RE: Vitmain B12 Deficiency; the website is: www.B12.com;

[Guest guest]

If a CBC is being done, it is often useful to examine the white blood cells for

hypersegmentation of the neutrophils. This requires a manual differential

count, which is not done as routinely as it once was, but is still well within

the capability of any lab that does a CBC, and usually is available at no extra

charge. Early in the onset of B12 deficiency the white blood cell line may show

changes sooner than the red cell line because white cells have shorter lifespans

in the blood and a more rapid turnover.

By the way, I agree that the test is nonsense.

Jim

________________________________

From: [mailto: ] On

Behalf Of andrewhallcutler

Sent: Monday, December 31, 2007 2:55 PM

Subject: [ ] Re: This is a home test for A Vitmain B12 Deficiency;

the website is: www.B12.com;

This is mostly nonsense wrapped around a bit of sense to sell an expensive and

unnecessary test.

Lab tests are not magical. The real test is response to B-12, and a bottle of

B-12

sublingual tablets costs a lot less than $150 and doesn't require sticking

needles in your

kid. If they need B12 there will be some response to this, and you can decide if

they need

more.

Cheap tests that catch it with reasonable frequency include elevation of MCV or

MCH on a

blood count, and elevation of methylmalonic acid on an organic acid test.

Andy