$25.00
Priced per marker, with baseline labs included. You’ll see your total before you pay.
Brain & nervous system
Methylmalonic acid test
Can rise with B12 deficiency before serum B12 falls; may offer more sensitive detection of true deficiency.
At a glance
In about 5 days
Most results are ready in about 5 days. Some specialty markers can take up to 21 days.
Check before your draw
This marker has no preparation tag, but it can still need preparation. Contact us before your draw if you’re not sure.
Walk in at Quest
Your lab order arrives by email. Most Quest locations take walk-ins, so bring it with a photo ID.
What it measures
Methylmalonic acid is a substance that can build up when your body is short on vitamin B12. It can catch a B12 shortage that a B12 test alone may miss.
Why it matters for women
Low B12 can be more common with a vegan diet, weight-loss surgery, or metformin, a medicine used for diabetes and PCOS (a common hormone condition). An autoimmune cause of low B12 can be more common in people with thyroid disease, which affects more women than men. Low B12 can cause tiredness, numbness and changes in memory or mood.
You might check it if…
- your B12 result was borderline
- you notice numbness, tingling or balance trouble
- you follow a vegan diet or take metformin
- you’ve had weight-loss surgery or a stomach condition
What your result may mean
High Methylmalonic acid: what it may mean
High methylmalonic acid (MMA) may point to low vitamin B12 (B12 deficiency). MMA can be a sensitive marker, and it can rise before serum B12 looks low. It can happen with a vegan diet, weight-loss surgery, pernicious anemia (an autoimmune cause of low B12), or metformin, a medicine used for diabetes and PCOS. Kidney disease can also raise MMA, as can older age and a rare inherited condition. Some people may notice tiredness, numbness, tingling, or changes in memory or mood, and others may have no symptoms. A clinician may read MMA next to B12, homocysteine and kidney tests.
Low Methylmalonic acid: what it may mean
Low methylmalonic acid (MMA) may make a functional B12 shortage less of a concern, since MMA can build up when cells run short of B12. A low value itself may not be a concern, and it can be reassuring when B12 sits near the low end, including for women on metformin or a vegan diet. Recent B12 shots or supplements can also bring MMA down. Numbness, tiredness or mood changes can have other explanations, so a clinician may look at iron, thyroid and folate tests if symptoms continue.
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These notes provide context and do not diagnose a condition. Not yet available in NY, NJ, RI, HI, ND, SD or WV.