A B12 supplement can be helpful if you have type 2 diabetes and are deficient in the vitamin. People who take metformin for type 2 diabetes have lower levels of vitamin B12. If you're on metformin, talk to your health care provider about periodically being tested for a B12 deficiency.
Vitamin B12
It also plays an integral part in the synthesis of DNA and promotes the ability of your digestive system to maintain steady glucose blood levels.
Vitamin B12 replacement has been shown to cause symptomatic improvement among patients with severe diabetic neuropathy. One meta-analysis showed that if used either alone or in combination with vitamin B complex, there was a significant improvement in the somatic symptoms like pain and paraesthesias.
They are also at higher risk of developing pernicious anaemia, a condition where antibodies are produces against the carrier of vitamin B12 in the gut, intrinsic factor. This increase the likelihood of B12 deficiency as vitamin B12 is not protected as it passes through the gut.
In addition, vitamin B12 is 'trapped' in the plasma in patients with hyperglycemia, which leads to increased serum vitamin B12 levels, which explains the positive correlation with higher serum glycated hemoglobin levels.
Among a subset of sample (n=4366) with both baseline and exit B12 levels, we found a positive association between an increase in B12 and an increase in fasting blood glucose.
Because B12 is a cofactor in the conversion of methyl- malonic acid to succinylcholine, methylmalonic acid ac- cumulates in B12 deficiency, and causes lipogenesis and insulin resistance [12].
Your healthcare provider should monitor your vitamin B12 levels if you are taking metformin. You don't always need to take a vitamin B12 supplement if you're taking metformin. But if your healthcare provider prescribes vitamin B12 for you, they can help ensure you get the right product.
Your body absorbs only as much as it needs, and any excess passes through your urine. High doses of vitamin B-12, such as those used to treat a deficiency, might cause: Headache. Nausea and vomiting.
Even the lowest doses in B12 supplements are many times the recommended dietary allowance. Doses up to 1,000 mcg, though unnecessary, aren't harmful.
Previous studies showed that vitamin B12 deficiency anemia causes a false increase in glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and that HbA1c decreases with B12 treatment. However, no study has been conducted on how much an increase in hemoglobin (Hgb) level causes a decrease in HbA1c level after treatment.
The majority of the studies showing positive management of type 2 diabetes by vitamin D supplementation have claimed that the vitamin helps maintain a normal glycemic status by reducing insulin resistance, the main causative factor for diabetes.
Deficiency of Vitamin B12 is also a reason for increased sugar cravings. Eating a bowl of fresh homemade curd can help you with this.
Diabetic patients are recommended by healthcare providers to take B complex tables for improved functioning of their bodies. The most recommended dose of B complex may contain 1.5 mg of B1, 25 mg of B2, 75 mg of B6, 150 mcg of B12, 2.5 mg of folic acid, as well as 300 mcg of biotin.
Two recent meta-analyses have shown that Zinc supplementation reduces Fasting Blood Glucose, 2 h Post Prandial Blood Glucose and HbA1c in patients with diabetes, as well as reducing total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides in both patients with and without diabetes [15, 129].
Vitamin B3 or Niacin, taken to reduce bad cholesterol, increases insulin resistance and raises blood sugar levels.
Why Omega-3 Fatty Acids Are Good for Diabetes. Consider the fact that omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to help people control their body weight and their blood sugar, and it's easy to see why experts recommend them as part of a healthy diet if you have diabetes.
Vitamin C is an antioxidant, and the structural similarity between vitamin C and glucose makes it of interest in diabetes. Oxidative stress can lead to disturbed glucose metabolism and hyperglycemia.
According to the American Diabetes Association's Standards of Medical Care, people with diabetes get no extra benefits from taking a multivitamin, compared to people without diabetes. Any supplement or vitamin that is recommended for the general public is also recommended for people with diabetes.
The current meta-analysis found that vitamin B12 can improve neuropathic symptoms and reduce pain in patients with diabetic neuropathy.
Vitamin B12 can bind two carrier proteins in the digestive tract, haptocorrin (R binder) and intrinsic factor, but only its binding to intrinsic factor allows its absorption. A malabsorption of vitamin B12 is observed in about 30% of adult patients with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, using the Schilling test.
Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to the onset of diabetes. This review summarizes the role of Vitamin D in maintaining the normal release of insulin by the pancreatic beta cells (β-cells). Diabetes is initiated by the onset of insulin resistance.