Prevalence of Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients: A Review

Background: Vitamin B12 deficiency is increasingly being recognized as a common concern in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Vitamin B12 plays a critical role in red blood cell formation, neurological function, and DNA synthesis. Aim: This review focuses on the prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency in newly diagnosed T2DM patients, exploring potential mechanisms, clinical implications, and recommendations for screening and treatment. Method: Patients in OPD with new onset diabetes mellitus type 2 who were between age group of 18-50 years with no history of any OHA uptake or any other risk factor to cause vit B 12 deficiency were taken into study. Result: 64(32%) patients of newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes were found to be vit B12 deficient, 87(43.5%) patients range in border line category and in 49(24.5) patients vit b12 levels are in normal limit. Conclusion: Vitamin B12 deficiency is prevalent among newly diagnosed T2DM patients. Due to the overlap of clinical symptoms between B12 deficiency and diabetic complications such as neuropathy, it is crucial for healthcare providers to consider B12 deficiency in their diagnostic workup