Vitamin B12 & Folate, Serum Panel

The Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) and Folate Panel, Serum test is a way to check if someone has enough folic acid and Vitamin B12 in their blood. Folic acid is a type of vitamin that is very important, especially for pregnant women, people who drink a lot of alcohol, those who don’t eat fresh fruits and vegetables, and people with damage to their small intestine. The best way to find out if someone doesn’t have enough folic acid is to measure how much they have in their red blood cells and in their blood. Sometimes, if a person doesn’t have enough Vitamin B12, it can make it hard for their body to use folic acid properly.

Vitamin B12 can be low in people who have a condition called pernicious anemia, those who have had surgery to remove part or all of their stomach, people who have trouble absorbing nutrients, and in some rare cases, people born with certain health issues that affect how their body handles vitamins.