how long does it take to deplete b12 stores
Three out of 10 people who take metformin long-term develop a deficiency of vitamin B12. It can take 10 or 15 years to develop symptoms of B12 deficiency since the liver stores B12 - and it can take that long to deplete those stores.B12 deficiency causes damage to nerves that may be irreversible.urrent guidelines indicate that metformin is a cornerstone in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, but make no recommendations on the detection and prevention of vitamin B-12 deficiency during treatment. Our data provide a strong case for routine assessment of vitamin B-12 levels during long term treatment with metformin.