Metformin Causes Vitamin B12 Deficiency and Anemia

[BobIA41]

  Most of our support group knows this and several know this first hand and wonder why it took so long for researchers to do research about it. 

The link to the article about the study = http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-metformin-b12-deficiency-idUSKCN0WC211?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews .

At least the researchers recommend being tested for B12 deficiency and not letting this stop them from taking metformin.  B12 deficiency can mean nerve damage that is severe and may be irreversible.  Severe and prolonged B12 deficiency has also been linked to impaired cognition and dementia.  It can also cause anemia (low red blood cell count), but fortunately, this condition is reversible with treatment.  Another finding of the study was more people in the metformin group were also anemic at year five than in the placebo group.

[Dianne]

Apparently my doctor has been doing her diabetes research, when she orders A1C blood work she includes orders for B12 testing.

[bigskygal]

Both my docs (PCP & Oncologist) do a B12 test when they draw blood.