Vitamin B12 deficiency and diabetes

  • Type I diabetes is an autoimmune disease
  • Patients with type I diabetes are at risk of developing pernicious anemia*, another autoimmune disease1

B12 deficiency and type II diabetes treated with metformin

  • Up to 30% of metformin users experience vitamin B12 malabsorption2
  • Risk for B12 deficiency appears to increase with greater exposure to metformin3

Learn how Nascobal sustains B12 levels

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John is a Type II diabetic diagnosed with B12 deficiency

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Please see Important Safety Information below.

Indications

Nascobal® (Cyanocobalamin, USP) Nasal Spray is indicated for the maintenance of normal hematologic status in pernicious anemia patients who are in remission following intramuscular vitamin B12 therapy and who have no nervous system involvement.

Nascobal Nasal Spray is also indicated as a supplement for other vitamin B12 deficiencies including: dietary deficiency of vitamin B12 occurring in strict vegetarian diets; malabsorption of vitamin B12 resulting from conditions including HIV infection, AIDS, and Crohn's disease; inadequate secretion of intrinsic factor resulting from lesions that destroy the gastric mucosa and other conditions associated with gastric atrophy including multiple sclerosis, HIV infection, AIDS, certain endocrine disorders, iron deficiency, and subtotal gastrectomy; total gastrectomy; competition for vitamin B12 by intestinal parasites or bacteria; and inadequate utilization of vitamin B12 that may occur if antimetabolites for the vitamin are employed in the treatment of neoplasia.

Important Safety information

Nascobal® (Cyanocobalamin, USP) Nasal Spray is a prescription, man-made form of vitamin B12.

Nascobal Nasal Spray is used to keep healthy levels of B12. It is used to treat patients with pernicious anemia who do not have nervous system problems and who achieved healthy vitamin B12 levels following vitamin B12 shots.

Nascobal Nasal Spray is used to keep healthy vitamin B12 levels in: strict vegetarians, people who cannot absorb vitamin B12 because of damage to their stomach or intestine from diseases (HIV/AIDS, Crohn's disease and sprue) or surgery, infections caused by parasites or bacteria, and patients who cannot process vitamin B12 because of certain cancer treatments.

Do not take Nascobal if you are sensitive to cobalt and/or vitamin B12 or any ingredients in the medication. In patients with Leber's disease, treatment with vitamin B12 can damage their sight (optic nerve atrophy). In patients with too many red blood cells (a condition called polycythemia vera), treatment with vitamin B12 may cause this condition to return. In patients with severe anemia treated with vitamin B12, low potassium levels (hypokalemia) and sudden death may occur.

Some patients will need a weekly spray of Nascobal in their nostril for the rest of their lives. Do not stop taking your medication without talking to your doctor. If you stop taking vitamin B12, anemia could return, or you could develop permanent nerve damage.

Side effects thought to be related to Nascobal use are usually mild and include headache, nausea, and rhinitis.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please see full Prescribing Information.

For more information about Nascobal Nasal Spray, call 1-800-828-9393 (Option 2).

References:
1. De Block CEM, De Leeuw IH, Van Gaal LF. Autoimmune Gastritis in Type 1 Diabetes: A Clinically Oriented Review. J Clin Endocrinol Metab, Feb 2008, 93(2):363-371.
2. Tomkin GH, Hadden DR, Weaver JA, Montgomery DA. Vitamin-B12 status of patients on long-term metformin therapy. BR Med J. 1971;2:685-687.
3. Ting RZ, Szeto CC, Chan MH, et al. Risk Factors of Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Patients Receiving Metformin. Arch Intern Med. 2006; 166:1975-1979.