Vitamin B12

The Vitamin B12 test measures the level of cobalamin (B12) in your blood, an essential nutrient for red blood cell production, DNA synthesis, and healthy nerve function. B12 deficiency can develop gradually over years and cause serious, sometimes irreversible, neurological damage if left untreated. A simple blood sample is all that is needed, with no fasting required.

Who Should Get Tested?

B12 deficiency affects 3% of adults aged 20 to 39, rising to over 20% in those aged 85 and above. You should consider testing if you experience persistent fatigue or weakness, numbness or tingling in hands and feet, memory problems or confusion, a sore tongue or mouth, pale or slightly yellow skin, or mood changes including depression. Vegetarians, vegans, and those with digestive conditions such as Crohn's disease, coeliac disease, or pernicious anaemia are at higher risk, as plant-based diets lack B12 and these conditions impair absorption.

Understanding Your Results

B12 Level	Status
Below 200 pg/mL	Deficient supplementation strongly recommended to prevent neurological damage and anaemia.
200 to 400 pg/mL	Insufficient borderline levels. Consider supplementation and dietary changes. Retest in 3 months.
Above 400 pg/mL	Sufficient healthy B12 levels. Maintain through diet or supplementation if on a plant-based diet.

B12 and folate work together, so your clinic team may recommend testing both. If your levels are low, they will advise on supplementation and whether further investigation into absorption issues is needed.

Nearest clinics offering this test

These clinics have Vitamin B12 in stock. Choose one to see appointment times.