Vitamin B12 and Foliates

Description: The Vitamin B12 test is used to aid in the diagnosis of anemia, determine overall nutritional health and screen for foliate deficiency.

Significant deviations from the normal range may require further evaluation by your physician.

Vitamin B₁₂ deficiency anemia is a blood problem that occurs when there is not enough of this vitamin in the body. Vitamin B₁₂ (also called cobalamin) helps make http://www.webmd.com/hw-popup/Small-intestine).

·        You have a digestive problem, such as sprue (also called celiac disease), Crohn's disease, bacteria growth in the small intestine, or a parasite.

·        You take medicine to treat heartburn and ulcers for a long time. Examples include omeprazole (Prilosec) and lansoprazole (Prevacid).3

More rarely, it develops if you don't have enough vitamin B₁₂ in your diet. Those at risk include people who eat a strict vegetarian (vegan) diet, older adults who don't eat a variety of foods, and people with chronic alcoholism.