Frequency of inadequate consumption of vitamin B12 and its serum levels in people with diabetes mellitus type 2 under metformin treatment in health centers of the Province of Buenos Aires

Abstract

Introduction: the prolonged use of metformin and the lack of consumption of vitamin B12 can cause its deficit, in T2D.
Objectives: to analyze the frequency of insufficient consumption of vitamin B12 according to: personal characteristics, anthropometric and laboratory data, and use of metformin; associate serum cobalamin levels with metformin dose and time; establish a relationship between B12 intake and serum levels.
Materials and methods: cross-sectional design. Through a survey of the frequency of consumption of food sources of B12 in 200 patients treated with metformin for more than 18 months. Clinical, anthropometric, laboratory data, time and dose of metformin were analyzed in 2 health centers in the Province of Buenos Aires.
Results: the percentage of deficient consumption was 29%. 47.5% of unemployment was registered, which reached an intake deficit of 32.6%. Serum B12 was measured in 65% of the sample where 53.8% of values were abnormal (0.8% in deficient levels) and 23% at levels normal lower cut-off point, with a significant association being observed at doses of metformin ≥1,500 mg. Deficiencies in B12 intake (<2.4 µg/day) were almost 4 times higher in the group with the lowest erythrocyte count (76.9% vs 18.5%; p<0.00 ). The MCV and platelet count yielded statistically significant data.
Conclusions: although 29% of the sample exhibited poor vitamin intake, 90% of patients with serum deficiency had adequate intakes of vitamin B12. Given that it is a cross-sectional design, where causality cannot be evaluated, it is suggested: in patients undergoing pharmacological intervention with metformin, consider the impact of this in deficient situations.