Why am I suffering from vitamin B12 deficiency?

Q: I am a 25 years old male having pain in my elbow. My doctor suggested serum B12 levels and the report showed 147. I am non vegetarian and eat fish, meat etc. Why am I suffering from vitamin B12 deficiency?

A:You are right in saying that being a non-vegetarian person, it is highly unusual to find vitamin B12 deficiency. However, the first thing I would suggest is to repeat the test. This is so because it has been seen that a lot of variability can be there in this test. In case, the results are the same, then further work up would need to be based on the gastro-intestinal examination, for there could be an issue with the absorption. I would suggest you to get in touch with a good hematologist to take it up further.