Metformin is one of the most popular medications prescribed for type 2 diabetes. It helps to reduce blood sugar and reduces the risk of suffering diabetic complications. It is typically the first drug a type 2 diabetic is placed on when diagnosed.

Metformin usually causes low levels of vitamin B12. This is a problem because low B12 can increase the risk of nerve damage and dementia; two conditions that diabetics are already at greater risk of. Low B12 can also adversely affect your mood, motivation, memory and ability to think clearly. You don’t want to be B12 deficient.

Neuropathy (nerve disease) is extremely common in diabetics. The longer you’ve been a diabetic, the more likely you’ll suffer. Typical symptoms include numbness in the feet; tingling, pins and needles or pain. These are such common symptoms in diabetics that they’re almost expected.

High blood sugar is toxic to nerves and most other organs and tissues of your body, but neuropathy isn’t solely due to diabetes. Not every diabetic experiences neuropathy. There are actually people with mild, well controlled diabetes who suffer a great deal of nerve pain.

An increasing amount of research is showing that vitamin B12 deficiency is extremely common in diabetics, and may be the biggest trigger of nerve problems. Metformin is the most commonly prescribed drug to lower blood sugar. It is generally well tolerated and usually has few side effects. However, it does cause vitamin B12 deficiency because it reduces the ability of your body to absorb this vitamin. Metformin reduces the production of  bile and intrinsic factor (both necessary for B12 absorption). It also reduces your ability to absorb B12 across the wall of your small intestine (ileum).

Another potential problems is that stomach acid suppressing drugs are well known to cause B12 deficiency, and these drugs are widely taken by diabetics. A study was recently published in the journal Clinical Diabetes titled Metformin With Either Histamine H2-Receptor Antagonists or Proton Pump Inhibitors: A Polypharmacy Recipe for Neuropathy via Vitamin B12 Depletion. Histamine H-2 Receptor Antagonists and Proton Pump Inhibitors are the two categories of stomach acid blocking drugs. Common brand names include Zantac, Tagamet, Nexium, Pepcid, Losec, Somac and Zoton. There are a lot of people taking one of these drugs. The combination of one of them with metformin is a recipe for disaster.

If you are taking one or both of these drugs, please see your doctor for a vitamin B12 blood test. B12 is naturally found in animal foods such as red meat, poultry and seafood, but if you are suffering with nerve problems you will need a supplement. It’s sad that a lot of people suffer terribly from neuropathy which could easily be prevented.

You may not be aware that there are natural alternatives to Metformin that can work just as well or better. Berberine is an herbal extract with a number of research-proven benefits to metabolism. It is especially beneficial for type 2 diabetics. Studies have shown berberine can help lower blood sugar and cholesterol, and it even makes weight loss easier. Studies have shown that berberine can help to reduce elevated blood sugar in type 2 diabetics and is at least as effective as the prescription drug metformin (Glucophage, Diaformin). In one study, 116 patients with type 2 diabetes and elevated blood fats were given either one gram of berberine each day, or a placebo for three months. The group taking berberine experienced a 20 percent drop in their fasting blood sugar. It went from an average of 7.0 to 5.6 mmol/L (126 to 101 mg/dL). This means their blood sugar went from being diabetic to being in the normal range! The individuals taking berberine also experienced reductions in their cholesterol and triglycerides.

You can find out how well berberine works for you by measuring your blood sugar and your waist circumference. I think you’ll be happy with the results.

Please don’t discontinue any medication without consulting your doctor.

The above statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.

References

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4398011/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18397984/

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