Vitamin B12 Test
To determine a vitamin B 12 deficiency, one should undergo a blood test. There are numerous tests. Some that require a blood test, others that can be done at home with urine.
The best and most reliable method is direct detection in the blood. The Holo TC test should be mentioned here. This value is noticeable very early, before the correct vitamin B12 deficiency has occurred, so to speak.
This is the best way to counteract it. As a rule, however, the doctor only determines the vitamin B12 concentration in the blood serum. This also fulfills its main purpose, namely to find out about a vitamin B12 deficiency.
Testing for a vitamin B12 deficiency is not a benefit paid by the health insurance company, unless the doctor suspects such a deficiency as the most likely cause of illness. The urine tests that are now available for home use, however, are not very reliable. One should switch to the blood test of the general practitioner, which has higher significance and on the basis of which an appropriate treatment can be started.
There are numerous preparations containing vitamin B12 and they must be selected according to the causes. A vitamin B12 deficiency can be treated by vitamin B12 injections, i.e. syringes, or tablets. Even though an overdose of vitamin B12 can only rarely occur, care should still be taken with the dosage.
In general, a doctor should be consulted before starting to take vitamin B12. Generally, there are two different forms of vitamin B12 in stores. Methylcobalamin” is a form that also occurs naturally and can be processed directly by the body.
The far more common form, “cyanocobalamin”, is a cheaper, but artificially produced variant. If a vitamin B12 deficiency has occurred mainly due to insufficient intake through food, an attempt can be made to take a vitamin B12 preparation in capsule or tablet form. The manufacturers of Doppelherz or Tetesept offer corresponding products.
The capsules should be taken once a day for several months. For tablets, one should start with approx. 250μg per day and increase it to maximum 250μg/day.
If the vitamin B12 deficiency has occurred despite sufficient amounts of vitamins being taken in with food, it is probably due to a resorption disorder. Gastritis or alcohol abuse leads to a reduced development of the intrinsic factor responsible for the absorption of vitamin B12. In this case it would not make sense to take vitamin B12 as a capsule, since the body could not take up the vitamin anyway.
In this case, the vitamin must be taken by injection. As a rule, a vitamin B12 injection is administered once a month for a period of 4-6 months. Then the vitamin B12 level in the blood should also be determined.
It is also important to find out the cause of each vitamin B12 level and treat the underlying cause. With an injection of vitamin B12 one should inject maximally 1000 – 1500μg vitamin B12 per week. The injection can be given into a muscle (e.g.
the buttocks) or subcutaneously (i.e. into the fat layer of the body, e.g. the abdomen). Medical laymen should have a doctor explain at least once how the correct injection should be given.It is even better to have the injection carried out by the doctor or medical assistants.
An overdose of vitamin B12 is normally not possible and side effects are very rare. Due to its water-soluble effect, excess vitamin B12 can be excreted through the kidneys without complications. If, however, increased levels of vitamin B12 should occur as a result of a vitamin B12 injection, resulting in an overdose, the only side effect is usually a harmless local allergic reaction, which is manifested by increased pimple formation or slight redness.
People who eat mainly animal products, especially offal, red meat, cheese and curd cheese also have an increased intake of vitamin B12. The organism needs a daily amount of vitamin B12 of 7-10 micrograms. If the person is under stress, if he/she is going through frequent episodes of illness or if he/she is carrying a pregnancy, he/she needs more.
Too much vitamin B12 intake is usually not a problem. The body excretes the amount it does not need, just like the other vitamins that are taken in too much. An overdose is therefore almost impossible.
What is relevant, however, is that excess vitamin B12 is excreted via the kidneys. The kidney is thus loaded. Another exception is the preparation cyanocobolamine, which is broken down into small amounts of cyanide in the body.
As a rule, this does not bother people much either. Sometimes excessive intake of vitamin B12 can cause skin symptoms similar to acne. If the acne symptoms cannot be controlled, the vitamin B12 level should always be checked.
Despite the stated daily required amount of vitamin B12, it is not entirely clear when an overdose of the vitamin is present by definition. In general, there is no need to worry about an overdose. With other vitamins, an overdose can also cause damage or at least the formation of disturbing kidney stones.
