Abstract
Background: Treatment of diabetes mellitus with metformin in long duration may be associated with vitamin B12 deficiency and/or hyperhomocysteinemia.
Objective: The aims of this study were to determine the serum vitamin B12 and homocysteine concentrations in patients with type 2 diabetes treated with metformin and to examine the association between vitamin B12 deficiency and/or hyperhomocysteinemia with the dose and duration of treatment with metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Methods: Cross sectional study.
Results: A total of 114 patients with type 2 diabetes were studied. The average age was 51.1 ± 6.2, and 55.3% were female. The average serum vitamin B12 concentration in the disease group was 458 ± 211 pg/mL, lower than that in the control group (647 ± 191 pg/mL), p<0.05. The average serum homocysteine concentration in the disease group was 12.5 ± 4.3 μmol/L, higher than that in the control group (9.02 ± 2.37 μmol/L), p<0.05. 17.8% of patients treated with metformin have vitamin B12 deficiency 21.9% of patients treated with metformin have hyperhomocysteinemia, and 13.7% of patients have both vitamin B12 deficiency and hyperhomocysteinemia. There was no significant correlation between vitamin B12 deficiency and/or hyperhomocysteinemia with metformin dose (p=0.99). There was a significant correlation between vitamin B12 deficiency and/or hyperhomocysteinemia with metformin treatment duration ≥ 5 years (p<0.001).
Conclusion: The average serum vitamin B12 concentration in the disease group was lower than that in the control group, and the average serum homocysteine concentration in the disease group was higher than that in the control group: 17.8% patients have vitamin B12 deficiency, 21.9% patients have hyperhomocysteinemia, 13.7% patients have both vitamin B12 deficiency and hyperhomocysteinemia. There was no significant correlation between vitamin B12 deficiency and/or hyperhomocysteinemia with metformin dose. There was a significant correlation between vitamin B12 deficiency and/or hyperhomocysteinemia with metformin treatment duration ≥5 years.
Published | 2025-04-24 | |
Fulltext |
|
|
Language |
|
|
Issue | Vol. 15 No. 1 (2025) | |
Section | Original Articles | |
DOI | 10.34071/jmp.2025.1.17 | |
Keywords | Metformin, đái tháo đường típ 2, thiếu vitamin B12, tăng homocysteine Metformin, type 2 diabetes, vitamin B12 deficiency, hyperhomocysteinemia |

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2025 Hue Journal of Medicine and Pharmacy
Infante M, Leoni M, Caprio M, Fabbri A. Long-term metformin therapy and vitamin B12 deficiency: An association to bear in mind. World J Diabetes. 2021; 12(7): 916-931.
Zhang Q, Li S, Li L, Li Q, Ren K, et al. Metformin treatment and homocysteine: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutrients. 2016; 8: 798.
Cristiana F, Nina Z, Elena A. Homocysteine in red blood cells metabolism - Pharmacological approaches. Blood Cell - An Overview of Studies in Hematology. 2012; pp. 31-68.
Bộ Y Tế. Quyết định 5481/QĐ-BYT 2020 về Hướng dẫn chẩn đoán và điều trị đái tháo đường típ 2. 2020; trang 2-24.
International Diabetes Federation. The 10th edition confirms that diabetes is one of the fastest growing global health emergencies of the 21st century. IDF Diabetes Atlas 2021 - 10th edition. 2021; pp. 5.
American Diabetes Association. Pharmacologic approaches to glycemic treatment: Standards of care in diabetes - 2024. Diabetes Care. 2024; 47(1): S158-S178.
Bailey CJ. Metformin: Historical overview. Diabetologia. 2017; 60: 1566-1576.
World Health Organization. WHO Model List of Essential Medicines - 22nd List. 2021; pp. 44.
Alhaji JH. Vitamin B12 deficiency in patients with diabetes on metformin: Arab countries. Nutrients. 2022; 14: 2046.
Davies S. Metformin use and vitamin B12 deficiency: New MHRA guidance. Journal of Diabetes Nursing. 2022; 26(5): 1-4.
Inácio I, Azevedo T, Balsa AM, Alves M, Dantas R, et al. Relationship between metformin use and vitamin B12, homocysteine and methylmalonic acid levels in patients with type 2 diabetes. Revista Portuguesa de Diabetes. 2022; 17(1): 15-22.
Longo SL, Ryan JM, Sheehan KB, Reid DJ, Conley MP, et al. Evaluation of vitamin B12 monitoring in patients on metformin in urban ambulatory care settings. Pharmacy Practice, 2019; 17(3): 1499.
Obeid R, Heil SG, Verhoeven MMA, van den Heuvel EGHM, de Groot LCPGM, et al. Vitamin B12 intake from animal foods, biomarkers, and health aspects. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2019; 6: 93.
American Diabetes Association. Diagnosis and classification of diabetes: Standards of care in diabetes - 2024. Diabetes Care. 2024; 47(1): S20-S42.
Miyan Z, Waris N. Association of vitamin B12 deficiency in people with type 2 diabetes on metformin and without metformin: A multicenter study, Karachi, Pakistan. BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care. 2020; 8: e001151.
Osama H, Hussein HAE, Abdelrahim ME, Salem HF. Screening the effect of metformin on serum vitamin B12 and blood homocysteine levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Medicine Science. 2015; pp. 1-11.
Sato Y, Ouchi K, Funase Y, Yamauchi K, Aizawa T. Relationship between metformin use, vitamin B12 deficiency, hyperhomocysteinemia and vascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes. Endocrine Journal. 2013; 60(12): 1275-1280.
Yakubu M, Laing EF, Nsiah P, Anthony R, Acheampong E, et al. Vitamin B12 deficiency in type 2 diabetic patients on metformin: A cross - sectional study from South - Western part of Ghana. Alexandria Journal of Medicine. 2019; 55(1): 58-67.