Review of Metformin

Indy51

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Abstract: "This review investigates the different biological effect of Metformin (MET) in different conditions. MET is an oral antidiabetic drug used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) particularly in overweight people. The main mechanism of action of the MET is inhibition of hepatic glucose production and reduction of insulin resistance. In addition to its antidiabetic effects, MET is also found to be related with the risk for development of several human solid cancers types such as colorectal, breast and pancreas cancer in the diabetic patients. Nowadays according to some researches, MET is believed to decrease or prevent aging and mortality. Moreover, clinical and experimental evidence has shown that MET has beneficial effects in patient with obesity, polycystic ovarian syndrome and Alzheimer's disease. Recent studies have shown that activation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) by MET can explain its beneficial metabolic effects. In this manuscript, a reevaluation of mechanisms as well as pharmacokinetic properties, genetic variants of transporters, drug-drug interactions, side effects and potential clinical benefits of MET have been reviewed."

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322139948_A_reappraisal_on_metformin
 
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Member496333

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Interesting. Thanks for sharing. It’s a pretty decent drug in managing T2DM. Is it not the case that those other conditions are also, along with diabetes, part of metabolic syndrome, or at least understood to be? That being the case it makes sense that it would be associated with better outcomes in those too.

Thankfully I didn’t really suffer any long-lasting side effects of taking Metformin. In fact I had worse side effects when I came off it :nurse:
 

Indy51

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Type 2
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Diet only
If I could tolerate metformin, I'd be taking the minimum dose for the various benefits - but unfortunately normal metformin gives me dreadful itchy rashes at the base of my throat within just a few days of taking the min. dose. Likewise min. dose SR version gave me bleeding gastritis and anemia from the blood loss within 6 months. So, doesn't seem to be a good match for me :(
 
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SimonCrox

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Interesting. Thanks for sharing. It’s a pretty decent drug in managing T2DM. Is it not the case that those other conditions are also, along with diabetes, part of metabolic syndrome, or at least understood to be? That being the case it makes sense that it would be associated with better outcomes in those too.

Thankfully I didn’t really suffer any long-lasting side effects of taking Metformin. In fact I had worse side effects when I came off it :nurse:

Good point; cancer breast, pancreas and colon are more common in folk with T2DM, as is Alzheimer's disease
 
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SimonCrox

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Abstract: "This review investigates the different biological effect of Metformin (MET) in different conditions. MET is an oral antidiabetic drug used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) particularly in overweight people. The main mechanism of action of the MET is inhibition of hepatic glucose production and reduction of insulin resistance. In addition to its antidiabetic effects, MET is also found to be related with the risk for development of several human solid cancers types such as colorectal, breast and pancreas cancer in the diabetic patients. Nowadays according to some researches, MET is believed to decrease or prevent aging and mortality. Moreover, clinical and experimental evidence has shown that MET has beneficial effects in patient with obesity, polycystic ovarian syndrome and Alzheimer's disease. Recent studies have shown that activation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) by MET can explain its beneficial metabolic effects. In this manuscript, a reevaluation of mechanisms as well as pharmacokinetic properties, genetic variants of transporters, drug-drug interactions, side effects and potential clinical benefits of MET have been reviewed."

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322139948_A_reappraisal_on_metformin
Thanks for this info and link to pdf - really useful and interesting
Best wishes
 

AloeSvea

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Looking forward to reading this, and, it reminded me to take my high potency turmeric tabs, turmeric/curcumin being one of the many foods that activate AMPK, or can do, apparently. (It's the only supplement I have taken that seems to have a somewhat beneficial impact on my BGs, talking of beneficial impacts on BGs - yay metformin! Being a fan, although I have chosen not to take it.)

Because I can't help it (I was drawn this way), I wish that the writers of this abstract and the editors had someone like me have look at it before submission, and point out that there is nothing on this earth at time of writing that can prevent or delay both ageing, and mortality. We will all age, and at a steady rate if alive, and we are all going to die. They mean prevent or delay a 'too early death', and perhaps 'accelerated signs of ageing' which is not the same. To leave in an error such as that plays into our species' tremendous ability to go into denial to lower levels of anxiety and pain about both ageing and our certain eventual death can bring about! Imho. And denial, although having clear and wonderful calming effects, has no place in science. Or it should not. Just saying.

But again, thanks heaps @Indy51, for your marvellous posting activities. Now I shall pour myself a red bush tea and read it...
 

AloeSvea

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The scientists involved with this review of the findings on metformin are all university based, which gives me hope.

But, the use of the unscientific claim to delaying and preventing mortality and ageing (made more than once throughout the piece) sounds more like a fountain of youth benefit of snake oil, so I suspect pharmaceutical company involvement. Well, I didn't, but I was joking with my science educated partner, Herr Svea, about the use of above mentioned phrase, and he suggested it as a sales technique rather than hard science, ie, Big Pharma involvement. It made sense.

This does not detract from the very real benefits of metformin, or MET :), of course, and this paper identifies them and does a pretty up-front costs and benefits analysis of each pro. For instance, the B12 deficiency factor. I like the fact that they talk about gut biome issues - so up with the play gets a big tick.