Vitamin B12 is very important to the functioning of the human body. It has been found that the drug Metformin can cause a deficiency of vitamin b12 and diabetes patients are developing health problems because of this. Metformin is a fairly safe drug, and side effects of it are extremely rare. However, this is a serious issue in diabetes because vitamin B12 is what keeps your blood cells and nervous system in shape. It also helps prevent heart disease and Alzheimer disease.
Obviously, vitamin B12 diabetes deficiency can be a serious issue. Therefore, replacement of the Vitamin through diet and is important for any diabetic, but especially those who take Metformin on a regular basis. Do not take B12 supplements unless they are prescribed by a doctor because the vitamin can be harmful. Symptoms of a diabetes Vitamin B12 deficiency include anemia, nerve damage, memory loss, confusion, and dementia. If you have any of these symptoms, you should speak to your doctor about diabetes and vitamin B12 deficiency and ways to treat the problem (DiabetesSelfManagement.com, 2006).
Vitamin B12 Deficiency and Diabetes
Recent studies have shown that 40% of type 2 diabetics who were prescribed Metaformin ended up with low levels of B12, and of those patients 77% suffered peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage). This danger caused by the deficiency of vitamin B12 is very serious and doctors are strongly urged to test for B12 deficiency.
Often caused by a vitamin B12 deficiency, diabetes peripheral neuropathy symptoms include pain, tingling, and numbness in the hands and/or feet, burning sensations in hands or feet, lowered temperature sensitivity, muscle cramps, and loss of balance or coordination. Diabetes is the most common cause of peripheral neuropathy. How much metformin contributes to this is unknown because it is caused somewhat by bad circulation and inactivity. In fact, it is probably the combination of the two that causes the nerve damage in the end.
Blood tests can be given to determine if a person has a diabetes vitamin B12 deficiency. This screening should be carried out continually for any patients taking Metformin. Injections, oral medications, nasal sprays, supplements, and vitamin B12 patches are all reasonable treatments to keep these problems at bay, but they must be administered or prescribed by a doctor. This will hopefully prevent, or at least postpone any complications caused by the deficiency of vitamin B12 and diabetes such as irreversible nerve damage and pernicious anemia.
