A prescription drug given to people with diabetes could cause deficiency of a particular Vitamin, and have long-term health consequences, according to a research team. People that have type 2 diabetes and are prescribed Metformin in the long-term face risks of becoming deficient in Vitamin B12 .
B12 is a complex vitamin that helps to form red blood cells and maintain neurological functioning. This type of vitamin is found in meat, fish, and dairy . Those diabetics who take Metformin over a long-term period could lose 19 per cent of their Vitamin B12.
The research team were based in the Netherlands, and their report was published online in the British Medical Journal. The researchers commented: "Our study shows that it is reasonable to assume harm will eventually occur in some patients with metformin-induced low vitamin B12 levels."
Diabetes drug Vitamin B12 deficiency
Mon, 24 May 2010
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