If you've been tempting fate with the endless cycles of the drugs-and-insulin approach to battling diabetes, you've got plenty enough to worry about.

And now, a new study shows one more problem with the Big Pharma solution to this increasingly common condition: a serious shortage of vitamin B12.

Researchers say the common prescription diabetes drug metformin can rob diabetics of this key nutrient, leading to depression, moodiness, irritability, fatigue, nerve damage, anemia and memory problems.

It's the gift that keeps on taking.

Even worse, many docs miss this critical deficiency completely, and assume those conditions are simply being caused by the diabetes itself or ordinary aging.

Researchers gave 390 diabetics either metfomin or a placebo. After four years, those who had been taking metformin were found to have a 19 percent drop in their vitamin B12 levels, while those on the placebo had no change.

What's more, the researchers say this deficiency appears to get worse over time, according to the study published in the British Medical Journal.

You might conclude, as the mainstream already has, that anyone taking this med should have their B12 levels tested regularly. But that's only half the solution--because the problem isn't just the B12 deficiencies, it's the drug itself. Metformin has been linked to vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, gas, heartburn, and headaches.

Even worse, this drug can cause lactic acidosis--a condition so dangerous that it kills half of those who get it.

What's more, many patients who are given this med can't even bring themselves to take it--it can smell like anything from wet dog to dead fish.

Restoring your B12 levels won't fix any of those other problems associated with this smelly drug. But here's some good news: Diabetics across the nation have been freeing themselves of meds and even insulin through lifestyle changes--and if they can do it, you can do it, too.

That means giving up the carbs, especially sugar. That one drug-free move alone can help you lose weight, manage your diabetes and improve your overall health.

Don't worry, you'll hardly feel deprived: You can enjoy a steady diet rich in the delicious meats and natural fats that will help ensure you never suffer from a vitamin B12 deficiency.

Who wouldn't want that?

No matter how bad your condition has become or how long you've had it, it's not too late to make these changes. Even better, you can start to feel the difference in just a few weeks.

And eventually, you may be able to toss your meds where they belong: in the trash, where the smell won't matter as much.

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