Metformin is one of the leading treatment medications for people with type 2 diabetes, and it typically becomes the first line of drug choice for people who are overweight, obese, and also for those with normally functioning kidneys. Studies have shown, even in our diabetes Orlando center there are some additional benefits to using this medication; weight loss being one of them. As a diabetic, you most likely understand how after you eat sugar goes from your intestines into your blood stream, and then right to your liver. You might even know that the sugar is then released, which causes your blood sugar to rise, and the higher it rises the more insulin your pancreas releases.

But did you know that the release of insulin is what triggers your brain to tell you that you’re hungry, your liver needs to manufacture fat, and also tells the fat cells in your belly to fill with fat? Metformin reduces the sugar released from your liver and prevents blood sugar levels from rising too high, therefore not allowing your brain, liver, and belly to communicate incorrectly. However, Metformin should not be used as a weight loss product. It’s a ‘benefit’ of the medication. If you’re an athlete you should be aware that this drug will hamper your competitive performance because it lowers your blood sugar.

There are side effects of Metformin, gastrointestinal upset, including diarrhea, cramps, nausea, vomiting, and flatulence, and if you have kidney disease, heart failure, or any medical condition that could make your blood acidic, Metformin is not for you.

Diabetes treatments with Metformin are one of the research studies we’ve been working on here in DeLand, Florida. Some of our investigational treatments have shown promising results, but we need to do additional research studies to test investigational methods that may help us understand your condition.