An abnormally high vitamin B-12 status can be an early sign of liver disease, diabetes, or certain types of leukemia. A doctor may use the results of a vitamin B-12 test to help form their diagnosis.
What happens if your B12 is too high?
However, supplementing with excessively high levels of B12 has been linked to some negative side effects. Several studies have shown that megadoses of the vitamin can lead to outbreaks of acne and rosacea, a skin condition that causes redness and pus-filled bumps on the face.
What causes elevated B12 levels?
The elevated-B12-related causes were: acute liver disease (acute elevation of transaminases to more than 2 times normal) or chronic liver disease (dysmorphic ultrasound appearance, persistent biological signs of hepatocellular insufficiency, and/or histology suggestive of cirrhosis), severe chronic renal failure (MDRD …
What are the symptoms of high B12 levels?
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.
Can stress cause high B12 levels?
Those who have to deal with highly stressful situations or are in a serious crisis need more vitamin B12 than usual. These situations can be high mental or physical stress such as important exams or difficult tests.
How do you control high B12?
How to Get Rid of Excess Vitamin B12
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- Reduce the amount of animal-derived foods that appear in your diet, as they contain vitamin B12. …
- Drink more water to help flush your body of water-soluble elements in the blood, which includes vitamin B12.
How can I lower my vitamin B12 levels?
You can change your diet to include vitamin B12-fortified grains, a supplement or B12 injections, or a high-dose oral vitamin B12 if you are deficient. Older adults who have a vitamin B12 deficiency will likely have to take a daily B12 supplement or a multivitamin that contains B12.
Should I worry about high B12 levels?
There is no upper limit for vitamin B-12 intake because consuming high levels does not cause problems. However, having naturally high levels of vitamin B-12 in the body may be a cause for concern, as it suggests a severe underlying condition.
Should I stop taking B12 if my levels are high?
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. UL refers to the maximum daily dose of a vitamin unlikely to cause adverse side effects in the general population.
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 …
Can too much B12 cause tingling?
In rare cases, people who take high doses of vitamin B for a long period of time may experience extreme numbness or a tingling sensation. In some patients, tingling sensation is experienced mostly in the right side of the body. This symptom is one of the early warning indicators of Vitamin B12 overdose.
How long does it take B12 to get out of your system?
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.
Is B12 level of 1500 too high?
There is no consensus on the definition of high or elevated B12. Previous studies have chosen a variety of levels to represent high or very high B12 (pmol/l) levels. Some examples include: 664.219, 5131, 700 (high) and 1500 (very high)11, and 601 (high) and 1000 (very high)10.
Does high B12 cause neuropathy?
Thus, vitamin B12 may be associated with both sensory and motor peripheral nerve function. In older adults, the prevalence of poor peripheral nerve function and neuropathy is high and increases with age18–21.
Can B12 cause anxiety?
B12 Causes Psychiatric Symptoms: B12 deficiency can cause almost any psychiatric symptom, from anxiety, and panic to depression and hallucinations. This is because B12 deficiencies trigger symptoms in the nervous system and red blood cells.
Can fatty liver cause high B12 levels?
Six out of eight showed a higher B12 level in NAFLD patients (mean 223.5 to 473.1 pg/mL) when compared to controls (mean 171.9 to 448.0 pg/mL). Seven out of eight studies presented higher HCY levels in NAFLD patients (mean 9.18 to 56.3 umol/L) when compared to controls (mean 8.49 to 19.7 umol/L).
Can B12 affect your liver?
The common forms of vitamin B include vitamin B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B6 (pyridoxine) and B12 (cyanocobalamin). Except for niacin (when given in high doses), there is no evidence that the other B vitamins, in physiologic or even super-physiologic high doses cause liver injury or jaundice.
Do you pee out excess B vitamins?
The body has an efficient system to absorb, metabolize, store and excrete vitamins so that it gets what it needs to function and it eliminates the excess. Vitamins B and C are water soluble and any surplus of these vitamins is excreted in the urine.
Can too many B vitamins be harmful?
Taking too much vitamin B complex long-term can lead to nerve damage. This could result in losing control of your bodily movements.
What nerve damage can vitamin B12 cause?
People who are vitamin B-12 deficient may not produce enough myelin to coat their nerves. Without this coating, nerves can become damaged. Problems are more common in the nerves in the hands and feet, which are called peripheral nerves. Peripheral nerve damage may lead to tingling in these parts of the body.
Can you reverse B12 neuropathy?
Conclusion: This observation demonstrates that, in spite of its poor outcome reported by several authors, peripheral neuropathy induced by vitamin B12 deficiency can recover completely with substitutive treatment.
Can too much vitamin B12 cause insomnia?
The results suggest that the use of combined multivitamin supplements, as well as single vitamins, including vitamin B complex, hurts sleep maintenance, causes a higher rate of insomnia, and requires greater use of sleep medicine.
Can too much B12 make you jittery?
B-12, also called cobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin essential for the production of red blood cells. … Taking B-12 can have some side effects, but making you feel jittery is not a common one.
Can high B12 cause insomnia?
How does vitamin B12 affect sleep? Vitamin B12 and insomnia have long been linked, however the research available remains inconclusive. Several case studies have been published over the years in which vitamin B12 has helped patients with delayed sleep phase disorders.