Reasons to test
Who should take this test?
Vegans & vegetarians
Vegans & vegetarians are at a high risk of Vitamin B12 deficiency because a plant-based diet does not contain any Vitamin B12. Testing once a year is strongly recommended.
Pregnant women
During pregnancy, the body requires more Vitamin B12 than normal. Get tested to make sure that you have not developed a deficiency, especially if you follow a plant-based diet.
People taking one of these medications
Medications such as PPI and H2 blockers (for heartburn and other acid-related disorders) as well as Metformin (for diabetes) can lead to Vitamin B12 deficiency.
People with one of these conditions
You have a high risk of vitamin B12 deficiency if you have Morbus Crohn or had a gastric bypass surgery, because your body cannot absorb Vitamin B12 well.
How the test works
01
Order your test kit
Orders before 16:00 on a working day are shipped the same day and usually arrive the next working day with Swiss Post.
02
Take your sample from home
The test kit will contain all the necessary material for you to collect a small blood sample from your finger. Never done that before? Don't worry, detailed video instructions are provided and thousands of customers have used them to successfully take their sample.
03
Send your sample to the lab for analysis
Next, you put your sample into the provided Retourbox and drop it off in a Swiss Post mailbox. It will be analysed by our Swiss laboratory partner, Medisyn (formerly known as Synlab).
04
Receive your results online
Your results will be available online 2-3 working days after sending your sample to the lab.
Vegans & vegetarians have a high risk of vitamin B12 deficiency because plant-based diet does not contain Vitamin B12.
- Dr. Robert, Chief Medical Officer
Your test results & official lab report will be available online after 2-3 working days.
Your test results & official lab report will be available online after 2-3 working days.
About vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 has various jobs in our body.
For example, it is necessary for:
- DNA synthesis
- maintenance of myelin sheaths (very important for our nerves to function properly)
- synthesis of neurotransmitters
- blood cell production
- overall brain health
Humans take in vitamin B12 by eating animal products like meat, fish and milk products.
Important to know: there is no 'natural' occurence of vitamin B12 plants.
Therefore, vegans and vegetarians are at a high risk of Vitamin B12 deficiency unless they take supplements.
Common symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency include
- tingling in the hands and feet
- problems with balance
- confusion
- dementia
- weakness
- loss of appetite
- anemia
Vitamin B12 is only found in animal products such as meat, fish and milk.
Therefore, if you are vegetarian or even vegan, you are very likely to not take in enough vitamin B12 through your diet.
Other causes can be issues with absorption of vitamin B12 in your intestines due to gastrointestinal diseases like Morbus Crohn, medication such as PPI, H2-receptor blockers or if you had gastric bypass surgery.
Vitamin B12 deficiency is treated by "re-filling" your vitamin B12 stores through supplements or vitamin B12 injections.
If you are willing to eat animal products, you can also adjust your diet to increase you vitamin B12 intake on a daily basis. A nutritionist can help you with that!
If you are vegan or vegetarian and therefore unlikely to take in enough vitamin B12 through your normal diet, the most effective way to prevent vitamin B12 deficiency is to continuously take vitamin B12 supplements (tablets, drops or even chewing gum or tooth paste).
If you eat animal products, you can adjust your diet to take in enough vitamin B12 on a daily basis with the help of a nutritionist.
Additionally, you should test your vitamin B12 levels once a year to catch low vitamin B12 levels before they develop into a deficiency.
The recommended daily intake of vitamin B12 is between 4 and 7 mcg.
But how do you manage that? Content of Vitamin B12 varies but is generally found in animal products such as meat, fish and milk products. According to US department of agriculture, for example:
- one egg has about 1.1 mcg
- 100 g of 1% fat milk have 0.5 mcg
- 100g meat have 0.6 mcg
- 100 g Atlantic salmon, cooked has about 2.8mcg / 100g
If you are super committed: liver is your best bet to get enough Vitamin B12 with about 18.7 mcg / 100g !
