Title: Vitamin B-12 Level Test: Purpose, Procedure & Results
Headings: What Is a Vitamin B-12 Test?
What Is a Vitamin B-12 Test?
What is a vitamin B-12 deficiency?
When does your doctor order a vitamin B-12 test?
High serum folate levels
Who needs to take a vitamin B-12 test?
Side effects and risks of a B-12 test
Types of B-12 tests and how they’re performed
Preparing for a blood test
Preparing for the home tests
Interpreting B-12 test results
Vitamin B-12 results
How to manage your B-12 levels
What to eat to prevent vitamin B-12 deficiency
How much vitamin B-12 do you need?

Content: If a breast-feeding mother has low levels of B-12, her infant is at increased risk for neurological damage and developmental problems, according to Harvard Health Publications. Some conditions may also affect your body’s ability to absorb B-12. Talk to your doctor if you have: pernicious anemia
celiac disease, where your body’s immune system reacts to gluten by damaging the lining of the intestine
Crohn’s disease, an autoimmune condition that causes persistent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract
atrophic gastritis, a condition where your stomach lining narrows and limits stomach acid production
Medications that may also affect the body’s vitamin B-12 levels include: chloramphenicol, or Chloromycetin
proton pump inhibitors, such as Prilosec and Prevacid
H2 receptor blockers, such as Tagamet, Pepcid, and Zantac
metformin, for diabetes
Side effects and risks of a B-12 test
You might feel a pricking when your healthcare provider inserts the needle into your arm. But a blood draw is low risk and generally painless. It’s also possible to feel a little sore or observe bruising on your arm for a few days after. Alert your healthcare provider if the pain is throbbing or if your arm swells after the test. Talk to your doctor before the test if you have a bleeding disorder, such as hemophilia, or if you’ve had problems with blood clotting in the past. It’s possible to experience excessive bleeding where the needle punctures your skin.