raised / high serum folic acid levels ( folate levels)
Last reviewed 06/2022
Raised serum folic acid level may occur in:
- pernicious anaemia (or may be normal)
- periods following folic acid administration or eating
- vegetarians
- blood transfusion
- some cases of blind loop syndrome (secondary to folate synthesis by bacteria in the gut)
- false elevation in haemolysed specimens (due to folate in red blood cells)
- falsely increased to normal in some patients with severe iron deficiency (aetiology unknown)