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Want better control of your diabetes?
Know your Metformin... the wonder drug & fulcrum of diabetes management
MEDICINES
9/27/20233 min read
India known to be the diabetic capital of the world is having estimated 77 million (7.7 Crore) adults suffering from diabetes. It’s even more alarming that >50% of the population is unaware of their diabetes status.
Once diagnosed with diabetes, almost every diabetic is prescribed metformin by doctors. It would be practical to assume that metformin is running in the bloodstream of all these diabetics in India. Moreover, Metformin plays a central role in diabetes management.
As Metformin impacts such a large population on daily basis, we need to get familiar with this wonder glucose regulator. To begin with, you would be knowing metformin by many names like Glycomet, Gluconorm, Glyciphage, etc (There are more than 100 brands available in India). So, let’s start answering some common questions on Metformin;
What is metformin?
Metformin is the drug of first choice in diabetics helping them reduce blood glucose levels. Metformin lowers glucose in three ways;
reducing glucose absorption from the intestines
lowering liver glucose production
Improving insulin sensitivity (insulin is the compound present in the body that breaks down glucose; in diabetic patients body cell loose sensitivity to insulin and thus glucose level rise)
Metformin was first approved in Canada in 1972 and later approved by US FDA in 1995.
Although approved only in diabetics, Metformin is also used in pre-diabetics (stage where sugar level is high but not that high enough to qualify as a diabetic patient) to avoid such individuals ending up diabetics & PCOS (a condition wherein women have few, unusual & prolonged menstrual cycles)
Can Metformin cure diabetes?
There isn’t a cure for diabetes right now. In fact, all diabetes medicines can only control your blood sugar level.
Remember, Metformin is approved along with correction in diet and regular exercise. Thus lifestyle modification is central to keeping your diabetes under control and maintaining a lower dose of metformin.
What are the side effects of metformin?
Metformin is generally regarded as safe and well-tolerated. Diarrhoea, nausea, and vomiting are very common and typically occur in up to 30% of patients taking metformin.
If you have been taking metformin for a long, your blood Vitamin B12 level should be monitored, particularly if you are anaemic (low iron in your blood) or suffering from peripheral neuropathy (feeling of numbness, pain in your arms & legs due to nerve damage). Need not worry about this as your doctors know this and will prescribe you Vit B12 supplements which will correct this deficiency.
On rare occasions, metformin use may lead to lactic acidosis (a condition in which blood becomes more acidic leading to symptoms like malaise; unexplained discomfort and respiratory distress; increased breathing rate, grunting, and wheezing). Individuals at risk are with the following conditions; Liver or kidney failure patients, elderly, alcoholism, surgery & hypoxia (a condition in which there is not enough oxygen available to the blood and body tissues). I am sure most of the factors your doctor will consider and adjust the dose of metformin but what you need to take care of is reduce alcohol when you are on metformin.
Can Metformin help in weight-loss?
Studies have show that metformin slightly reduce weight but not that significant to call it a weight loss medicine.
In fact, metformin is considered weight neutral drug (no significant reduction nor weight gain) which is one of the reasons metformin qualifies as the first choice in most diabetes patients.
What if I missed my dose of Metformin?
Take the medicine as soon as you can, but skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next dose. Do not take two doses at one time.
My sugar level is under control with Ayurvedic medications, Should I stop metformin?
I have seen people trying lot of things to get cured from diabetes (which by the way is not a possibility as on today) and one of the desperate effort is to try alternative medicines like ayurvedic/ homeopathy medications. Benefits of such therapies are not well documented. In fact, many of Ayurvedic medicines causes serious liver injuries and should be avoided.
Never stop your Metformin under such assumptions.
That’s it from my side, if you have any questions on Metformin do post in the comment box below;