Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Vitamin B12 is related to diabetes treatment in an interesting manner. A wonderful treatment for diabetes has been available in the form of metformin, the drug that lowers down the production of sugar by the liver. This drug is also useful in making the body tissues more reactive towards insulin. As a result, metformin has become a popular drug in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

However, the recent studies have disclosed the fact that patients consuming metformin as the treatment drug for diabetes have become prone to the deficiency of vitamin B12. This vitamin has already established its essence in preventing the occurrence of heart diseases as well as Alzheimer disease. Hence, the clash between diabetes treatment drug and vitamin B12 is of great concern today.

Apart from metformin, there are many other causes for diabetes that can lead to the deficiency of vitamin B12. For instance, the people following strict vegetarian dietary routines are prone to vitamin B12 deficiency, as it is mainly found in animal foods. Also, the old age can also lead to its deficiency due to gastrointestinal tract disorders introduced at this age.

The deficiency of vitamin B12 can also lead to diabetes risks in new born babies. If the pregnant woman's diet lacks balanced amount of vitamin B12 on regular basis, it can result in the birth of underweight babies, which become prone to type-2 diabetes with passage of time. Keeping all these factors in mind, it is important to improve the content of vitamin B12 in the diet consumed on regular basis.

The rich sources of vitamin B12 include animal foods like meat, egg, fish, liver, clams, beef, salmon, trout and so on. Milk and milk products should also form the important parts of your regular diet to improve the content of vitamin B12 in your body. If you are a vegetarian, you should get prescribed vitamin B12 oral supplements as well as the injections from an authorized doctor.

Recommended Dietary Allowances

1-3 yrs 0.9 µg
4-8 yrs 1.2 µg
9-13 yrs 1.8 µg
14+ yrs 2.4 µg
Pregnant 2.6 µg
Lactating 2.8 µg
All dosages are recommended for per day consumption. It is advised to consult your doctor, before deciding the dosage. Vitamin B12 level should not be compromised with diabetes treatment and for this, you need to replenish its content appropriately.