If you are familiar with pop culture news, you probably know that many celebrities lost significant amounts of weight recently. Sure, most of them have personal trainers and can afford specialized diet plans. Still, the more likely explanation for so many suddenly skinny celebrities is something else.
Does the word “Ozempic” ring a bell to you? Initially developed as a diabetes medication, Ozempic has also proven to be highly efficient for weight loss. As such, it became extremely popular among Holywood stars who wanted to lose weight quickly. However, this isn’t the only antidiabetic drug medication that can help you lose weight.
Metformin is another medication used for treating type 2 diabetes that can also help you lose weight. But what is this medication made of? How does it work? Is it safe? You should always ask these questions before starting to take a new type of medication. When it comes to Metformin, you can find the answers down below. Keep reading!
WHAT IS METFORMIN?
By definition, metformin is a biguanide anti-hyperglycemic agent, which means it decreases glucose production while increasing the insulin sensitivity of body tissues. As a result, metformin lowers blood sugar levels and helps insulin regulate blood sugar levels more effectively.
However, metformin also increases the secretion of GDF15, a protein that repairs cells, reduces inflammation, and slows down the aging process. This protein has another interesting role: it reduces the appetite and promotes weight loss.
It makes no wonder that people have started using metformin for weight loss. After all, we spent the last several decades looking for a diet pill that will actually work as promised. Even though it isn’t primarily a weight loss pill, metformin certainly fits the bill.
Metformin is sold under several brand names: Glucophage, Fortamet, Glumetza, Riomet, Diabex, and several others. It is worth noting that the FDA didn’t approve metformin and any of its brand names as stand-alone weight loss drugs.
BENEFITS OF METFORMIN
Although it’s primarily used for treating diabetes, metformin can be beneficial for several different health conditions. Of course, keep in mind that all these potential effects are still just that – potential. There are no guarantees about how this medicine will interact with your body.
TYPE 2 DIABETES
Since metformin is primarily a type 2 diabetes medicine, it makes sense to talk a bit more about metformin’s effect on diabetic patients. As we already mentioned, metformin reduces the glucose production in the liver, effectively lowering the blood sugar levels.
Additionally, metformin promotes insulin production in the pancreas and increases insulin sensitivity. As a result, metformin prevents insulin resistance, another condition closely correlated to type 2 diabetes.
Patients with type 2 diabetes are at higher risk of hypoglycemia. This might seem contradictory since hypoglycemia occurs when the blood sugar levels get too low. However, diabetic people sometimes take too much insulin or don’t time their insulin intake properly.
Also, many diabetics reduce their carb intake to the bare minimum, and together with insulin therapy, this can easily lead to hypoglycemia. That’s another benefit of metformin – this drug has a lower risk of inducing hypoglycemia in patients.
Metformin could be a great choice for people with prediabetes. Some studies suggest that metformin could lower the risk of becoming diabetic for these people, especially if they combine it with increased physical activity and a balanced diet.
Finally, apart from treating (and potentially preventing) type 2 diabetes, metformin has proven effective in treating gestational diabetes. This type of diabetes can occur among pregnant women who didn’t have diabetes prior to the pregnancy.
PCOS
Oftentimes, metformin is prescribed as a first-line treatment for polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Apart from multiple cysts on ovaries, PCOS also causes hormonal imbalance, irregular and painful menstruations, excess body and facial hair growth, weight gain, and irregular or completely missing ovulations.
There are several things that could cause PCOS, so it can be hard to pinpoint the exact cause. However, more often than not, women who suffer from PCOS are also insulin-resistant. As we already mentioned, insulin resistance hinders the body’s ability to respond to insulin and regulate blood sugar levels.
Metformin increases insulin sensitivity – in other words, it fights insulin resistance. Because of this, metformin helps women with PCOS to ovulate more regularly. As a matter of fact, metformin has proven to be more effective than some other ovulation inducers, such as clomiphene.
This makes metformin a perfect choice for women who suffer from anovulatory infertility, especially for those who are clomiphene-resistant. Metformin can also reduce other symptoms of PCOS, such as acne or hirsutism (body and facial hair growth caused by hormones).
For women with PCOS who are considering in vitro fertilization, metformin could prevent ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Additionally, metformin increases the rate of live births in pregnant women with PCOS.
