Saudi Arabia: A recent study in the journal Human Nutrition & Metabolism found the prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency to be 17.5% in type 2 diabetes patients using metformin. Further, the researchers add that the risk of this association might increase with longer use of metformin and is influenced by the duration and occurrence of diabetes.
Metformin is the most commonly used medication for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) but its use may lead to a lower B12 status. However, not many studies in Saudi Arabia have assessed this risk. Considering this, Shaimaa B.Almatrafi, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia, and colleagues aimed to estimate the prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency in type 2 diabetes patients treated with metformin and its association with drug duration and dose with relation to B12 dietary intake in a cross-sectional study.
The study included 206 patients with type 2 diabetic patients using metformin for 6 months or more and attended the diabetic clinics at Al-Noor Specialist Hospital in Holy Makkah. Serum B12 levels were estimated, and biochemical B12 deficiency was defined as serum levels <243 nmol/L.
Using an online survey, the researchers' team collected medical history, demographics, dietary assessment for B12 intake, and data on metformin use. For statistical analysis, a statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) version 25 was used.
The researchers found the following:
Vitamin B12 deficiency occurred in 17.5% of the patients using metformin.
Significant differences existed according to diabetes duration between patients showing deficiencies and normal ranges of vitamin B12.
No significant differences were found according to metformin dose, duration, and vitamin B12 intake.
"Vitamin B12 deficiency prevalence in patients with type 2 diabetic patients using metformin was 17.5%," wrote the authors. "The risk of this relationship might increase with longer metformin use and is influenced by the occurrence and duration of diabetes."
Reference:
The study titled, "Prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency and its association with metformin-treated type 2 diabetic patients: A cross sectional study," was published in the journal Human Nutrition & Metabolism.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hnm.2022.200138