This easy-to-understand video goes over how Metformin works, the main benefits of Metformin, and the main risks of Metformin.
Hi guys today we will be talking about metformin i will touch on three main things mainly how does metformin work what are its benefits and what are its risks all right so how does metformin work metformin works in three main ways the first is that it decreases the amount of sugar that your liver makes the second is that it decreases how much sugar gets absorbed
In your intestines from your food and last but not least metformin makes your body more sensitive to insulin remember your pancreas makes insulin to help control your blood sugar and some people may end up getting insulin prescribed to them if their pancreas isn’t producing insulin properly metformin will help improve your body’s response to the insulin regardless
Of the source of insulin so what are the benefits of metformin first metformin lowers a1c by roughly one percent or sometimes more depending on the dose remember a1c is a measure of blood sugar and high blood sugar can increase your risk of heart attacks strokes kidney damage and eye damage among other things so bringing your blood sugar down to a normal level
Is important to prevent long-term damage to your body and or death i would also like to point out that metformin is in addition to exercising regularly eating less carbs sugars and maintaining a healthy weight metformin is mainly used to lower blood sugar and type 2 diabetes but it can also be used in pre-diabetes gestational diabetes if the benefits outweigh the
Risks and even type 1 diabetes although this is considered experimental all right so number two on our list is that metformin may reduce the risk of heart disease and death this might be a big factor as to why the american diabetes association recommends metformin first line for type 2 diabetes before other diabetes medications number three is cost while there
Are several diabetes medications out there that are hundreds of dollars per month metformin is very cheap which is nice number four metformin has a low risk of low blood sugar episodes also known as hypoglycemia which is something that we worry about with other diabetes medications number five metformin may also help a little with weight loss but this is usually
Pretty minimal and last on the list here is metformin is also beneficial in polycystic ovary syndrome also known as pcos this is thought to be related to how metformin improves insulin sensitivity which can potentially affect hormone imbalance okay so what are the risks of metformin keep in mind that this is not an all-inclusive list just the ones i thought were the
Most important to note first on the list here is metformin can cause stomach upset gas bloating and diarrhea the first few weeks you take it so it is important to take metformin with food and start off at a low dose after which your doctor will probably taper you up if you still have trouble tolerating metformin there is an extended release version that has lower
Rates of these types of side effects and as a side note you may have heard that there were a few batches of extended release metformin recalled a while ago due to potentially cancer-causing impurities the same stuff that caused recalls of zantac and certain blood pressure medications this does not apply to regular metformin just certain batches of extended release
Metformin that have since been removed from the market number two on our list is that taking metformin for a long time can lead to low vitamin b12 levels which can potentially lead to certain types of anemia and nerve pain symptoms thus it is important to have your doctor check your vitamin b12 levels periodically if you are on metformin for years and years some
People like to take a vitamin b12 supplement while on metformin for this reason last on our list is that metformin has a potential risk for lactic acidosis which is extremely rare lactic acidosis is basically when you have too much lactic acid built up in your blood which can affect the biochemistry in your body and cause some very serious issues this is why we
Pay attention to metformin in your kidneys a very common misconception is that metformin hurts the kidneys which is not necessarily true the danger is that if you already have low kidney function the metformin does not leave the body properly so it can build up the toxic levels and increase the risk of lactic acidosis alright so if you learned something today or
Found value from this video make sure to hit that like button if you want more easy to understand content on health and medicine make sure to subscribe to the channel and last thing this video is for educational use only this video is accurate to the best of my knowledge as of the date posted but data’s always changing so always consult your doctor and pharmacist
Regarding your medications and what would be best to do in your specific situation thank you for your time and stay healthy see you next time
Transcribed from video
Benefits vs Risks of Metformin | Quick Overview & Tips By Pills\u0026Things