GASTRIC CANCER
Gastric cancer has become more prevalent over the past few years, mostly because we live stressful lives while eating unhealthy foods. Apart from making significant lifestyle changes, we can reduce the risk of gastric cancer by taking metformin.
Metformin inhibits cancerous cell growth and increases the survival rate among people who already have gastric cancer. Still, we need more research and data to conclude how effective metformin actually is in preventing and battling gastric cancer.
WEIGHT LOSS
Now, this is the benefit of metformin that most people are interested in. Weight loss has become such an important goal in this age when so many people are obese or overweight. Unlike most diet pills that are either scams or simply not effective enough, metformin is showing some promising results.
First of all, many diabetic medications cause weight gain, while metformin does quite the opposite. Metformin stimulates the production of GDF15, a protein that, among many other effects, reduces your appetite.
With reduced appetite, you will feel less hungry, so you will eat less and reduce your calorie intake. Metformin also improves overall gut health, which also contributes to weight loss and better eating habits.
Additionally, since metformin is highly effective against insulin resistance, this is another way in which it promotes weight loss. Insulin resistance often causes excess weight gain, and by solving that issue, metformin also lowers the weight.
People who suffer from schizophrenia and similar mental health issues need antipsychotic medicines to control their conditions. However, these medicines often cause excessive weight gain, and metformin can help in such cases.
Still, the question remains: how much weight can one actually lose with metformin? In general, metformin can help you lose some moderate weight. Don’t expect to lose more than several pounds this way. For the best and most sustainable results, focus on eating better and exercising more. Medications such as metformin shouldn’t be your main weight loss strategy.
OTHER POTENTIAL BENEFITS
Apart from the main and proven benefits of metformin, there are also some other, either less-known or still not proven, benefits of taking this medication. For example, many studies suggest that there is a connection between type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.
Since metformin is highly successful at treating diabetes, it could also prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. However, keep in mind that this theory is still under research, and it is too early to confirm or reject it.
Metformin has also shown some age-delaying results. Since it promotes the secretion of GDF15, a protein that not only reduces our appetite but also repairs our cells and reduces inflammation, metformin could be used in anti-aging therapies in the future.
This medication improves our gut health by promoting the growth of a healthy gut microbiome. As a result, metformin can help with digestive issues and allow our bodies to absorb more nutrients from food.
Finally, metformin has positive effects on overall cardiovascular health. It reduces the risk of death caused by various cardiovascular diseases.
HOW TO TAKE METFORMIN FOR WEIGHT LOSS
First of all, you can’t buy metformin without a doctor’s prescription. You will need to consult your doctor, explaining that you want to use metformin for weight loss. If you are diabetic, the doctor will be more likely to prescribe you this drug. Still, even if you just want to lose weight, your doctor will probably agree to prescribe metformin to you, given that there are no contraindications and other reasons against it.
Depending on your insurance and the pharmacy you choose to buy metformin, 100 metformin tablets may cost you anywhere between $13 and $22. However, the price can also depend on which brand of metformin you choose because some brand names can be much more expensive than others.
Once you have bought the metformin, it is time to take it. Your doctor probably gave you specific instructions on how often and how much of metformin you should take. Follow these instructions religiously, and don’t try to speed up the weight loss process by taking more metformin pills than you should.
Alternatively, you will get a paper with instructions with every package of metformin tablets that you buy. If your doctor didn’t give you any specific instructions, follow the instructions from the package instead.
In general, type 2 diabetes patients take metformin in doses of 500 mg a day. However, the dosage might be maxed to 2000 mg a day. If you use metformin for weight loss, the minimal and maximum recommended daily dose will probably be in this range.
You will need to start with lower doses and increase them gradually over the next few weeks. This way, you will be able to notice if there are any side effects. It will also reduce the risk of serious side effects to the minimum because you haven’t started with the largest dose right away.
Take metformin with or right after your meal. If possible, try to avoid foods rich in sugar and choose foods rich in protein and fiber. These foods will make the weight loss even easier. Additionally, limit your alcohol consumption when taking metformin.
SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS
Now, let’s see how safe metformin is. This is always an important thing to consider because no matter how effective a medication or therapy is, it doesn’t matter if it isn’t safe for you.
