cells. Even with high blood tests of B12, I still had pernicious anemia and the symptoms of B12 deficiency, and actually needed B12 injections. I also have Fibromyalgia, hypothyroidism, some autoimmune diseases and MTHFR defects–all of which are often connected to GI problems, as several patients writing seem to have as well. If your primary MD dismisses this, you might want to try a GI, especially one with more integrative perspective. There are also journal articles on apparent high B12 in GI diseases.
Melody
Secretor/nonsecretor status seems to be related to serum B12 levels. Nonsecretors often have normal or high serum B12 levels, and can actually be deficient in bioavailable B12. (I am a nonsecretor, and for many years had a high serum B12. Recently my serum level was low, confirmed by a methylmalonic acid test and intrinsic factor antibody, so I am now on injections, and will be for life.)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2673801/
Pushpa
At a general check up I got my B12 level tested, and it is 1049. I have had IBS for the IBS past ten years, and I am under treatment. If we have IBS, the vitamin B12 will be high.
Michele
CA
To John who made statement on Feb. 27 2019: I too had all the exact symptoms as you, and my IBS was really bad. Couldn’t leave my home. I was then given a Celiac test which was positive. I went on Celiac diet, and to my surprise my IBS stopped after 2 days, and the inflammation all thru my body subsided. I am 65, female, and just finding out that my lifelong illness has been Celiac. I found out too late so my small intestines are damaged, among other organs. A celiac diet has made me feel so much better.
Lynda
My doctor just looked at my B12 level and it was 4000. I also am diabetic and have been on Metformin for years. I feel very fatigued, and the doctor has tested me and now I’m on a c-pac nightly, however maybe feel a little better. I have had nightly and daily leg and toe cramps. Some times very intense. My legs are weak, and I’m winded when I try to walk. I also have Fibromyalgia so it is really hard to figure what is causing what with me.
I really would like to know if B12 at 4000 can be harmful or be a sign of something being wrong?
Terry Graedon
Probably everything is all right, Lynda, but ask your doctor to rule out myleproliferative syndromes. They can sometimes cause B12 levels to be high.
https://www.ucsfhealth.org/tests/003705.html
Skevi
cyprus
My mom has similar issues. Vit B12 at around 1400 – 1800, low Vit D, all blood tests normal otherwise. She is overweight, does not move enough and has been through a lot of stress and emotional issues. No doctor can find the cause of the high B12. They just tell her to go on a vegan diet and walk more. She has poor memory and is often confused, but otherwise OK mentally. She also gets burning feet as others have described. She has many allergies and recently been told she now has asthma. I am trying to share as much info as I have for others to compare their symptoms to.
KRISMIS
IL
An update from my neurologist’s visit: there were no abnormal findings on the head/neck MRI the neurologist ordered. He seemed stumped as to the cause of the high B12. I have since had 2 other B12 levels drawn, 6 months ago and last week. Both came back at 1800. This was with taking no B12 supplements at all for 12 months. My liver function tests, kidney function tests, CBC, homocysteine, all look perfect. My brain fog and numbness and tingling went away on its own a few weeks after I first went to the doctor. My PCP is very laissez-faire about the elevated B12.
When I read articles on elevated B12, they are scary, and these are articles from medical journals. I feel perfectly fine now and haven’t had so much as a cold in the last year. I figure if something was terribly wrong, it would show up in some other test. But, I just don’t want to find out down the line that I have had something lurking in my body causing this elevation. With the last B12 result still being the same, I think I am going to ask my PCP for a referral to a hematologist.
Christine
Illinois
Has anyone gotten any answers???
ken
Those with excessive levels of b12 may be low in transcobalamin – I hope spelling is correct. Transcobalamin is required to process b12 and if too low may allow storage to build to excess yet one may still actually be deficient. Various chemicals and or disorders can also inhibit transcobalamin in its function. There are so many different causes that you need to understand your condition including what you eat or take as in drugs – presciption and alternates. Your environment and life style. Various things we eat, inject, breathe an contact can also cause false test readings – high & low. Doctors are usually far too busy to research and rely on information available to them. Confer with your doctor on going back to a basic diet and only medicines absolutely needed. Try to assess your exposure to that in the environment arround you, include things that cause stress. Once you have that base level, document it and try to avoid anything adverse. Then research and find any info that seems to apply and document it. There is a wealth of info on b12, including some misinfo. Take what info you have and take youself back to your doctor and he or she should be able to take it from there. If you are fobbed off – try another doctor.
The People's Pharmacy
It is rather complicated:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30761942
and
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30761552
for example
Corinne
Maryland
I recently have been experiencing all of these same symptoms many have posted. I discussed with my PCP, and she ran a ton a bloodwork. Everything was fine except that my B12 was very high, vitamin D almost Ricketts level low, and low sodium. She referred me to a neurologist for the migraines and headaches.
