Metformin Weight Loss

If you have been browsing the Internet looking for information on diets, you may have come across Metformin weight loss stories. Here is everything you need to know about what the drug is, and whether it can help you with your own dieting efforts.

What Is Metformin?

Metformin is a weight loss drug which is commonly prescribed to diabetics by specialists who treat obesity. The drug is essentially glucophage, which boosts insulin sensitivity and drops your glucose levels. This has the effect of suppressing appetite, so that the patient is much less likely to over eat. Often, glucophage is prescribed in conjunction with Byetta, which is a drug which extends the feeling of fullness following a meal by slowing the movement of food from the stomach down into the small intestine.

Statistics show that the Metformin weight loss is effective and long term. Over eighty percent of women who are prescribed it lose at least ten percent of their body weight. Nine out of ten of these women will manage to keep this weight off for at least four years, according to studies which have been done.

Does Metformin Have Any Risks?

Metformin weight loss does carry some associated risks. The drug can cause some unpleasant side effects such as an upset stomach, mild nausea or diarrhea. Some critics say that these effects are the reason why weight loss occurs when taking the drug, but the manufacturer refutes these claims.

Is Metformin For You?

So is Metformin the right pill for you? Only your doctor can tell you for sure if it is worth prescribing the drug, and if the potential benefits outweigh the side effects. However, there are some criteria which mean that you could be a candidate for the drug.

Metformin is only prescribed to people who are overweight as a result of their diabetes, or who have a BMI in excess of 25 and also have high blood sugar levels. The drug is also sometimes used for women who suffer from poly cystic ovarian syndrom (PCOS), as one of the effects of the condition is hormone induced weight gain.

Because Metformin is used to treat weight loss resulting from medical conditions, the expense is covered by the majority of insurance companies.

Are Natural Supplements Safer?

People are often worried about the potential side effects of taking Metformin, and may consider natural alternatives to the drug. However, most doctors would advise against this. Natural supplements are not without their own side effects – many of them can also cause nausea. Furthermore, herbal weight loss supplements are not approved by the FDA. This means that there is no clinical data that they work, and no guarantee that what you are taking is not harmful.

Metformin is not without its side effects, but it has been proven without a doubt to be an effective weight loss aid. Although it may cause problems such as nausea in the short term, in the long term it will greatly improve your health through promoting a healthy weight.