Vitamin B12

elsien

How to win friends and influence people.

Angry_Bear

To help people who really are interested in learning more, I read the synopsis at the BMJ, but wasn't impressed enough to sign up to read the rest. However, I did note that one of the authors is the "scientific director" of a company that sells diagnostic tests for Vitamin B12 deficiency.

Make of that what you will.

Kayteetoo

It's very expensive to sign up for anyway. The research group is from St Thomas Hospital in London.

You might want to read the responses section. Overseas professionals seem to be a lot more up to speed.

And the test, I am presuming, is the active b12 test - this is the one that the NHS are thinking of rolling out in the UK because it is now being acknowledged that the serum b12 is 'sensitive to interference.'

You can also ask for the MMA and Homocysteine tests to be done through the NHS, although they may be refused, but these are more accurate indicators of a functional deficiency.

Flugelhorn

Angry_Bear wrote: »

To help people who really are interested in learning more, I read the synopsis at the BMJ, but wasn't impressed enough to sign up to read the rest. However, I did note that one of the authors is the "scientific director" of a company that sells diagnostic tests for Vitamin B12 deficiency.

Make of that what you will.

Yes I noticed that too -

interestingly all out B12 results now come back with the message "cannot exclude deficiency - please confirm with haematological and neurological findings" - presumably it is the same with most labs

Kayteetoo

elsien wrote: »

How to win friends and influence people.

I nearly did an emoticon shrug!
One thing I have learned from this - people will still be idiots whether you are nice to them or not. These days I go with, not.

Kayteetoo

Flugelhorn wrote: »

Yes I noticed that too -

interestingly all out B12 results now come back with the message "cannot exclude deficiency - please confirm with haematological and neurological findings" - presumably it is the same with most labs

Oh, that's nearly a question.
Right.
The labs, due to research such as the one I would have linked to had I not been a newbie, is showing that the serum b12 is 'subject to interference' and so cannot be relied upon.
The reason they are mentioning the neurological findings is that the message is starting to filter through that patients are getting neurological symptoms prior to the serum b12 showing haematological symptoms.
The other bloods are the ones I mentioned earlier.

The problems with the serum b12

Acute phase reactant
Measures all b12 in the blood including the analogues

Angry_Bear

Flugelhorn wrote: »

Yes I noticed that too -

interestingly all out B12 results now come back with the message "cannot exclude deficiency - please confirm with haematological and neurological findings" - presumably it is the same with most labs

On a completely OT note - I love your username (I play one too).

maddiemay

Thanks for the link, I will make time to read it.

I was diagnosed with PA 14 years ago and I am one of the lucky ones that gets reasonable (but not optimum treatment) it is a disgrace that a great number of people are either incorrectly diagnosed or correctly diagnosed and receive insufficient treatment, treatment is as cheap as chips and still under prescribed.

For those new to the subject PA and B12 deficiency have different causes (the body's failure to produce Intrinsic Factor) or (dietary insufficiency, major stomach surgery etc) but same symptoms and need similar treatment. Those with PA will never be able to consume enough B12 through diet. Without treatment death will result, but it may take a long time:eek:

Quote - Originally Posted by Angry Bear
To help people who really are interested in learning more, I read the synopsis at the BMJ, but wasn't impressed enough to sign up to read the rest. However, I did note that one of the authors is the "scientific director" of a company that sells diagnostic tests for Vitamin B12 deficiency.

Make of that what you will. End quote

In my opinion the above is not an automatic reason to dismiss the report, bearing in mind that current tests and their interpretation are as much use as a chocolate teapot.

j.e.j.

Kayteetoo wrote: »

That'd be a 'no' then - you are so well informed but you have no information. Genius.

I could point out that at least one of the people you are picking arguments with on this thread is actually a doctor..

but I won't