After I had the MRIs done, he indicated I was fine and advised me to just lose weight. I understand I’m overweight at 180 on a 5’5″ frame; however, I felt dismissed. Neither my PCP or Neurologist seemed to care about my B12 or vitamin D levels. Now I’m left with no one that seems to want to help. I’d be curious if anyone has any other feedback from their experience with medical professionals that wanted to help and did help.
John
NY
Wow, 5000 & 8000 levels of B12 and I thought I was high at 1830. Just had my 6 month blood work last week. My doctor told me to stop taking B12 vitamin 3000 mcg daily. Looking back over the past 6 months I have had some of the symptoms mentioned like: head fullness, loss of balance, itching skin, diabetic rise, swallowing issues at times, bringing up mucus, bathroom issues, memory loss, feeling tired and ear ringing at times. I am a struggling vegetarian. I attributed these symptoms to age and wonder now if my high B12 level was the cause or just a coincidence?
Amanda
Michigan
Any updates on your most recent appointment? I’m wondering why you were sent to a neurologist and not a hematologist? I’m utterly terrified to even go to the doctor for a follow up, as I always assume the worst. Dr. Google isn’t helping. Please let us know!
Christi
WA
This web site is dead. Too bad, because I would love to see answers for these people who took the time to ask. They are WORRIED about their health. If you don’t have time to answer, please shut this site down.
Christi
P.S. I came here to add my problem and read about others. My B12 has been *none* my whole life. I take 30,000 mcg daily oral sublinguals. If I miss just one day, I go straight into vertigo (including lying down) with haphazard walking especially with my glasses on. I got my first diagnosis when I was 32 (I lived with the dizziness and etc my whole life thinking it was normal), which allowed me to choose between either weekly shots (I DON’T DO SHOTS) or, finding an acceptable amount of B12 to take every day. At that time, I was able to find an OTC B12 with 20K mcg, which I should have bought them all. But at 32, who plans ahead like that. Now I get them at either Costco or Walmart.com, 5000 mcg, $27 for 300 or $9 something for 100. Does anyone visiting here have a better deal they have found? The 20K are no longer available. I did do research though, and found that since B12 is water soluble, not likely to OD or cause other health problems. In all my doctor visits and “Googling, have never seen “liver damage” or things like that.
Joe Graedon
In response to Christi, who wrote:
“This web site is dead. Too bad, because I would love to see answers for these people who took the time to ask. They are WORRIED about their health. If you don’t have time to answer, please shut this site down.”
This website has a tiny (basically Terry and me, Joe) content team. We get hundreds of emails and comments daily. If we were to answer every question and respond to every comment we would be working 200 hours a week for free. How many websites/people could sustain such a program? We would have to stop writing our syndicated newspaper column, stop our syndicated radio show and ultimately shut down this website.
Should you wish to help us hire half a dozen health experts to answer all the incoming questions, please feel free to go to the subscribe tab:
https//www.peoplespharmacy.com/subscribe
We would welcome the opportunity to answer every question with a team of experts.
Joe
Mary
NY
Feb. 1018: I’m 65 y/o & 3 months post septicemia & pneumonia. January blood work with the infectious disease md showed mild anemia so I started taking a low dose of iron until I could see my primary doctor. Then recently I noticed a measurable hair loss and shedding. Last week my PMD ordered tests that showed my B12 is 1900. He mentioned I might have an autoimmune disease. My thyroid tests are normal, everything is in the normal range except the B12. I’ll see the PMD next week. Has anyone else experienced hair loss symptoms with this?
Kathy
GA
My B12 tested high (1142), and my hair is falling out. I have sudden severe total-body joint pain. My rheumatologist said all my other labs are normal and not to worry about the high B12 because it’s “water soluble.” My hair has been falling out/thinning for 5 years but has started really thinning more quickly over the past 2 months, since my joint pain started. Rheumatologist says I may have seronegative RA. Not sure what to do.
christina
Ohio
I have high b12 and am deficient in vitamin D. I have aches on outside of both feet, achy joints, right hand worse. I had burning feet when I took a Vitamin b-12 supplement & before I had blood drawn. I have been told I have neuropathy, was given pain medication & cream & a cortisone shot, but no one wants to help me know why? I started on 2000 IU of Vitamin D-3 and stopped B-12. Burning went away but achey body and pains still there. Who do I go to help me figure out the “WHY”?
Can
Virginia
I had the same problem! Have you had your inflammation markers checked. Inflammation causes all kinds of these issues.
