If you need to know which are the vitamin B12 reference ranges or you require more information about vitamin B12 in a blood test, you can visit normal vitamin B12 in a blood test.
Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is essential for the correct production of Red Blood Cells (RBCs). Deficiency of vitamin B12 may cause anemia.
Deficiency of vitamin B12 is related to megaloblastic anemia (a type of anemia) and neuropathy (damage to nerve cells).
The most common cause for a low value of vitamin B12 in the blood is pernicious anemia. However, there are many other causes for a low value of vitamin B12 in the blood. They can be classified as:
Vitamin B12 blood values are usually given in pg/dl but sometimes you can see these values in pmol/l following the International System of Units (SI). In case your values are in pmol/l you can convert them using this tool:
Hypocobalinemia or a low vitamin B12 blood level means:
Vitamin b12 level in the blood is below the normal range. It is necessary to pay attention because usually there are no symptoms related.
It may be due multiple causes such as some drugs or deficient intake on vegetarian people.
If the level remains low in successive tests, you should ask your doctor about it.
Values of vitamin B12 below 100 pg/ml are common in case of suffering from pernicious anemia. Pernicious anemia is a macrocytic anemia where the MCV are above 100 fl. You may feel fatigue, headache or paleness as a consequence of the anemia.
There are other possible causes for a low level of vitamin B12 in the blood, so it is advisable to visit your doctor. He may prescribe you intramuscular injections of vitamin B12.
Some particular health situation or drugs may reduce your vitamin B12 level in the blood:
The following diseases can explain a vitamin b12 blood level lower than normal:
Vegetarians may have a vitamin B12 deficiency because meat is the main source of this type of vitamin. In this case, you may take vitamin B12 supplements, if your doctor considers it appropriate.
Depending on the underlying cause and if the deficiency is related to malabsorption, your doctor may prescribe intramuscular injections of vitamin B12.
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The following values are considered to be above the normal range:
IMPORTANT: These levels are expressed in pg/ml. They are an example of a healthy adult of about 45 years old with no known disease and not taking any medication. The ranges can be different depending on the laboratory or on your personal circumstances.
Vitamin B12 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mild hypocobalaminemia | |||||||
| 199 pg/ml | 198 pg/ml | 197 pg/ml | 196 pg/ml | 195 pg/ml | 194 pg/ml | 193 pg/ml | 192 pg/ml |
| 191 pg/ml | 190 pg/ml | 189 pg/ml | 188 pg/ml | 187 pg/ml | 186 pg/ml | 185 pg/ml | 184 pg/ml |
| 183 pg/ml | 182 pg/ml | 181 pg/ml | 180 pg/ml | 179 pg/ml | 178 pg/ml | 177 pg/ml | 176 pg/ml |
| 175 pg/ml | 174 pg/ml | 173 pg/ml | 172 pg/ml | 171 pg/ml | 170 pg/ml | 169 pg/ml | 168 pg/ml |
| 167 pg/ml | 166 pg/ml | 165 pg/ml | 164 pg/ml | 163 pg/ml | 162 pg/ml | 161 pg/ml | 160 pg/ml |
| 159 pg/ml | 158 pg/ml | 157 pg/ml | 156 pg/ml | 155 pg/ml | 154 pg/ml | 153 pg/ml | 152 pg/ml |
| 151 pg/ml | 150 pg/ml | 149 pg/ml | 148 pg/ml | 147 pg/ml | 146 pg/ml | 145 pg/ml | 144 pg/ml |
| 143 pg/ml | 142 pg/ml | 141 pg/ml | 140 pg/ml | 139 pg/ml | 138 pg/ml | 137 pg/ml | 136 pg/ml |
| 135 pg/ml | 134 pg/ml | 133 pg/ml | 132 pg/ml | 131 pg/ml | 130 pg/ml | 129 pg/ml | 128 pg/ml |
| 127 pg/ml | 126 pg/ml | 125 pg/ml | 124 pg/ml | 123 pg/ml | 122 pg/ml | 121 pg/ml | 120 pg/ml |
| 119 pg/ml | 118 pg/ml | 117 pg/ml | 116 pg/ml | 115 pg/ml | 114 pg/ml | 113 pg/ml | 112 pg/ml |
| 111 pg/ml | 110 pg/ml | 109 pg/ml | 108 pg/ml | 107 pg/ml | 106 pg/ml | 105 pg/ml | 104 pg/ml |
| 103 pg/ml | 102 pg/ml | 101 pg/ml | 100 pg/ml | ||||
| Severe hypocobalaminemia | |||||||
| 99 pg/ml | 98 pg/ml | 97 pg/ml | 96 pg/ml | 95 pg/ml | 94 pg/ml | 93 pg/ml | 92 pg/ml |
| 91 pg/ml | 90 pg/ml | 89 pg/ml | 88 pg/ml | 87 pg/ml | 86 pg/ml | 85 pg/ml | 84 pg/ml |
| 83 pg/ml | 82 pg/ml | 81 pg/ml | 80 pg/ml | 79 pg/ml | 78 pg/ml | 77 pg/ml | 76 pg/ml |
| 75 pg/ml | 74 pg/ml | 73 pg/ml | 72 pg/ml | 71 pg/ml | 70 pg/ml | 69 pg/ml | 68 pg/ml |
| 67 pg/ml | 66 pg/ml | 65 pg/ml | 64 pg/ml | 63 pg/ml | 62 pg/ml | 61 pg/ml | 60 pg/ml |
| 59 pg/ml | 58 pg/ml | 57 pg/ml | 56 pg/ml | 55 pg/ml | 54 pg/ml | 53 pg/ml | 52 pg/ml |
| 51 pg/ml | 50 pg/ml | 49 pg/ml | 48 pg/ml | 47 pg/ml | 46 pg/ml | 45 pg/ml | 44 pg/ml |
| 43 pg/ml | 42 pg/ml | 41 pg/ml | 40 pg/ml | 39 pg/ml | 38 pg/ml | 37 pg/ml | 36 pg/ml |
| 35 pg/ml | 34 pg/ml | 33 pg/ml | 32 pg/ml | 31 pg/ml | 30 pg/ml | 29 pg/ml | 28 pg/ml |
| 27 pg/ml | 26 pg/ml | 25 pg/ml | 24 pg/ml | 23 pg/ml | 22 pg/ml | 21 pg/ml | 20 pg/ml |
| 19 pg/ml | 18 pg/ml | 17 pg/ml | 16 pg/ml | 15 pg/ml | 14 pg/ml | 13 pg/ml | 12 pg/ml |
| 11 pg/ml | 10 pg/ml | 9 pg/ml | 8 pg/ml | 7 pg/ml | 6 pg/ml | 5 pg/ml | 4 pg/ml |
| 3 pg/ml | 2 pg/ml | 1 pg/ml | 0 pg/ml | ||||
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