Type 2 Diabetes - Side Effects Of Oral Anti-Diabetic Medications

Metformin is prescribed for many people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes because it does a good job of lowering blood sugar. One of the side effects, however, is that it can lower levels of vitamin B12 and the B vitamin folate, or folic acid, as well as raising levels of a molecule called homocysteine. Homocysteine can cause oxidation, leading to cell damage.

Investigators at the Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in Iran set out to discover whether giving people with Type 2 diabetes folate supplements could raise their:

vitamin B12 levels,lower homocysteine levels, andlower oxidation, andinflammation.

Their results were published in June 2011 in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.

Sixty-eight men with Type 2 diabetes were included in the study:

One group was given 5 mg per day of folic acid while another group was given a placebo for eight weeks.

the folate-supplemented group showed lowered homocysteine levels by the end of the study along with a raised antioxidant capacity and increased levels of folate and vitamin B12.the group taking folic acid also showed lowered levels of malondialdehyde, a toxin that can harm cells and is used to measure oxidative stress.the placebo group showed no changes.

Folic acid, also known as vitamin B9, and vitamin B12 are necessary for the bone marrow to make red blood cells. Lack of either vitamin can cause megaloblastic or macrocytic anemia, in which the bone marrow makes overly large, immature red blood cells.

Signs and symptoms of folic acid deficiency include:

tiredness,diarrhea,prematurely gray hair,mouth ulcers,poor growth, anda swollen tongue.

Signs and symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency include:

weakness,light-headedness,pale skin,sore red tongue,bleeding gums,nausea,weight loss,diarrhea, andconstipation.

The recommended daily intake of folic acid is 4.0 mg per day for adults over 19 years of age. One cup of fortified breakfast cereal provides 2.0 to 4.0 mg of folate. A cup of spinach provides about 2.6 mg and a half-cup of lentils provides about 1.8 mg. Other foods with a good supply of folic acid include other beans and legumes, other dark green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, wheat bran and whole grains.

The recommended daily intake of vitamin B12 is 2.4 micrograms. A cup of fortified breakfast cereal contains 1.5 micrograms of vitamin B12. Certain types of yeast are also available for providing vitamin B12.

Volunteers in the study were given 5.0 mg of folic acid per day; not 50. If one pill is good for you, two pills are likely to cause an overdose. Discuss with your doctor whether testing for folate deficiency is a good idea for you.

To discover answers to questions you may be asking yourself about Type 2 Diabetes, click on this link... Natural Diabetes Treatments