Metformin is associated with low levels of vitamin B12 with no effect on other vitamin levels. A selective action of metformin.

IF 3.3 3区医学 Q2 CARDIAC & CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS

Nutrition Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases Pub Date : 2025-06-11 DOI:10.1016/j.numecd.2025.104193

Nicolò Vigolo, Anna Toffalini, Nicoletta Rolli, Elisa Paviati, Matteo Gelati, Maddalena Trombetta, Elisa Danese, Giacomo Zoppini

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background and aims: Metformin is frequently used in type 2 diabetes. Long-term treatment is associated with low blood levels of vitamin B12. No studies have evaluated whether metformin affects the blood levels of other vitamins with different mechanisms of intestinal absorption. Thus, the aim of this study was to measure vitamin B12 and other vitamin levels in metformin treated type 2 diabetes patients.

Methods and results: In 200 ambulatory patients with type 2 diabetes, vitamins B12, A, B1, B6, B9, C and E were measured. Subjects were divided into those taking and those not taking metformin. Vitamin levels were compared in these two groups. Metformin significantly reduced the levels of vitamin B12 compared to patients not taking the drug (227.1 ± 96.9 vs 325.6 ± 176.8 pmol/L, p < 0.001), without affecting the levels of all other measured vitamins. A deficiency of vitamin B12 was found in 21.1 % of patients. Metformin tripled the risk of vitamin B12 deficiency in the multivariate logistic regression model.

Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that shows a specific effect of metformin in reducing the level of vitamin B12 without affecting other vitamin levels.

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二甲双胍与低水平的维生素B12有关，对其他维生素水平没有影响。二甲双胍的选择性作用。

背景和目的：二甲双胍常用于2型糖尿病。长期治疗与血液中维生素B12水平低有关。目前还没有研究评估二甲双胍是否会影响肠道吸收机制不同的其他维生素的血液水平。因此，本研究的目的是测量二甲双胍治疗的2型糖尿病患者体内维生素B12和其他维生素的水平。方法与结果：对200例非卧床2型糖尿病患者进行维生素B12、A、B1、B6、B9、C、E的测定。受试者被分为服用和未服用二甲双胍的两组。比较了这两组的维生素水平。与未服用该药的患者相比，二甲双胍显著降低了维生素B12水平（227.1±96.9 pmol/L vs 325.6±176.8 pmol/L, p）。结论：据我们所知，这是第一个显示二甲双胍在不影响其他维生素水平的情况下降低维生素B12水平的特定效果的研究。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Nutrition Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases 医学-内分泌学与代谢

CiteScore

6.80

自引率

2.60%

发文量

332

审稿时长

57 days

期刊介绍： Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases is a forum designed to focus on the powerful interplay between nutritional and metabolic alterations, and cardiovascular disorders. It aims to be a highly qualified tool to help refine strategies against the nutrition-related epidemics of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. By presenting original clinical and experimental findings, it introduces readers and authors into a rapidly developing area of clinical and preventive medicine, including also vascular biology. Of particular concern are the origins, the mechanisms and the means to prevent and control diabetes, atherosclerosis, hypertension, and other nutrition-related diseases.