Getting and Understanding Test Results

Low Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is important for healthy blood cells and nerves. Very low levels of this vitamin can cause anaemia.  If you have been advised that you have low Vitamin B12 it would be worth trying to improve your vitamin levels in order to prevent anaemia in the future.

Below is information on foods that contain vitamin B12. We would recommend trying to have some of these foods every day. 

Vitamin B12 is naturally found in food derived from animals. Some foods have B12 added to them e.g cereals and some yeast products. Good sources include: 

  • dairy products e.g yoghurt, cheese, milk 
  • most milk alternatives e.g. oat milk, soya milk or yoghurts (read nutritional on packaging carefully)
  • eggs
  • fortified breakfast cereals (not all cereals are fortified- read nutritional on packaging carefully)
  • yeast extracts e.g. marmite 
  • fish e.g tuna, salmon, cod, trout 

More information can be found in the NHS inform website. 

Low Folate Levels

Folic acid (folate) is a vitamin which is important for healthy blood cells and nerves. Very low levels of this vitamin can cause anaemia.  If you have been advised that you have low folate it would be worth trying to improve your vitamin levels in order to prevent anaemia in the future.

Below is information on foods that contain folate. We would recommend trying to have some of these foods every day. 

Folic acid is found in small amounts in many foods. Good sources include: 

  • leafy green vegetables e.g spinach, asparagus, green peas, broccoli, brussels sprouts 
  • fortified breakfast cereals (not all cereals are fortified- read nutritional on packaging carefully)
  • chickpeas 
  • the following fruits- oranges, avocados, melon, bananas 
  • the following fruit juices- tomato juice, orange juice 
  • brown rice 

More information can be found in the NHS inform website.

Low Iron levels +/- Anaemia

Click here for further information reagrding this common type of anaemia that is caused by a lack of iron. Symptoms include pale skin and lack of energy. A low level of iron, leading to anaemia, can result from various causes. Some are more serious than others.

Cholesterol Levels

Raised cholesterol can increase your risk of developing problems such as heart disease or a stroke in the future. We often prescribed medications, such as statins, for patient who have an elevated cholesterol and an increased risk of heart attack or stroke. To aid further understanding of cholesterol levels, potential future risk of heart attack and stroke and possible treatments including statins please click here for a comprehensive overview that answers many common questions and concerns patient's may have. 

PSA Testing

You may have undergone a blood test called a PSA because you saw a GP or other health care professional due to concerns about changes in the way you pass urine or you were worried about prostate cancer. If you wish to read more information regarding the PSA blood test or potential further investigations that may be required in the even of a test illustarting a rise in PSA level then access Prostate Cancer UK information pages by clicking here.

Commercial Blood Tests and Scans

COMMERCIAL BLOOD TESTS & SCANS
In the practice we have noticed that many people are seeking our advice following blood tests or scans they have organised themselves outside the NHS.
We want our patients to be aware that there are many commercial companies who are offering lots of tests that aren’t based on good science.
The NHS has good systems for making sure that tests we offer people are proven to help. However there are many businesses charging a lot of money for tests that we would not recommend, especially in people who feel well.
This causes a lot of problems. First, wasting your money. Second, ‘false positives’ - these are when the test shows an abnormality, but the test is either not very good (this happens a lot) or natural variation in the body or test can show a problem when there isn’t one. This can cause the patient a lot of worry. Third, lots of these companies encourage people to discuss their results with their GP - this can mean that we use appointments to follow up on tests that we wouldn’t have recommended in the first place. Also, some people use these tests as a way of ‘proving’ to themselves that they are healthy despite a bad diet, or drinking too much, or smoking. These tests can’t tell you that and can be falsely reassuring.
Another issue is scans (like MRI or ultrasound) done in the private sector. These should only be organised by a healthcare professional who makes sure it is the right test for you and will ensure that the follow-up is correct. We cannot offer to interpret test results that we did not order. It is the responsibility of the person who ordered the test to organise sharing the results and discussing actions afterwards. If you think you need a scan for some reason please discuss it with us and we will try and help. Getting a scan done privately does not mean that you will be on a shorter hospital waiting list. Additionally, lots of scans show ‘false positives’ - small variations that don’t mean anything is wrong - which can again cause a lot of worry.
We are always happy to discuss tests for people who feel well (for example, we can offer cholesterol tests to people at risk of heart disease, blood pressure, cervical screening, etc) and to help people reduce their risks of future problems (like smoking, alcohol and diet). We will always help where we can.
You can get further information here

NHS and commercial health screening tests: important considerations - GOV.UK

Page last reviewed: 30 April 2026
Page created: 10 July 2025