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Metformin & it's effect on muscle growth

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db270

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There are a few studies that taking metformin reduces the benefits of exercise in older people - i.e. metformin & exercise don't supplement each other but counteract each other. Muscles don't grow as fast for people taking metformin. Many of these studies were done in older adults (65+)

Study shoots down hopes that metformin might help strength training seniors build more muscle

Study shoots down hopes that metformin might help strength training seniors build more muscle
www.uab.edu

I have exercised (including resistance training) lot more than my older schedule in the last couple of years, but I haven't seen much muscle increase.

I am thinking about talking to my doctor about stopping/lowering metformin. Has anyone stopped Metformin - how much difference did you have in blood sugars after stopping? Did you have a weight increase?
 
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regarding stopping metformin, I almost have due to its terrible side effect on me planning trips any where around toilets. I cut down from 4 to 2 then after a bit longer 1 in morning.
I asked to use insulin rather than metformin which has had a far better effect regarding sugar. do exercise very regular. walking. hill and valley walks at weekends, and other forms. Re muscle mss I cannot say or notice any difference really
 
Have never taken metformin, so you might use my experience as a control (n=1). I've found no difficulty recently in building and maintaining muscle (I'm 68) although it's maybe a little slower than say thirty years ago. However I'm probably doing less exercise now than I was then.

There seems to be a general acceptance that the ability to acquire muscle fades with age: I'm never sure though whether the abilty to do the level of strenuous exercise is what really fades.
 
I just looked through a number of research papers on metformin and muscle gain/loss. It seems the research has mixed results, with the usual statement that more research needs to be done in this area .

Sarcopenia is a thing for the over 65’s . I’m a couple of months off turning 65, so it interests me. I don’t know how you feel about supplements, but my Dr recommended a Creatine supplement, for muscle gain and to help with brain fog. I take 5 mgs daily. I have found it helpful. It is a health supplement so if you are interested speak to your Dr about it.
 
I took Metformin and Atorvastatin for only a few weeks, but suffered pretty dire side effects - I could no longer pick up the knitting machines I service, so had to give up the work for a year, in 2017. By 2018 I had recovered enough to go back to work.
 
I’ve taken Metformin for many more years than I’ve been diabetic for another condition & I've not had any problems other than age related. My joints are more a problem than my muscles, all those I can put down to injury
 
Melgar said:
It seems the research has mixed results
Click to expand...

It's mixed but not in the general sense

There are studies which show that metformin prevents/reduces muscle atrophy & muscle loss
There are studies which show that it prevents/reduces muscle growth

i.e. the studies don't contradict each other

The mechanism for both is same - Metformin activates AMPK which shifts cells to preservation. So you don't lose muscles but at the same time, it doesn't grow either

Apparently Berberine also does the exact same thing
 
lovinglife said:
I’ve taken Metformin for many more years than I’ve been diabetic for another condition & I've not had any problems other than age related.
Click to expand...

Did you try to grow your muscles in this time - through strength training & resistance exercises?
 
db270 said:
Did you try to grow your muscles in this time - through strength training & resistance exercises?
Click to expand...
In a word nope lol, I hate exercise, apart from walking & swimming, but home circumstances also mean I don’t get the time or the availability to get outside the home much. I’m a full time carer to my son.
 
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