Metformin and weight loss

[Bocci]

I've been taking 500 mg/day of metformin.  Just wondering if any of you have taken this, and if so, have you experienced any weight loss?

[PaigeMerlin]

Yep I wouldnt take them with different studies showing that they provide little benefit and carrying potential risks. For example B complex and B12 should be avoided by low blood sugar patients and carry similar potental side effects as the other supplements like insomnia/mood swings/rashes/headaches. Or that Chromium Picolinate can cause blood glucose levels to dip too low especially if taking diabetes medications. Theyve also been proven to increase stress which is surely detrimental to weight loss as you have said.

Plus if people are trying to lose weight and lessen their case of PCOS in the hopes of starting a family then id warn that some of these supplements were found to cause skeletal birth defects in the births of lab mice (you cant test on humans obviously). And as these will stay in your system even if you find out your pregnant early and come off them I wouldnt risk it would you? Lol I know im sounding a bit paranoid/overly sceptic but with the collective side effects and that im already experiencing some from the metformin/other medications i take, I just dont see that this is something I would want to do. Just thought Id put out the bits of research ive done.

[PaigeMerlin]

'people with diabetes who are taking medication to lower blood sugar, such as metformin should only take alpha lipoic acid under the supervision of a qualified health professional'....there are also potential side affects, now looking into the others youve said to see if any others are like this.

[meglet]

For all of you suffering stomach and digestive problems with Metformin:  I just started it, so I can't say for sure how effective it is, but my doctor prescribed a bunch of supplements to counter-act some of those effects and support the insulin resistance:  alpha-lipoic acid (I think for the nausea), B complex and B-12 (the drug leeches B12 from your system), chromium picolinate (also helps your cells to use insulin), fish oil and borage oil (to prevent inflammation).  Hope that helps!

As far as diet and exercise being effective, sometimes they are, and sometimes you just need the drugs.  I didn't used to exercise much, even though my diet is pretty healthy.  Once I started belly dancing 5-8 hours per week, I dropped 30 lbs (gained from PCOS) pretty easily.  But when my living situation changed and I was under a lot of stress, I gained 40lbs despite 3-5 hours per week of dancing plus 5 or more hours per week of walking.  Even now with reduced stress and 8-10 hours a week of dancing, the weight won't budge.  So, here's hoping the metformin works!

[FatBurningFurnace]

I need to lose weight fast. I do a bit of strength training with free weights already, and I don’t eat a lot of food. I do need to lose the weight fast. How do I lose weight at all? Please help me...

[Barbaramarie26]

I went to a medical weight loss clinic about 1 1/2 months ago. I have a genetic predesposition to be overweight. It is a struggle for the women in my family to maintain a healthy weight. My sister who is a personal trainer and competes in 1/2 Iron Man marathon who should be super fit and thin still holds on to and extra 10lbs. I am 5'5 and when I went to the clinic weighed 150lbs. The doctor put me on Metformin 750mg to help control my blood sugar. I have always been carb sensitive (i eat carbs I gain weight) The only time i was ever able to get down to my ideal weight was on the Atkins diet but I found it impossible to maintain. So going to the clinic was an effort to find a long term answer and solution to getting to and maintaining a heathy weight. The Metformin has been amazing for me. I didn't change my diet since I eat a very healthy balanced diet already and the doctor agreed. I did get  very nauseaus but this got better after a couple of days. I have a vey sensitive stomach and continued feeling a little nauseaus in the weeks following. I started taking the metformin after dinner instead of in the morning and this has pretty much taken care of the problem. I don't crave foods like I use to most times I have to really think about what I want to eat since nothing really jumps out. I get satisfied and full much quicker which has caused me to eat much less. I am eating the appropriate portion sizes for my body now which is great. I use to see slender girls just eat a half of there dinner and stop and always wonder how they did it so effortlessly but now that is the way I eat. It is like the metformin has put my body in balance and because of this I am able to be the  healthy slim person I have always wanted to be. I know you might be thinking I was not that overweight only 15lbs. But i really struggled to maintain that and it was a constant battle to not gain anymore. I had to conscientiously think about it all the time. My mother is a size 18-20 my sister is a size 14-16 I could have very easily been them. So far in the past 5 weeks I have lost 9 lbs. I feel this is a very healthy rate to lose weight about 2lbs. a week and I feel completely empowered. I don't know if this is the right approach for everyone but it is the right thing for me. I hope that someone else reading my story will maybe give this a try and find the same success I have. Most of us have tried many different approaches I am so grateful to have finally found something that works for be. My advice is to eat as healthy and balanced a diet as possible without any extremes, get 20-30 min. of pure sun a day (no sunscreen or sunglasses you body needs this much sun to be healthy and alot of the benefits are absorbed through your eyes thus no sunglasses) soak it up preferrably early morning or later in the evening. Try to lead an active life evey day a walk, hike, a favorite sport, go dancing etc. you don't have to go to the gym but using your muscles is a must. The more toned your muscles the more calories you burn evey min of evey day and the more energy you wil have. I wish for eveyone to be healthy and happy and for this struggle with weight to become a thing in thre past. If you have any questions please feel free i am glad to help! ***@****

[coldlondont]

I have been taking Metformin for the past two months (possible PCOS, possible IR and for general weight loss). My dose is also 500mg twice daily. The first two-three times I took it I felt horrible: very nauseous, threw up a couple of times, had a bad head ache and could not even go to work.  However, after I started taking it with food or right after I ate I felt a lot better. I was amazed at how quickly it started to work, the very first time I took it (and after I stopped feeling nauseous ) we went to a sushi restaurant and I noticed that after I ate 1 roll I could not eat any more. I just felt full, and that has not happened to me for a long time. I also noticed some weight loss (lost 10 pounds and a couple of inches off my waist and hips).  Now, however, the weight loss had plateaued and I am feeling generally better. I started doing yoga and I also trying veganism for a month to see if I could stabilize my health so that I could get off meds (I have been an on/off vegetarian for the past couple of years). I was surprised at how many of you complained about diarreah, bloating and constipation with Met, I had the exact opposite experience: after I started taking Met all of these symptoms went away.  As of now, I weigh 210 pounds, but I expect to lose 1 lb a week.  I really do believe that Met works very well and that it can help many people lose weight, but I would not want to stay on it for too long. When I reach my ideal 143-145 pounds (I am 5’9) I would definitely try to get off Met and try to keep my weight the “natural” way.