I was making iron but had low saturation. My B-12 was 1400. Doctor thinks it’s an Autoimmune disorder. If you have inflammation in your body you will start having a lot of issues. Talk to your doctor about inflammation.
TJ
NC
DO YOU DRINK HIGH ENERGY DRINKS, LIKE RED BULL?
Mary
Wooster
This was excellent information. Thank you!? Mom & uncle both had blood transfusions due to discovery of low B12 and anemic too. Me too, daughter. Seems to run in European (Italian) heritage.
Angelinasky
I am 61 and I get vitamin B12 lipo shots but my blood work came back >2000pg/mL is this bad and if it is what should I do?k
Jeff
Utah
I take metformen twice a day for prediabetes my A1c was climbing but now I’m at 5.1 and doctor still has me on same dose. I have been taking sublingual b12 supplements and I just tested over 2000 for b12. Doctor just told me to reduce the b12. Other blood work is normal. But I still am fatigued and tired n fact never felt any energy boost fron the b12. I do continue with dehydration. I saw a post here with a similar issue. Can metforman with b12 elevate b12 in your system and is that healthy? I’m 61 years old.
Mary Jo
North Carolina
I also have been showing very high levels of B12, too high for the lab to record. I take a vitamin supplement designed for people with malabsorption due to weight loss surgery, that includes mega-high doses of fat-soluble vitamins, iron, calcium, etc. that we don’t absorb like normal, but for whatever reason the B12 is just going sky high recently after years of being on these. And since it includes so many and different vitamins and minerals, it would be difficult to switch to something else. No one seems to have a clue as to the cause or if I need to be concerned about it.
Dr R
Florida
For prediabetes the dose of Metformin you are taking is excessive and your symptoms are related to that. Stop Metformin or decrease the dose. You will feel better.
Joe Graedon
Before following Dr. R’s advice, Please check with your prescriber! We discourage medical advice that has not been approved by your physician Mary Jo!
Linda
Ilinois
For the last 27 years, I have had a B12 deficiency. Confirmed by a schilling test. The last 2 months, it has been over 1000. What could be causing this? Do I need other test?
Kola
Lagos
My B12 count is 1371. I have numbness o my hand and feet.Am I safe?
Joe Graedon
Please have your physician review your lab results and consider other tests to discover what is going on!
Janice
Australia
I’ve been diagnosed with high B12 for over 2 years. Never had it tested before that. My health is good and my other blood tests are normal. I was referred to a Haemotologist who ran a huge amount of blood tests all of which came back normal. It’s apparently very rare. I also work for doctors who haven’t seen this before. I would like to know if there are others with a similar scenario.
Diane
US
I’m having the same problem. My gp told me to stop taking the B12 supplement and will recheck in a couple months. He wasn’t concerned. My count was 3600
Kaye
Las Vegas, NV
Hello, I saw that you posted this about a year ago. How are you? Still healthy? Did your doctor end up ever discovering anything? I got my b12 drawn, and it came back very high. I’ve gotten a CBC and CMP, which came back normal. What other tests did your doctor run? My doctor isn’t ordering anything else. I’m praying that I’m also one of the rare people who are healthy but happen to have a high b12. Thank you for your time!!
Abby
tx
Hi, just wanted to know, did your b12 numbers go back down? If so, how and what did you do? Thanks in advance so much for your reply.
sara
modesto
I have 8000 blood levels for vitb12..normal white/red blood count. I don’t yet have an answer from my hematology doctor. They don’t know what’s the cause..anyone with these high levels…
Ema
Australia
I also have been diagnosed with very high b12 but all other blood results came back normal. Does anyone have any more info on this? My doctor has never seen it before! I am otherwise healthy and 30 years old.
Heather
Australia
My rheumatologist ordered blood tests, and Vitamin B12 is among them. GP does not usually get testB12.
Mine came back 1400 twice what it should be. I am on Nexium but also take some supplements among them SAMe methionine, which has been fantastic for inflammation and thyroid. However, my urine was turning red in the night, which was a worry. I found the SAMe supplement had 500mcgs of VB12 in each 200mg tablet!
Have changed to another brand that only has 50 mcg VB12 and the red urine has gone in 3 weeks and will get another b.test in Sept. So look at what’s in all supplements.
Theresa and Stephen
NYC
I got back results of 5000 for my B12 level but I was also taking a lot of supplements with a lot of B12. So my MD told me to stop. Two weeks later I will redo bloodwork. Then I will know.
