What problems can high vitamin B12 cause?

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.

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What happens if my B12 level is too high?

You might get frequent headaches if your vitamin B12 levels are too high. Elevated levels of this vitamin can also cause gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. You may feel tired and weak. High amounts of vitamin B12 can also cause you to feel like your hands and feet are tingling.

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Should I be worried if my B12 is high?

Should I be concerned about high vitamin B12 levels? Experts agree that proper amounts of vitamin B12 are generally safe to take [9]. Even amounts exceeding the recommended daily amount of 2.4 micrograms usually aren't toxic—as mentioned, what your body doesn't absorb is normally passed as urine [9].

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What is an alarming B12 level?

What Abnormal Results Mean. Values of less than 160 pg/mL (118 pmol/L) are a possible sign of a vitamin B12 deficiency. People with this deficiency are likely to have or develop symptoms. Older adults with a vitamin B12 level less than 100 pg/mL (74 pmol/L) may also have symptoms.

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How do you flush B12 out of your system?

Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin that you can get from your diet. When needed, you can also take it as a dietary supplement or prescription medication. Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin, and the risks of dose-related side effects are low. Your body can usually get rid of excess vitamin B12 through your urine.

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Cause of High B12 Level Without Supplementation

36 related questions found

How can I lower my B12 levels quickly?

Alcohol. Research has suggested that the consumption of alcohol may reduce vitamin B12 levels. An older study indicated that moderate alcohol intake diminished vitamin B12 by 5% among “healthy, well-nourished, postmenopausal women.”

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What are the most common causes of high B12?

The most common cause of high B12 in the blood is due to recent ingestion or injection of supplemental vitamin B12.

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Does high B12 mean liver damage?

In contrast to iron deficiency, the prognostic value of B12 and folic acid was not significant. Increased levels of serum cobalamin are associated with malignancies, autoimmune diseases, and renal and liver failure. It is a marker for liver-cell damage, due to release of the vitamin from damaged liver cells.

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Can B12 cause anxiety?

Vitamin B12 plays a critical role in the production of dopamine and serotonin, neurotransmitters that help regulate your mood. When you don't get enough B12 in your diet, or your body doesn't process it correctly, it can lead to mental health symptoms, such as depression, irritability, or anxiety.

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What cancers cause high B12 levels?

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 ...

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How long does it take for high B12 levels to drop?

If a person stops consuming the vitamin, the body's stores of this vitamin usually take about 3 to 5 years to exhaust. People should not take high doses of vitamin B12 as a cure-all, but otherwise the vitamin does not appear to be toxic; consuming excess amounts of B12 is not recommended.

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What is high level of vitamin B12 in elderly?

A blood test showing a serum vitamin B12 level between 300 and 350 pg/mL is ideal for seniors, while anything between 200 and 900 pg/mL is considered normal. An elderly person should be getting 2.5 micrograms of B12 per day. A typical Western diet generally contains around 5 to 7 micrograms of vitamin B12 per day.

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What are the psychological symptoms of B12?

In an established AD, its deficiency is associated with higher cognitive decline and risk for delirium. The other mental changes associated with B12 deficiency include apathy, agitation, impaired concentration, insomnia, persecutory delusions, auditory and visual hallucinations, and disorganized thought-process.

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Can too much B12 cause panic attacks?

Vitamin B overdose not only affects one physically but has a negative impact on mental health as well. Some of the negative side effects of vitamin B overdose include mood swings, restlessness, depression, and panic attacks.

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Can stress cause high B12 levels?

What is the relationship between vitamin B12 and stress? The fact is, high levels of stress can deplete your body of B vitamins, which are essential for the nervous and circulatory systems. It can also reduce the absorption of nutrients in your system from the foods you eat and the supplements you take.

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What organ does vitamin B12 affect?

Vitamin B12, or cobalamin, is naturally found in animal foods. It can also be added to foods or supplements. Vitamin B12 is needed to form red blood cells and DNA. It is also a key player in the function and development of brain and nerve cells.

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Can vitamin B12 cause heart problems?

Vitamin B12 deficiency leads to hyperhomocysteinemia. Elevated homocysteine (Hcy) is associated with arterial endothelial dysfunction and is considered an independent risk factor for CVD. Homocysteine and risk of ischemic heart disease and stroke.

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Can high B12 cause kidney damage?

The Framingham Heart Study found that elevated B12 at baseline was associated with two different markers of impaired kidney function: albuminuria and reduced glomerular filtration.

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What autoimmune disease causes high vitamin B12?

Elevated Vitamin B12 Levels in Autoimmune Lymphoproliferative Syndrome Attributable to Elevated Haptocorrin in Lymphocytes.

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Does drinking water lower B12 levels?

"As you intake more water you can begin to flush water soluble vitamins and minerals," Dr. Kinney told INSIDER. "Water soluble vitamins, such as the B Vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6 & B12) & vitamin C, are not stored long term and may be excreted with excess water intake if you're not taking in proper supplementation, too.

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Can you reverse B12 damage?

A. A deficiency of vitamin B12 can cause neurological and psychiatric problems that “can progress if left untreated, and can lead to irreversible damage,” said Dr. Donald Hensrud, director of the Mayo Clinic's Healthy Living Program. Fortunately, it can be reversed fairly easily with vitamin pills or injections.

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Can vitamin B12 be reduced?

You can get vitamin B12 deficiency anemia if you don't get enough vitamin B12 in your diet from foods like milk, eggs, and meat. You're more likely to be low in this vitamin if you're older, or you eat a vegetarian diet. It can also happen if your body can't absorb enough of it from the foods you eat.

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How does vitamin B12 cause neurological symptoms?

People with low B12 levels may experience mental fogginess, difficulty concentrating, and difficulty accomplishing tasks because a B12 deficiency negatively affects the central nervous system. Because the risk of B12 insufficiency rises with age, older persons are particularly vulnerable to these negative effects.

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What does B12 fatigue feel like?

extreme tiredness (fatigue) lack of energy (lethargy) breathlessness. feeling faint.

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