BMJ

Micronutrient deficiencies prevalent in type 2 diabetes patients

January 31, 2025

Study design: This systematic review and meta-analysis followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines and included 132 studies with 52,501 participants. The comprehensive literature search spanned multiple databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library, focusing on adult patients with T2DM and assessing the prevalence of various micronutrient deficiencies. Since the included studies were hospital based, authors urge caution in interpreting the findings due to inherent selection bias.

Results: The pooled prevalence of multiple micronutrient deficiencies among T2DM patients was 45.30%. Vitamin D deficiency was the most prevalent at 60.45%, followed by magnesium deficiency at 41.95%. Vitamin B12 deficiency (28.72%) was higher among patients on metformin. Women with T2DM had a higher prevalence of deficiencies (48.62%) compared with men (42.55%). The study also highlighted significant geographic variations in deficiency prevalence.

Clinical impact: The findings underscore the importance of routine screening for micronutrient deficiencies in T2DM patients, particularly for vitamin D and magnesium. Addressing these deficiencies through dietary modifications or supplementation might improve overall diabetes management and patient outcomes.

Source:

Mangal DK, et al. (2025, January 28). Burden of micronutrient deficiency among patients with type 2 diabetes: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health 2025;:e000950. https://nutrition.bmj.com/content/early/2025/01/03/bmjnph-2024-000950