The vitamin B12 concentration in Turkish adult population: association with diabetes and prediabetes

Abstract

AbstarctThis study was designed to reveal the vit-B12 and folate concentrations in different age groups, and determine the prevalence of deficiency. Also investigating the relation of vit-B2 deficiency with diabetes and prediabetes. Material Methods: A cross-sectional, population-based survey, 'TURDEP-II' included 9719 randomly sampled adults aged≥20years. The study participants were grouped into those with serum vit-B12 levels below 200 pg/mL and those with normal reference intervals (200-900 pg/mL). Serum vitamin B12 was measured by E170, and the routine biochemical parameters were determined with Roche Modular autoanalyzer. Results: The mean vit-B12 levels was 302.8 ±191.9 pg/ml. Of 9719 participants, 2477 (25.5%) subjects had vit-B12 levels below 200 pg/ml (24.7% in men and 26.8% in women, p=0.01). When clinical and laboratory parameters were compared between groups; in vit-D deficiency group, the mean age (p=0.001), BMI (p=0.016) and waist (p=0.01), and serum levels triglycerides (p<0.001) were significantly higher; but HDL-c (p<0.001), LDL-c (p=0.001) and folate levels (p=0.021) were significantly lower than in the vit-B12 sufficient group. The deficiency rate of urban and rural areas were 24.5% and 26.5%, respectively. When the study participants were stratified by 5-year age intervals, the deficiency rate increased significantly by age (p<0.001). The vit-B12 deficiency rate in subjects aged 20-34 years was 24.4%, where as in those over 65 years was 29.8% (p<0.001). The vit-B12 deficiency rate was also investigated for diabetes, prediabetes, obesity, and hypertension. Accordingly, 29.2% of newly diagnosed and 18% of previously known diabetes patients had vit-B12 deficiency. The deficiency rate did not differ between subjects with or without prediabetes, general, and central obesity or hypertension.

Conclusion: Vit-B12 might help protect against chronic diseases including diabetes especially in geriatric population. Accordingly, fortifying foods with vit-B12 is of great importance in terms of preventive medicine.