Lab results online in Canada, explained
Vitamin B12 test results explained (Canada)
Vitamin B12 helps your body make blood cells and keeps your nerves healthy. It comes from animal foods such as meat, shellfish, milk, cheese and eggs. A B12 test is often done to look into some types of anemia, or symptoms such as tingling or numbness in the hands and feet.
Also printed as: B12, Cobalamin.
What is on the report
Typical adult ranges. Each lab sets its own, so the range printed next to your result is the one that counts.
| Test | What it is | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin B12 | A vitamin needed for healthy nerves and red blood cells. | 148–590 pmol/L |
| Folate | A B vitamin the body needs to make red blood cells. | over 6.8 nmol/L |
Good to know in Canada
- MyHealth Alberta gives B12 in SI units: picomoles per litre (pmol/L).
- B12 is often measured together with folate, because low levels of either can lead to the same type of anemia.
- The body stores vitamin B12 in the liver for a year or more.
- Each lab sets its own range. Use the range printed on your own report.
Call 911 in an emergency. For health advice that is not an emergency, call 811 in most provinces and territories. For questions about your results, contact your family doctor, nurse practitioner or the clinic that ordered the test.
Keep your reports in one place
Take a photo or screenshot of your lab report, or upload the PDF, and Vita explains each number in plain words, suggests what to ask your doctor, and keeps it with your past results. Vita does not connect to any Canadian health record system. Hospital connections are for US hospitals, not Canadian ones.
Vita Health Coach on the App StoreAsk it in ChatGPT
Vita Health Coach also answers in ChatGPT. One tap opens ChatGPT with this question ready to send:
“What should I ask the doctor about my Vitamin B12 result?”
Questions
Who is more likely to have low B12?
People who have had stomach or bowel surgery, people with small bowel problems, people with a family history of B12 deficiency anemia, and people who eat no animal products.
Can B12 be high?
Yes. High levels can be seen with some liver diseases and some types of leukemia, though the B12 test is not usually used to diagnose these.
Do I need to fast before the test?
MyHealth Alberta's guide says not to eat or drink anything but water for 10 to 12 hours before this test. Follow the instructions your clinic or lab gave you.
More for Canada
Sources
General information, not medical advice. VitaMedas is not connected with any government health service. Vita Health Coach explains; it never diagnoses. In an emergency, call 911. Read the medical disclaimer.