Vitamin B12 Concerns Regarding Diabetes Drug

Mon, 24 May 2010
A frequently prescribed drug for diabetes can cause vitamin B12 deficiency, which worsens over time, so says recent research.

Type 2 diabetics on long-term treatment with metformin are likely to be deficient of this vitamin, which is crucial for forming red blood cells and maintainance of healthy neurological functioning.

In addition, the vitamin is to be found in fish, meat and dairy including cheese, milk and eggs.

This new study emphasises that diabetics on metformin can lose 19% of their vitamin B12 levels in contrast to those who are not on this medication.

B12 deficient individuals can undergo tiredness and anaemia and can be easily misdiagnosed as being diabetic .

The research involved two groups; one who took 850mg of metformin thrice a day for 4.3 years on average. The results were then compared to the other group who were taking a placebo drug.

Vitamin B12 levels were then measured at regular intervals.

The Dutch authors discovered that metformin users experienced a 19 per cent drop in B12 levels in comparison with those on the placebo.

The study found that it would be a reasonable assumption to consider that eventually some patients with metformin-induced low vitamin B12 levels will be harmed.

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