Metformin - pros vs cons

[FuriousAngus]

I don't think it did THAT much for my A1C levels. My fasted readings are kind of all over the place. I've seen 80 and I've seen over 100. However my A1C went from 5.2 to 4.9 recently and I wonder if it's from adding Avmacol. Telmisartan also seems it might have helped my A1C...metformin dose is 1000mg. Used to use up to 2000mg and lowering the dose didn't alter my A1C in any way.

Interesting. The largest anti aging Metformin study is due in december 2017 I believe so it'll be interesting to see what comes out of it.

 

[thewizkid]

I don't think it did THAT much for my A1C levels. My fasted readings are kind of all over the place. I've seen 80 and I've seen over 100. However my A1C went from 5.2 to 4.9 recently and I wonder if it's from adding Avmacol. Telmisartan also seems it might have helped my A1C...metformin dose is 1000mg. Used to use up to 2000mg and lowering the dose didn't alter my A1C in any way.

How long have you been taking it? I remember being told it's not like a GDA. It has to be taken at the right dose for a period of time to start bringing blood glucose down from increasing insulin receptors sensitivity

I feel like I'm one of the lucky few who doesn't get ANY stomach discomfort at ALL with metformin.

Either way, the longevity info on it is amazing AND it helps keep me insulin sensitive. Maybe if I was a shitting my pants I'd feel differently but who knows.

when do you take it during the day and before, during or after the meal?

I was told straight from the pharmacist and everyone I've been to that you take it after meals and it won't cause any gas/stomach discomfort.

and the high doses some people take also will give you stomach discomfort no matter what. As well as certain foods ( I forget it if it was high GI or low GI) will cause diarrhea

also I think the instant/immediate release version doesn't cause this and only the extended release does, I could be wrong. I never asked but I think I remember reading it online

 

[nothuman]

How long have you been taking it? I remember being told it's not like a GDA. It has to be taken at the right dose for a period of time to start bringing blood glucose down from increasing insulin receptors sensitivity







when do you take it during the day and before, during or after the meal?



I was told straight from the pharmacist and everyone I've been to that you take it after meals and it won't cause any gas/stomach discomfort.



and the high doses some people take also will give you stomach discomfort no matter what. As well as certain foods ( I forget it if it was high GI or low GI) will cause diarrhea



also I think the instant/immediate release version doesn't cause this and only the extended release does, I could be wrong. I never asked but I think I remember reading it online

Been taking it for three years. You're right that it doesn't act like a GDA. The stomach discomfort thing is going to be individual. Like I said. I had diarrhea the first 5-6 days I took it I think and then I was fine. No stomach discomfort.

 

[cubano]

How long have you been taking it? I remember being told it's not like a GDA. It has to be taken at the right dose for a period of time to start bringing blood glucose down from increasing insulin receptors sensitivity



when do you take it during the day and before, during or after the meal?

I was told straight from the pharmacist and everyone I've been to that you take it after meals and it won't cause any gas/stomach discomfort.

and the high doses some people take also will give you stomach discomfort no matter what. As well as certain foods ( I forget it if it was high GI or low GI) will cause diarrhea

also I think the instant/immediate release version doesn't cause this and only the extended release does, I could be wrong. I never asked but I think I remember reading it online

For me the instant release gave me diarrhea. Picked some extended release from ADC and have had zero problems. I think it's called "sustained" release on there.

 

[BigFucker]

I have taken it based on the glorifying reviews for the reasons mentioned in this thread. I didn't use it again for many years and restarted because of prolonged gh use and the reviews here.

Recently, I had bloods come up with abnormal amilyse and lipyse values. I was told I may have pancreatitis. After looking into this, I kept seeing studies and reports that metformin can cause pancreatitis. Below is just one study for your edification, although I admit the study below does not use a large double-blind group and is not nearly dispositive on the issue of causation. However, imo, it is worth considering and further research. I am continuing to look knto this to better understand the nexus between metformin and pancreatitis..

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3772920/#!po=93.1818


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[TheOtherOne55]

when do you take it during the day and before, during or after the meal?

