Metformin 500 mg for weight loss

People with type 2 diabetes struggle with high blood glucose levels, aka high blood sugar. Glucose — the body's main source of fuel — comes from two sources: digestion of the carbohydrates in food, and the liver. The hormone insulin is responsible for moving glucose out of the bloodstream and into the cells, which use it for energy. Through this process, insulin lowers blood sugar levels.

Share on Pinterest You’re in a fitting room working through the assortment of jeans you brought in. You’ve got the size you think you are, the size you probably are (reality check), and the size you hope to be soon, if you can just make it there! Then you hear about a drug called metformin that may aid in weight loss. Sure, it might sound odd to consider taking a medication usually prescribed for type 2 diabetes just to lose some weight. But does it work, and is it a good option for you? The short answer is maybe. Let’s look at how metformin, a drug prescribed to manage blood sugar levels, has earned this reputation. Metformin can help some people lose weight, but the reasons aren’t exactly clear. Some researchers believe the drug reduces appetite, while others theorize it changes the way the body stores and uses fat. But researchers agree that metformin is not a quick fix. According to one long-term Lifestyle plays a big role as well. Taking the drug without practicing other healthy habits may not lead to weight loss. People who exercise and follow a healthy diet while taking metformin tend to lose the most weight. This is because metformin is thought to increase the number of calories burned during exercise. So if you aren’t exercising, you likely won’t reap this benefit. Continued use is also important, as weight loss may last only as long as you’re taking the medication. That means if you stop taking metformin, there’s a good chance you’ll return to your original weigh...

Maybe you’ve heard that the you be one of the people who could drop pounds by taking this prescription medication? Great questions. The answers are: Yes, metformin helps some people lose weight, but depending on what’s going on with your body, you may—or may not—be one of them. Before we get to whether it makes sense for you to ask your doctor to take out her Rx pad, here’s a little background: What is metformin? And how does metformin work? Researchers aren’t 100% sure of all the ways the drug acts in the body. “Metformin is a complex drug with multiple sites of action and multiple molecular mechanisms” that are not fully understood, according to a What is known is that metformin causes the liver to lower the amount of glucose (sugar) it makes and releases into your bloodstream, and also affects your gut, so that you use glucose more efficiently. All of this helps people with diabetes, whose blood sugar is too high and/or not being used properly (which makes the body want to crank out more.) So how does it help some people lose weight? Folks seem to be less hungry on the drug. “Metformin mainly causes weight loss by lowering food intake,” says It may also help your gut flora use glucose as an energy source, says Malin, which means your body doesn’t need to dip into blood glucose as frequently, causing those crazy energy dips that make you want to inhale a king-size sack of M&Ms and a Big Gulp. Related Stories • What Obesity Experts Share Weight Loss Advice • The Best Yoga...

Maybe you’ve heard that the you be one of the people who could drop pounds by taking this prescription medication? Great questions. The answers are: Yes, metformin helps some people lose weight, but depending on what’s going on with your body, you may—or may not—be one of them. Before we get to whether it makes sense for you to ask your doctor to take out her Rx pad, here’s a little background: What is metformin? And how does metformin work? Researchers aren’t 100% sure of all the ways the drug acts in the body. “Metformin is a complex drug with multiple sites of action and multiple molecular mechanisms” that are not fully understood, according to a What is known is that metformin causes the liver to lower the amount of glucose (sugar) it makes and releases into your bloodstream, and also affects your gut, so that you use glucose more efficiently. All of this helps people with diabetes, whose blood sugar is too high and/or not being used properly (which makes the body want to crank out more.) So how does it help some people lose weight? Folks seem to be less hungry on the drug. “Metformin mainly causes weight loss by lowering food intake,” says It may also help your gut flora use glucose as an energy source, says Malin, which means your body doesn’t need to dip into blood glucose as frequently, causing those crazy energy dips that make you want to inhale a king-size sack of M&Ms and a Big Gulp. Related Stories • What Obesity Experts Share Weight Loss Advice • The Best Yoga...

People with type 2 diabetes struggle with high blood glucose levels, aka high blood sugar. Glucose — the body's main source of fuel — comes from two sources: digestion of the carbohydrates in food, and the liver. The hormone insulin is responsible for moving glucose out of the bloodstream and into the cells, which use it for energy. Through this process, insulin lowers blood sugar levels.

Share on Pinterest You’re in a fitting room working through the assortment of jeans you brought in. You’ve got the size you think you are, the size you probably are (reality check), and the size you hope to be soon, if you can just make it there! Then you hear about a drug called metformin that may aid in weight loss. Sure, it might sound odd to consider taking a medication usually prescribed for type 2 diabetes just to lose some weight. But does it work, and is it a good option for you? The short answer is maybe. Let’s look at how metformin, a drug prescribed to manage blood sugar levels, has earned this reputation. Metformin can help some people lose weight, but the reasons aren’t exactly clear. Some researchers believe the drug reduces appetite, while others theorize it changes the way the body stores and uses fat. But researchers agree that metformin is not a quick fix. According to one long-term Lifestyle plays a big role as well. Taking the drug without practicing other healthy habits may not lead to weight loss. People who exercise and follow a healthy diet while taking metformin tend to lose the most weight. This is because metformin is thought to increase the number of calories burned during exercise. So if you aren’t exercising, you likely won’t reap this benefit. Continued use is also important, as weight loss may last only as long as you’re taking the medication. That means if you stop taking metformin, there’s a good chance you’ll return to your original weigh...