Simple Single-Drop Test for Vitamin B12 Deficiency Developed

Researchers have developed a novel method, requiring only a single drop of blood, to test for vitamin B12 deficiency that is sensitive enough to work on anyone, including newborn babies.

Vitamin B12 deficiency can now be tested with a single drop of blood collected from a finger prick, and then simply blotted and dried overnight on a test card consisting of filter paper. Researchers from University of British Columbia (UBC; Vancouver, BC, Canada) led by Prof. Yvonne Lamers, developed the dried blood spot card analysis to be sensitive enough to measure the amount of methylmalonic acid (MMA), indicator of B12 level. “This minimally invasive approach helps us measure deficiency in an easier and more convenient way, especially in large samples of people,” says Prof. Lamers, “Our method is the first to make dried blood spot analysis sensitive enough to test healthy people for B12 deficiency.”

The new method has the potential to be added to BC's Newborn Screening Program, which tests for treatable disorders in all infants born in BC. B12 deficiency, if not detected and treated early, can cause delayed brain development, slow learning, and digestion problems. Treatment includes injections, supplements, or dietary change. “We are interested in Dr. Lamers’ method, which may be sensitive enough to detect and confirm B12 deficiency using the blood spot cards currently collected on BC newborns,” says Hilary Vallance, director of the BC Newborn Screening Program. Roughly 5% of Canadian adults are B12 deficient and 20% show marginal sufficiency, according to Statistics Canada. In developing countries, deficiency is as high as 50% to 80% of the population.

The method also simplifies blood sample collection and testing in rural or remote areas where sophisticated lab equipment is unavailable. It is currently being used in a research project in rural Indonesia.

The study, published by Schroder TH et al. in the October 1, 2014 issue of the Journal of Nutrition, involved testing the new method on 94 healthy young women in Vancouver.

Related Links:
University of British Columbia