I was told straight from the pharmacist and everyone I've been to that you take it after meals and it won't cause any gas/stomach discomfort.

and the high doses some people take also will give you stomach discomfort no matter what. As well as certain foods ( I forget it if it was high GI or low GI) will cause diarrhea

also I think the instant/immediate release version doesn't cause this and only the extended release does, I could be wrong. I never asked but I think I remember reading it online

Workout days I take 500mg maybe 4-5 hrs after my lift and another 500mgs before bed.

Cardio/off days I take 500mgs in the morning and before bed.

I've noticed no difference in the type of carb (high or low GI).

And I think the extended release is supposedddd to be better for stomach discomfort. I have the immediate release ones though. I have a steel trap for a stomach though, I can digest anything.

 

[j2048b]

Im gonna have to try and use my extended release Again and see how it effects me again anf take it after I eat, as my waking bg was 115 this morning

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[Muay Thai]

I have taken it based on the glorifying reviews for the reasons mentioned in this thread. I didn't use it again for many years and restarted because of prolonged gh use and the reviews here.

Recently, I had bloods come up with abnormal amilyse and lipyse values. I was told I may have pancreatitis. After looking into this, I kept seeing studies and reports that metformin can cause pancreatitis. Below is just one study for your edification, although I admit the study below does not use a large double-blind group and is not nearly dispositive on the issue of causation. However, imo, it is worth considering and further research. I am continuing to look knto this to better understand the nexus between metformin and pancreatitis..

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3772920/#!po=93.1818


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wow!

i read this on a study thought it was cool @ metformin

"studies suggest that in addition to its effects on glucose metabolism, metformin may influence metabolic and cellular processes associated with the development of age-related conditions, such as inflammation, oxidative damage, diminished autophagy, cell senescence and apoptosis.
"
I have had incredible results on it. I have also read it helps prevent CVD and CANCER as well as type II diabetes of course

those are 2 digestive enzymes you had elevated I have low levels of

What were your symptoms when you were experiencing this? thanks

 

[Firemike36]

I think the key to not having stomach issues is to raise your dosage slowly and also take after you eat your meal. I started with 250mg w/ breakfast and then another 250mg w/ dinner. Then raised to 500mg at breakfast while still 250mg with dinner, then 500 w/ both meals. They say the normal therapeutic dose is 1500 mg/day and max 2250, but also that if you combine w/ berberine they have a good synergistic effect and will allow you to take lower doses of both. So currently taking 500mg w breakfast and dinner and 1200mg berberine with lunch. The only thing I notice is gas and its not all the time just here and there.

 

[suppdude]

I think the key to not having stomach issues is to raise your dosage slowly and also take after you eat your meal. I started with 250mg w/ breakfast and then another 250mg w/ dinner. Then raised to 500mg at breakfast while still 250mg with dinner, then 500 w/ both meals. They say the normal therapeutic dose is 1500 mg/day and max 2250, but also that if you combine w/ berberine they have a good synergistic effect and will allow you to take lower doses of both. So currently taking 500mg w breakfast and dinner and 1200mg berberine with lunch. The only thing I notice is gas and its not all the time just here and there.

Actually you don’t want to be combining metformin with berberine as berberine will basically inhibit two specific proteins that metformin depends on, cancelling out metformins MOA. (Thanks stewie for the knowledge bomb on that)




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[nothuman]

Actually you don’t want to be combining metformin with berberine as berberine will basically inhibit two specific proteins that metformin depends on, cancelling out metformins MOA. (Thanks stewie for the knowledge bomb on that)




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It seems to be a bit complicated. I've had to use Berberine lately because it appears to be better at removing harmful bacteria (which I'm dealing with) so I stopped Metformin for the time being. However, I may add Metformin back in before bed away from Berberine.

Berberine seems to inhibit Metformin's effects here
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25359200

but these more recent studies show synergy for certain benefits of the combo
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5839379/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5742731/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5478779/

So they can either be good or bad together depending on what you want out of them. It's difficult to understand some of the studies (especially the negative one) since these are highly scientific terms.

 

[suppdude]

It seems to be a bit complicated. I've had to use Berberine lately because it appears to be better at removing harmful bacteria (which I'm dealing with) so I stopped Metformin for the time being. However, I may add Metformin back in before bed away from Berberine.

