Metformin has two advantages over other diabetes drugs: There's less risk of your blood sugar level falling too low. It doesn't cause weight gain.
Current evidence suggests that the weight change associated with metformin is more likely to be due to decreased caloric intake versus increases in energy expenditure. Metformin appears to impact appetite regulation both directly and indirectly due to its gastrointestinal side effects.
Participants who took metformin saw small weight loss benefits versus placebo or other diabetes medications. Other studies found metformin treatment to be “weight neutral,” meaning that people neither gained nor lost weight while taking it. However, this was still preferable to other drugs that cause weight gain.
Metformin is a generic and accessible drug that significantly lowers blood glucose, but it is not a weight loss drug. Metformin is a generic and accessible drug that significantly lowers blood glucose, but it is not a weight loss drug.
How Fast Will You Lose Weight on Metformin? Based on the above studies, any weight loss with metformin appears to occur over the course of about 6 to 12 months. But people may see some results earlier.
Is Metformin an Effective Weight Loss Pill? No. The amount of weight you're likely to lose is low. In one diabetes prevention study, 29% of people lost 5% or more of their body weight and just 8% lost around 10%.
As much as possible, avoid white bread, white rice, white pasta, candy, soda, desserts, and snacks like chips or crackers. Eating foods that can spike your blood sugar will not necessarily make the metformin not work, however, it will increase the burden it has to work against.
Some simple and refined carbohydrates
Metformin helps limit blood glucose levels. Simple and refined carbs boost those blood sugar levels, which can increase weight gain and cause metformin not to work as well as it should.
If you eat a lot of sugar while taking Metformin, your body will have to work harder to keep your blood sugar levels within a healthy range, and the Metformin will not be as effective for weight loss. However, if it happens infrequently, you should not suffer too many negative side effects. The key is moderation.
Emerging research reported in journals including Current Obesity Reports suggests metformin may also lead to weight loss as a result of changes in the appetite centers of the brain, shifts in the gut microbiome, and reversal of metabolic changes that usually happen with age.
You're not losing weight or you've gained weight
However, if you're eating healthy and exercising regularly in conjunction with taking Metformin, but your weight hasn't budged or you've gained weight, this could be a sign that you may need to increase your dose or seek an alternative.
Other Common Side Effects
While GI upset is by far the most common side effect, metformin can also cause: Altered taste, especially a metallic one. Weakness or fatigue.
Metformin may have an adverse effect on renal function in patients with type 2 DM and moderate CKD.
Commonly reported side effects of metformin include: lactic acidosis, diarrhea, nausea, nausea and vomiting, vomiting, and flatulence. Other side effects include: asthenia, and decreased vitamin b12 serum concentrate. Continue reading for a comprehensive list of adverse effects.
Metformin dosage for weight loss
Divided doses should be taken with meals, typically twice per day (for example, with breakfast and dinner). The maximum dose is 2550 mg/day.
A medical provider can run a few tests to see how metformin is affecting your health: Blood work can check if your glucose, insulin, and HbA1C levels are in range. If they are, the medication is working.
Metformin has two advantages over other diabetes drugs: There's less risk of your blood sugar level falling too low. It doesn't cause weight gain.
More serious side effects are rare. They include severe allergic reactions and a condition called lactic acidosis, a buildup of lactic acid in the bloodstream. The risk for this is higher among people with significant kidney disease, so doctors tend to avoid prescribing metformin for them.
How long to take it for. Treatment for diabetes is usually for life. But if your kidneys are not working properly, your doctor will tell you to stop taking metformin and switch you to a different medicine. Do not stop taking metformin without talking to your doctor.
The use of metformin by non-diabetics stems from some evidence that metformin can decrease inflammation, protect against cardiovascular disease and cognitive impairment, minimize cancer risk and progression, and prolong life.