SIDE EFFECTS
Most patients experience no side effects from taking metformin. However, there are still some side effects that you can expect, and the most common ones are:
- Nausea
- Bloating
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Gases
- Constipation
- Indigestion
- Stomach cramps
- Heartburn
If you experience any of these symptoms, consult your doctor to help you decide whether you should continue taking metformin. And there are some other, even more serious, side effects of taking metformin, so watch out for them as well:
- Headaches
- Muscle pain
- Metallic taste in the mouth
- Nail changes
- Flushed skin
- Skin rash
- Chest pain
- Reduced B12 levels
Metformin can also cause lactic acidosis. This condition occurs when too much of lactic acid builds up in the bloodstream. As a result, you start to feel fatigued, your body becomes weak, your muscles start cramping, and you feel overall discomfort throughout your body. Again, if you notice any of these symptoms, notify your doctor as soon as possible.
CONTRAINDICATIONS
There are also certain health conditions and medications that are contraindicative to metformin use. Avoid taking metformin if you have any of these health conditions:
- Renal dysfunction and other kidney issues
- Impaired hepatic function
- Metformin hypersensitivity
- Congestive cardiac failure
- Acute or chronic metabolic acidosis
- Older age (80 years and up)
- Surgical procedures
- Acute myocardial infarction
- Radiological studies that use iodinated contrast
Metformin may also badly interact with medications and substances such as:
- Alcohol
- Steroid tablets
- Diuretics
- Contraceptive and other hormone pills
- Heart medicines
- Other diabetic medicines
In case you have any of the above-mentioned conditions, or if you take any of the substances above, consult your doctor before proceeding with metformin. Your doctor will be able to assess your risk for negative side effects and will either adjust the metformin dosage or replace it with a similar medication.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
There is not much to say here but to follow common sense and your doctor’s instructions. Always consult your doctor when starting a new therapy. Buy your medications from reputable and licensed pharmacies only.
Don’t take more metformin than you are supposed to. We know that you are eager and impatient to lose weight, but you can only risk your health if you don’t follow the exact instructions.
If you notice anything unusual or any side effect of taking metformin, don’t ignore it. Report it to your doctor, and try to find a good solution for these effects. In the end, if metformin isn’t good for you, there are other, healthier ways to lose weight anyway.
METFORMIN VS OZEMPIC
So, now that you know all about metformin and its use for weight loss, it is time to answer the ultimate question: metformin or Ozempic, which one is better for losing weight? Both medications were primarily developed for treating type 2 diabetes, and at first, they weren’t intended to be used as weight loss pills.
However, these two medications are completely different. Ozempic is the brand name for semaglutide, a peptide that promotes insulin production. On the other side, metformin is the name of the active substance, and it is sold under several brand names, the most prevalent one being Glucophage.
In general, Ozempic is much more efficient for weight loss, which makes it perfect for people who want to lose a lot of weight as fast as possible. Metformin, even though it stimulates weight loss, needs more time to show results and isn’t suitable for extreme weight loss.
Ozempic is administered through injections once a week or every few days. Metformin is taken orally in the form of tablets, usually once or twice a day. When it comes to price, metformin is a much cheaper option than ozempic.
Only adults can take Ozempic, while metformin is suitable for both adults and children older than ten years. Ozempic can lead to hypoglycemia, which happens almost never with metformin.
Additionally, ozempic can cause more serious side effects than metformin. Both medications can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and flatulence, but Ozempic comes with a longer list of other side effects.
For example, it can cause gastroenteritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, pancreatitis, and bowel obstruction. Some clinical studies have also shown that Ozempic can increase the risk of thyroid cancer. All this makes it much more dangerous than metformin.
In the end, it is up to you which medication you will choose for weight loss. While Ozempic is much more effective, it is also more expensive and comes with a plethora of side effects.
CONCLUSION
Metformin is a popular medication for type 2 diabetes, with many advantages over other similar medications. However, this medication also promotes weight loss, which made many people, even those who don’t have diabetes, interested in metformin.
While this medication can reduce your appetite and help you lose weight, don’t expect miracles. Metformin will help you lose several pounds over the course of 6-12 months, which is much slower than Ozempic. Still, metformin comes with many other benefits, and it’s much safer and more affordable.
So, if you want to try metformin for weight loss, consult your doctor and follow their instructions. Don’t forget to stay active and eat properly. Otherwise, no weight loss pill will be able to help you much!
