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Low Carb Diet with Metformin?

VinnyJames

Well-Known Member
Messages
624
Location
Liverpool
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Has anybody else noticed that in the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) that comes with every pack of metformin they actually advise you NOT to have a low carb diet?


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I cant say I have but then I dont follow a particularly low carb diet anyway so it wouldnt bother me :D
 
Which company supplied it. Mine just warns not to go below 1000 kcal a day. The leaflet was designed 2011 though.

I had a quick chat with my GP who mentioned some research about metformin working best if there are carbs about. Busy day so no chance to dig around for the relevant research.

Though I recently read its main effect is on triglycerides in the liver


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I seem to remember someone saying these manufactures of diabetic medication, don't really want you to get well. you could put them out of business.
 
I think that is cynical beyond belief. Can you imagine trying to keep that one quiet with the large numbers of people across large numbers of companies and governments in lots of countries.

As a conspiracy theory it has it's pants down for a spanking with barely a brain cell breaking into a sweat.


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I've been low carb wih minimal Metformin for about 8 years. It works fine. Hba1c always in the 5s. will check leaflet
Hana
 
Mongoose39uk said:
People do love a good conspiracy theory :) ]

Is it a theory?

The global pharmaceutical industry has racked up fines of more than $11bn in the past three years for criminal wrongdoing, including withholding safety data and promoting drugs for use beyond their licensed conditions.

In all, 26 companies, including eight of the 10 top players in the global industry, have been found to be acting dishonestly. The scale of the wrongdoing, revealed for the first time, has undermined public and professional trust in the industry and is holding back clinical progress, according to two papers published in today's New England Journal of Medicine. Leading lawyers have warned that the multibillion-dollar fines are not enough to change the industry's behaviour.

The 26 firms are under "corporate integrity agreements", which are imposed in the US when healthcare wrongdoing is detected, and place the companies on notice for good behaviour for up to five years.

The largest fine of $3bn, imposed on the UK-based company GlaxoSmith-Kline in July after it admitted three counts of criminal behaviour in the US courts, was the largest ever. But GSK is not alone – nine other companies have had fines imposed, ranging from $420m on Novartis to $2.3bn on Pfizer since 2009, totalling over $11bn.

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style ... 57483.html

FB
 
We are talking about metformin here, show me one scrap of evidence? The very fact that these fines have been imposed shows that people can't keep secrets.



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I'm on Metabet SR by Actavis.

The direct quote is here;

"You should continue your diet during treatment with Metabet SR with an even intake of carbohydrates over the day. if you are overweight continue your energy restricted diet under medical supervision."

So they are not saying DONT do it but be careful.
 
It could be they are aware that people are doing low carb diets and the drug may not have been tested for that so they are erring on the safe side.
 
Mongoose, I can't comment on the above but the scientific data shows that diet and exercise is twice as effective as metformin.
 
Yup that works for me, for various reasons and excuses not everyone is willing or able to exercise though.
 
True enough not everyone is able but I am and it's disappointing that it wasn't explained what the most effective 'treatment' is at my diagnosis...
 
The amount of metformin I take is so low its very unlikely to be affecting my BGs very much at all, but it does supposedly have other indirect benefits according to my doctor, although she also says the advice seems to be changing very frequently.

She's not unduly concerned about my low carbing, but she does also think its more likely my exercise regime thats keeping my BG's, cholesterol and trigs down. i'm at 19% bodyfat now which for a 57yo male is in the "lean" bracket (i don't feel particularly lean, but I'm not overweight either).

I don't buy into conspiracy theories much either, its too **** hard to keep such things a secret.
 
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