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Vitamin B-12 level


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Vitamin B-12 level

Normal Values:

Normal values are 200-900 pg/ml (picograms per milliliter).


What abnormal results mean:

Values of less than 100 pg/ml indicate a significant deficiency of vitamin B-12, with symptoms likely to be present or develop.

Causes of vitamin B-12 deficiency include:

  • Inadequate intake (rare except with a strict vegetarian diet)
  • Malabsorption diseases (for example, celiac disease and sprue)
  • Lack of intrinsic factor
  • Hypermetabolic state (for example, with hyperthyroidism)
  • Pregnancy
Increased vitamin B-12 levels are uncommon, because normally excessive B-12 is excreted in the urine. However, excessive B-12 may occur with disorders that affect the levels of proteins that attach to vitamin B-12 in the blood. These disorders include: Additional conditions under which the test may be performed:


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