I have read of the following blood test recommendations for measuring vitamin B levels (and determining a possible B12 deficiency):mevrouw wrote:Hi All,
I have made an initial list of what to test. Any comments are more than welcome !
Cheers.
CBC
Vitamin D (25(OH)D)
Vitamin B (B12) What other B vitamins?
Vitamin A
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Vitamin K
Calcium
Magnesium
Zinc
Copper
Manganese
Iron
Cholesterol ?
#1 a serum B12 test (however, the newer, more accurate HoloTranscobalamin, also known as HoloTc, test is preferred by many experts)
#2 the RBC folate test (also known as vitamin B9)
#3 a serum homocysteine test (An elevated result for this test confirms a low vitamin B12 level.)
#4 a methylmalonic acid test (An elevated MMA can also confirm a low vitamin B12 level.) – Alternatively, this test can be done from the urine, which is less expensive and considered more accurate.
In the US, cholesterol is usually routinely tested as part of the lipid panel. For years it has been considered a good indicator of the risk of heart disease, but recently, the homocysteine test has been found to be a better indicator of heart disease risk; however, the Hcy (a.k.a. homocysteine) test is not yet routinely done and must be specifically requested.