Berberine seems to inhibit Metformin's effects here
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25359200

but these more recent studies show synergy for certain benefits of the combo
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5839379/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5742731/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5478779/

So they can either be good or bad together depending on what you want out of them. It's difficult to understand some of the studies (especially the negative one) since these are highly scientific terms.

Yes. I think the major issue that comes into play is what you’re specifically using them for or what you want out of them. I’ll have to read through the studies.


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[Stewie]

It seems to be a bit complicated. I've had to use Berberine lately because it appears to be better at removing harmful bacteria (which I'm dealing with) so I stopped Metformin for the time being. However, I may add Metformin back in before bed away from Berberine.

Berberine seems to inhibit Metformin's effects here
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25359200

but these more recent studies show synergy for certain benefits of the combo
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5839379/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5742731/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5478779/

So they can either be good or bad together depending on what you want out of them. It's difficult to understand some of the studies (especially the negative one) since these are highly scientific terms.

Reread those citations again

For the applications those here are seeking, I wouldn't mix the two together.

 

[superbigd]

Stewie any thoughts on the concerns regarding metformin and pancreatitis?

 

[nothuman]

Reread those citations again

For the applications those here are seeking, I wouldn't mix the two together.

What about for general health? Would you not combine them for that purpose either?

 

[heman4u]

Constipation

Has anyone suffered constipation from Metformin? What did you do for it?

 

[IronLion2]

did some digging to get some insight on;

exersize and met together

"To assess the combined effects, we studied 2 groups of insulin resistant subjects matched for age (33±10 vs. 32±10 yrs), weight (87±16 vs. 91±23 kg), body fat (41±7 vs. 36.4±6%), fitness (27±6 vs. 29±6 ml/kg/min) and degree of insulin resistance (composite insulin sensitivity index 2.8±1 vs. 2.2±1). The 1st group (n=9:6W,3M) was studied before treatment (B), after 2-3 weeks of 2000 mg/day metformin (MET), and after metformin plus 40min of exercise at 65%VO2peak (MET+Ex). The 2nd group (n=7:5W,3M) was studied at baseline and after an acute bout of exercise at 65%VO2peak (Ex). Biopsies of the vastus lateralis were taken at B, after MET, immediately after MET+Ex (group 1) or immediately after Ex only (group 2), and used to measure AMPK alpha 2 activity and muscle glycogen. Insulin sensitivity was assessed 3 hrs post-exercise with a euglycemic hyperinsulinemic (40 mU/m2/min) clamp enriched with [6,62H]glucose. Data were compared using ANOVA with repeated measures. Exercise alone increased insulin sensitivity by 54% (p<0.01); however, there was no increase in insulin sensitivity with MET+Ex. Muscle glycogen was reduced by ∼50% with both Ex and MET+Ex suggesting that differences in muscle glycogen concentrations are not responsible for the differences in post-exercise insulin sensitivity. Skeletal muscle AMPK 2 activity was increased by 3-fold (p<0.01) with Ex alone but did not increase with MET+Ex. Circulating plasma free fatty acids increased with metformin + exercise compared to baseline and exercise alone. There was a positive significant correlation between free fatty acid concentrations and insulin sensitivity. In addition, metformin + exercise significantly increased basal hepatic glucose production and lactate concentrations more so than exercise alone. These surprising findings suggest that adding short-term metformin treatment to an acute bout of exercise does not enhance insulin sensitivity and may actually attenuate the well documented effects of exercise. These results highlight the importance of future studies designed to examine the effects of long-term metformin treatment combined with exercise training on whole-body insulin sensitivity.^"

dont use met before/after exercise

 

[Muay Thai]

I am currerntly taking 500mg mid day a few hours after my workout. I figure its pointless considering my body natural ability and efficiency eating immediately post workout, so I save it kinda for early evening meal, 500mg, then dose 500mg again pre bed kinda like how matt p advocated RIP. I have been on for 3 weeks and its not my first rodeo with metformin, I have experienced 0 muscle challenges, in fact I have made stellar gains while on metformin, but it makes me hypo and look flat and not good if I don't eat around 50-100g carbs per 500mg dose

 

[DarrenG29]

Does everyone prefer slow release metformin or short acting ??

if so why ?

 

[Bumpygooch]

Does everyone prefer slow release metformin or short acting ??

if so why ?

I’ve taken both and haven’t noticed a difference.