You may know someone with a blood sugar disorder . Or, perhaps you have a blood sugar condition of your own.  It is reported that over 24 million U.S. citizens have this dangerous disorder . The Centers for Disease Control provides some disturbing statistics:

• One in 3 people born in the year 2000 will have excess blood sugar.
• The number of people diagnosed with this condition will rise by 165% by the year 2050

People affected with such a disorder most often fall into one of three groups.  Children and young adults are often affected by an autoimmune disease.  The second (and by far the most common) makes up about 95% of those diagnosed with a blood sugar disorder .  About 80% of those affected are obese . The third group affected is women in late pregnancy.

Does Medicine Hinder or Help ?

Use of certain medicines are reasonable for many people who experience a blood sugar condition, but it turns out that one such frequently-used medicine may truly exhaust the body of Vitamin B-12 .  Some of the symptoms of a B-12 shortage are a frequent feeling of being tired, a lack of mental clarity, or a lowered mood.  Even people who eat wholesome diets and exercise regularly may not be absorbing all the B-12 they need. This can be due to age or sickness . That’s why the use of a B-12 supplement can be beneficial .  TriVita makes a very good supplement that can be used for this purpose. It’s called TriVita Sublingual B12.  For many, it is the best B12 for their needs.

 As Many As 30% Have Reduced Vitamin B12

In one study, researchers sought to find out how pervasive a B-12 deficiency is among those treating a blood sugar disorder with metformin.  They evaluated 203 patients at a large military hospital . The dramatic results showed that a full 22% of the patients had an inadequate amount of B12 in their bloodstreams.

The researchers printed their findings in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine in 2009.  They concluded that additional research needs to be performed to determine the clinical implications of their findings, “B-12 deficiency should be considered” among patients with blood sugar disorders .

This study was only one of several that looked into the effects of metformin on vitamin B12 .  The work that has been realized, thus far, suggests that 10-30% of patients who take metformin are not absorbing enough B-12.   Some absorb so little B-12 that it can have potentially major effects on their health.  So far, it is unknown exactly why this happens, but researchers seem certain of the possible effects: excessive homocysteine in the blood can add to the risk of heart problems for people with a blood sugar illness .  Homocysteine is a kind of amino acid in the blood.  High levels of homocysteine are linked with possible disease in the heart and blood vessels. Vitamin B12 is nature's mechanism for keeping homocysteine in check.

Why Supplements May Help

The research into metformin’s affect on B-12 absorption is not suggesting people should stop taking metformin as suggested by their doctor .  However, many health specialists are suggesting that a B-12 shortage can be averted or corrected with supplementation while people continue to take metformin.

Your healthcare professional will provide you with the best information and guidance about how you should manage exessive blood sugar .