Is homocysteine always elevated in B12 deficiency?
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Is homocysteine always elevated in B12 deficiency?
In examining the relationship of serum vitamin B12 levels to homocysteine levels,1 Julie Robertson and colleagues highlight the utility of homocysteine in the clinical investigation of vitamin B12 deficiency. Both methylmalonic acid and homocysteine are elevated in vitamin B12 deficiency.
Is methylmalonic acid high or low in B12 deficiency?
Increased methylmalonic acid levels are a sensitive indicator of mild vitamin B12 deficiency and elevated homocysteine levels denote vitamin B12 or folate deficiency.
Which of the following vitamin deficiency causes anemia and methylmalonic acidosis?
Your body makes large amounts of MMA if you have a decrease in the amount of vitamin B-12. MMA is excreted in your urine. Your body needs B-12 to make red blood cells and to help your central nervous system work as it should. Low levels of B-12 can cause anemia, when your body does not make enough red blood cells.
What does elevated methylmalonic acid mean?
High MMA levels can be a sign of a vitamin B12 deficiency. Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to serious health problems including anemia, a condition in which your blood has a lower than normal amount of red blood cells.
What causes elevated methylmalonic acid?
Elevated levels of methylmalonic acid (MMA) result from inherited defects of enzymes involved in MMA metabolism or inherited or acquired deficiencies of vitamin B12 (cobalamin) or its downstream metabolites.
Does B12 reduce homocysteine?
Supplementation with vitamin B12 decreases homocysteine and methylmalonic acid but also serum folate in patients with end-stage renal disease. Metabolism.
What is methylmalonic acid and homocysteine?
In adults, total homocysteine (tHcy) and methylmalonic acid (MMA) in serum or plasma are sensitive markers of cobalamin status and are used for the diagnosis and follow-up of cobalamin deficiency (1–3). tHcy is also elevated in folate deficiency and is used as an indicator of this deficiency state (2, 4).
Does vitamin B12 affect MCV?
In clinical practice, the finding of an elevated mean corpuscular volume (MCV), macrocytic anaemia or specific neurological symptoms is often the reason to test for vitamin B12 (B12) deficiency.
What causes high MCV Blood Count?
If your MCV goes up, it could indicate: Low vitamin B12 level. Folate deficiency (folic acid is a nutrient) Liver disease.
What conditions are associated with low levels of methylmalonic acid?
Symptoms of B-12 deficiency include:
- cognitive impairment.
- gait or walking abnormalities, which are usually measured during a standard neurologic examination.
- irritability.
- jaundice, which is often seen in people with liver disease.
- peripheral neuropathy, which occurs when the nerves are malfunctioning.
- weakness.