Eileen
I’ve had very high B-12 for several years. I am a strict vegan and I do not take any B-12 supplements or multi-vitamins. My doctor is clueless. I took myself off of PPIs because they can cause high levels. And while there is no cause-effect proven, there is correlation between high B-12 and liver disease and some cancers. So, I’m not waiting around for anyone to tell me which one causes the other. My gastroenterologist agreed with me and said I did a wise thing. It hasn’t brought my levels down though.
girl
USA
Elevated vitamin B12 is called “hypercobalaminemia,” if that helps you research what might be up!
Marc
Montreal
I have a high B12 in my blood for more than 10 years and I’m still in life and don’t have any health issue with my liver. I also take a PPI daily….never decrease my blood level of Vit b12… Everyone is different. Better to have more b12 than less I think. It will not kill you. Also b12 is a watersolube vitamin so it’s hard to overdose when you take it. If the person take b12 supplement or IM injections, a good way to reduce the blood level will be to stop the supplement and IM injections for 1-2 months and restart it later…
Jo
I’m confused about B12 levels. I also take PPIs, so I take B12 supplements to prevent a deficiency. Because I take these on a regular basis, my B12 levels always show high. A doctor I used to see, who practiced integrative medicine and had administered B12 shots for me, told me not to worry about the high levels. She said they only indicated the “circulating” B12 from the supplements and were not necessarily being utilized by the body. Can you explain this more fully? How does one know when their “true” levels are too high or low?
J. David Auner
Springfield, MO, USA
There have been repeated comments on Vitamin B12 levels on the PP show and elsewhere. Unfortunately B12 levels, like Lead levels, don’t correlate with much and have been out of date for over 20 years. MMA, methylmalonic acid levels, do correlate inversely with B12 deficiency which is clinically significant. Various porphyrins build up when people have lead burdens and are better tests.
We should strive to catch up with the last part of the last century’s knowledge base and insist that insurance companies, hospitals, and physicians do the same.
Ida
CA
My doctor tells me I am low on sodium chloride, so I take 3 salt pills a day. What causes a person
to be low in salt?
Thank you.
Ida G
Jim
You indicated what high levels of vitamin B12 could mean but I am a strict vegan and take 5000 mg of B12 daily and I would want to know if there are negative consequences to taking too much vitamin B12. Are you saying that taking too much B12 could cause liver damage?
Thanks.
Mark
Florida
This is the first time I’ve read about B-12 levels being too high. I’ve read many abstracts over the past few years, including one by Dr. Carmen Wheatley, PhD of Oxford University, one of the world’s experts on B-12, and there was never any mention of B-12 toxicity.
In Japan, people with ALS are being given 25 to 50mg(20,000mcg to 50,000mcg), DAILY and that is slowing down the progression of the disease. Ultra-high dosing is also being tried on people with Multiple Sclerosis. Like all the other B vitamins, B-12 is water soluble, so excess amounts should be excreted in the urine.
I’ve been to numerous doctors in my life (I’m 65) who know very little about nutrition and are alarmists when they see a lab value that’s higher than the normal value. Lab values, as I understand, are an average, computed from a large cross section of people, some healthy, some sick, some young, some old. ‘Average’ doesn’t equate with ‘healthy,’ and a value higher than what is considered normal doesn’t always equate with something serious. It’s contingent upon the knowledge and philosophy of the doctor doing the interpreting.
Beth
USA
Did anyone above ever get a solid answer about their elevated B12? Especially for those who had a high level but were not supplementing with very high B12 or getting B12injections? From what I understand, basic multivitamin supplements with B are not enough to raise levels as high as some of the people above are mentioning. I hope someone will follow up with additional info! Thanks!
Krismis
Chicago, IL
Hi Beth,
I recently began having some symptoms of brain fog, lightheadedness, thready pulse, and numbness in my arms and hands. I went to the doctor who did blood work and a b12 level, thinking I might have a b12 deficiency. All of my blood work was normal, except my b12 was 1800. He told me to stop supplements and recheck in 3 months. Only problem is, the only b12 I take is in my multivitamin and is about 2.5 mcg daily. From what I’ve read, it shouldn’t be that elevated. I also have an MTHFR heterozygous mutation and have taken l-methylfolate for 10 years. I thought maybe I had a functional b12 deficiency, so I asked for an MMA test. That level came back normal, and my homocysteine level was normal as well. Doc referred me to a neurologist for evaluation of my symptoms, but I am concerned about what I have read regarding b12 and possible causes, if it’s not a functional deficiency. I will post more after my neurology appointment, which is in 2 days. Hopefully I can get some answers and rule out any serious issues.
Kel
Abilene, TX
Hi, Krismis!
I’ve been having similar issues for almost 2 years with b12 levels at 1200-1300 (with brain fog, increasingly severe headaches etc). Did you get an answer from neurology? Hope you’re doing well!
NCas
Arizona
So how did your neurologist appointment go Krismis, I hope it went well.