Glucophage for Weight LossGlucophage, or metformin , is a blood sugar reducing drug that is usually prescribed for diabetics. But many physicians also prescribe glucophage for weight loss. While other blood sugar-lowering drugs cause weight gain in people who are diabetic, glucophage actually facilitates weight loss.
How It WorksGlucophage lowers blood sugar levels and increases sensitivity to the hormone insulin.
While other oral drugs used to lower blood sugar levels do so by increasing the release of insulin from the pancreas (which can lead to exhaution of the cells that secrete insulin and the need to use injectable insulin), glucophage does not work this way.
Instead, glucophage reduces blood sugar levels by decreasing absorption of sugar from the intestines, by reducing production of sugar by the liver, and by enhancing the uptake of sugar by your body’s tissues. These actions decrease blood insulin levels. Because insulin is a hormone that promotes fat synthesis, inhibits the breakdown of fat and stimulates hunger, decreasing insulin levels facilitates weight loss. So it makes sense that one could use glucophage for weight loss as well as for control of diabetes.
Other Benefits of Taking GlucophageBecause glucophage lowers blood sugar and insulin levels it may prevent the development of type 2 diabetes in people who are predisposed to this disease.High triglcyeride levels are a risk factor for the development of heart attack and stroke. If you are pre-diabetic, that is you have a mild elevation of your blood sugar, have high blood insulin levels, or if you have high blood triglyceride levels you may want to ask you doctor about taking glucophage for weight loss.
Side EffectsWhile taking glucophage may be a great idea for some people, like all medications it can have some undesirable side effects.The most common side effects of gluophage are gastrointestinal and include diarrhea, cramps, nausea, vomiting and increased flatulence. These symptoms generally appear when glucophage is first started or when the dosage is increased and are usually self-limited. They can often be avoided or reduced by starting the drug at a low dose and then gradually increasing the dosage, and by taking glucopahge with food. Other undesirable side effects of glucophange, especially when used for a prolonged period of time or at at higher dosages include an increase of homocysteine levels and a decrease in vitamin B12 levels. Elevated levels of homocysteine are associated with increased risk of heart attack. However, high homocysteine levels can often be reduced by increasing your intake of B vitamins.
ContraindicationsBecause glucophage causes the intestines to convert sugar to lactic acid, it has the potential to cause lactic acidosis, a serious condition in which the blood is acidified.However, this almost never happens except in people who are predisposed to this condition, particularly those with kidney or liver disease. If you have kidney or liver disease you should not take glucophage - either for weight loss or for diabetes. More Information on Glucophage
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