Researchers at the University of British Columbia have developed a novel method to test for vitamin B12 deficiency that is sensitive enough to work on anyone, including newborn babies and large swaths of the general population.

Researchers have developed a test for vitamin B12 deficiency that requires only a single drop of blood. Photo: Don Erhardt.

Vitamin B12 deficiency can be tested with a single drop of blood collected from a finger prick, then blotted and dried overnight on a card consisting of filter paper. The UBC study made dried blood spot card analysis sensitive enough to measure the amount of methylmalonic acid (MMA), an indicator of a person’s B12 level.

The method simplifies blood sample collection for researchers in rural or remote areas where sophisticated lab equipment is unavailable. It’s currently being used in a research project in rural Indonesia.

B12 deficiency, if not detected and treated early, can cause delayed brain development, slow learning and digestion problems in babies.

Found in meat and dairy products, vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient and is vital for a healthy nervous system. Roughly five per cent of Canadian adults are B12 deficient and 20 per cent show marginal sufficiency, according to Statistics Canada. In developing countries, deficiency is as high as 50 or 80 per cent of the population.

Treatment for vitamin B12 deficiency includes injections, supplements, or dietary change.

The study, published in the Journal of Nutrition, involved testing the new method on 94 healthy young women in Vancouver. Lamers’ study co-authors are Theresa Schroder and Teo Quay.

See also
Vitamins: what they do and where to find them - B12

For more information
The University of British Columbia

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