old+metformin=low B12

anon125

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As i have been very tired for a few months... blood test shows low B12.
doc says eat a B12 diet.
I am on the low carb - meat and green veg diet - great for B12.
Now i learn that old plus history of metformin can mean low absorption of B12.
so pills are not such a good idea. will try shots - injections.

all of you folks who already know all this... have you changed from the metformin to something else?
thanks
i am type 2
 

Guzzler

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Hi there anon and welcome to the forum.
With any drug there are side effects/risks. The malabsorption of vitB12 caused by Metformin is the price I pay for a lessening of liver dumps and the protection of organs. You must weigh up which one concerns you the most and decide from there. I, too, eat a B12 freindly diet but will keep an eye on levels if they are flagged up in my regular blood tests. As B12 is useful for a number of diabetes related complications, not least neuropathies, it is wise, I think, to be aware if levels drop.
 
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donnellysdogs

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Are your levels low enough to be given b12 injections?

Those on lchf and metformin-eapecialy those cutting out foods with fortified B12 like bread and cereals may well have to suppeent with sublingual b12 tablets or transdermal patches.

If its dietary caused (including metformin), its not officially pernicious anaemia.

My levels are 210 and injections start at levels under 197 in our area.
Although I eat a lit of food with b12 and folate in, its still not enough. My GP as well doesnt worry about lack of b12 on body unless it drops to 100!! I know I feel horrible at levels under 280 so am currently supplementing.

However, I had official pernicious anaemia 10 years ago but a GP IN Wales stopped the injections. We were moving back to England so I thought I would wait for them to drop again. They didnt. Without any supplementsborbinections they rose to 1598. I had cancer found 6 minths later. Since having bith cancers removed they have now dropped back to 210. I'm supplementing till November and see if sublingual tablets and the transdermal patches will rise my levels. I am definitely feelung better.

I am T1 and not on metformin.

If you are tablet or diet low though you may need to supplement. If you are under target level then younshould be given injections immediately.
 

rosalindp

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You can do it when you first post the question. There are boxes to tick under the "Create a new thread" button,
 

dbr10

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As i have been very tired for a few months... blood test shows low B12.
doc says eat a B12 diet.
I am on the low carb - meat and green veg diet - great for B12.
Now i learn that old plus history of metformin can mean low absorption of B12.
so pills are not such a good idea. will try shots - injections.

all of you folks who already know all this... have you changed from the metformin to something else?
thanks
i am type 2
You could try a sublingual B12 supplement
 

donnellysdogs

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not that I have ever found but I am type 1.
Hope this may bump post up for T2's to chip in...
 

donnellysdogs

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Do try a sublingual methacobalim b12 tablet and see if this helps.
I had injections for years and if its from dietary/metformin then an injection sounds an eaay fix... but they arent.. honest..
 

Art Of Flowers

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I was having pins and needles in my hands and memory loss which I attributed to Metformin. See https://www.diabetesdaily.com/blog/...her-risk-of-alzheimers-and-parkinsons-393789/ For this reason I cut down to only one pill a day last February and stopped Metformin completely last May. My HbA1C levels still dropped to almost non-diabetic levels despite cutting back on Metformin because I was eating a low carb diet. I also found that Metformin was also giving me a fractured sleep pattern as I had to get up to use the bathroom at night and then I was feeling tired during the day.

Because of the pins and needles sensation I had a B12 test at my last blood test and now I find my B12 levels are OK. I did suspect the lack of B12 causes both neuropathy and memory loss. Overall the benefits of Metformin are small when compared with using a LCHF diet. If you can control your blood sugars through a low carb diet then there is no reason to take Metformin if you are getting adverse side effects from it.
 

JohnEGreen

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I take B12 supplements regularly 1000 microgram tablets and also take CO-Q10.
 

donnellysdogs

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Agree with memory loss totally.. although I think its also concentration as well.

Know I've had memoy test done recently and showed ok, but poor concentration.

Now taking sublingual and both memory and concentration improving.. (despite not concentrating on speed lmit or camera today!!-lol).
 

anon125

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45
thanks everyone
i see there are 2 types of metformin.
regular and long lasting. i wonder if they both have the B12 effect