Metformin Side Effects

07/02/2011 12:53

A large amount of the food we consume is transformed into glucose (sugar) during the digestion process. The glucose travels in the bloodstream and is expected to be absorbed by the body to provide sustenance and energy for the body.

This is also called Glucophage XR and the most commonly used diabetes medicine. The regular use of this medicine can lead to kidney problems. So if you have a kidney problem then your doctor must know this before prescribing the medicine for diabetes. Larger quantities of this diabetes medicine can also lead to extended diarrhea. People taking metformin may face the problem of weakness, tiredness, and trouble in breathing.

Omega 3 fatty acids are potent blood thinners. Therefore, these supplements should never be consumed by patients suffering with bleeding disorders and taking medications such as anticoagulants like Coumadin and Plavix. This could lead to increased bleeding or might enhance the risk of a potentially fatal hemorrhagic stroke.

People taking diabetes drugs often develop harsh side effects. This forces them to stop taking the drugs and leaves them unprotected from the damaging effects of high blood sugar.

In order to improve drug compliance, mainstream medicine initiated comprehensive patient educational programs. The objective was to help diabetics manage and control their own treatment regimens.

Some drugs that do good for our bodies but also rob them of nutrients include but are not limited to: Steroids:  reduce inflammation and suppress the immune system.  Many patients with MS or Lupus take these drugs regularly.  However, steroids reduce calcium absorption and increase calcium secretion which can lead to osteoporosis.

This condition is also linked to obesity, high cholesterol levels and hypotension. The number of diabetic patients is continuing to rise over the years and a call for proper diet and medications have been communicated in various channels of media. Diabetes can be managed not only with proper diet, but also the administration of medicines.

How Metformin does this, is by increasing the sensitivity of muscle and fat cells to the absorption of insulin, thus improving glucose uptake from the bloodstream. Insulin metabolizes glucose, but if cells are not sensitized to insulin, both insulin and glucose will stay in the blood stream and not get transported to body cells. A prolonged condition of this nature will result in high blood glucose levels you find in Type 2 Diabetes.

Though some of these drugs are taken via injection, they are not insulin. They often work to mimic incretin hormones, which are gastrointestinal hormones cause an increase in the amount of insulin released by the body. Because of their similarity to incretin hormones, these type 2 diabetes medications may also slow the rate of absorption of nutrients into the blood stream and may directly reduce food intake.

The main side effect, as such, is that as it can reduce blood sugar levels, some caution may be necessary if you take it with other agents, such as herbs or pharmaceutical drugs, which might lower blood sugar.

If blood sugar levels fall too low, side effects include shakiness, sweating, confusion, distorted speech, and loss of muscle control may occur.



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