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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    Why are my folate and vitamin B12 levels so high?

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    Nutrition Trying To Conceive Women's Health
    I recently had a comprehensive blood test as I have been trying to conceive for several months with no luck. All test results came back normal except for my folate and vitamin B12 which both came back outside of the normal range. I have heard this is rare as both are water soluble and that it may mean a problem with the liver. I have stopped my prenatal vitamins in fear that these levels will rise further. Why would this happen? What should I do?
    • 2 answers
    • A/Prof Antigone Kouris
    • Susan Wallace
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  • A/Prof Antigone Kouris

    Dietitian

    25 years experience as a clinical dietitian with a unique set of skills and knowledge due to :1) current position as an Adjunct Associate Professor … View Profile

    Multivitamins can influence blood test results and they are supposed to be stopped for 1-2 days before any blood test. If you took your multivitamin the day before your blood test this would artificially raise your blood levels of B12 and folate as well as zinc (the common nutrients measured by most doctors).  You could repeat the blood test but stop your prenatal vitamins for several days before the test. If the blood levels are still too high you may want to consider taking the supplement less frequently. Kindly A/Prof Antigone Kouris

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  • Susan Wallace

    HealthShare Member

    Hi I recently had a blood test and my folate and b12 were in the 1000's x 4 what they should be and I don't take b12 or folate. My mum is a midwife and came across a patient who had the same readings and had 6 miscarriages she was told she had a mthfr gene issue and was tested for mthfr A1298C & C677T . Her husband also had the same gene. This can be corrected with supplements. Both her husband and herself were treated and have had healthy pregnancies and normal bodily functions since. Worth checking out if you have the gene it may solve all your problems. I'm about to get tested myself. The treatment changed her life, totally worth following this up it seems not many people know the ramifications of high folate and b12 levels - it indirectly affects your liver which was also evident with my blood test and no reason for the rise and all my other bloods were normal. Good luck.

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