The Necessity of Attention to Vitamin B12 Level Examination in Diabetic Patients Treated with Metformin

Abstract

people need to have healthy methods of therapy because such methods can protect one’s health(1, 2).Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a prevalent metabolic disorder and paying adequate attention to areas related to this condition is very necessary (3). Metformin is a medication generally used in diabetic patients (4). Therefore, attention must be paid to the side effects of these medications. On the other hand, importance of vitamin B12 in the field of biological sciences has been well established. Vitamin B12 deficiency causes a wide range of neuropsychiatric and hematologic disorders. Unfortunately, the growing prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency has been identified in diabetics treated with metformin. Sato have explained that metformin treatment is a reducer of vitamin B12 level (5). Also, researchers have suggested that metformin can cause vitamin B-12 deficiency (6, 7). Similarly, in their study, scholars indicated that the treatment of metformin has an underlying role in concentrated reduction of vitamin B12 (4). Due to the above-mentioned problems, the focus of the health workers of diabetic centers on examination of vitamin B12 level in treated patients by metformin can identify vitamin B12 deficiency and prevent further complications by proper treatment. It is recommended that the examination of vitamin B12 in diabetic patients treated with metformin be considered as a plan and a procedure for the purpose of improving the patients’ health condition.