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# Do I need to have any blood tests before I start taking a vitamin B12 supplement?

No, you don’t. Just start taking the maintenance dosage as soon as you begin your Planter journey. Next time you do a blood test, ask your doctor to check your vitamin B12, homocysteine and folate levels and blood count, if possible, to get a more complete picture. If you have any deficiencies, your doctor will prescribe a higher dose of vitamin B12 for 2-6 months to raise your levels, before you return to the maintenance dosage.