Metformin: worth it? and what to expect
Hello all. I got my Doctor to give me a prescription for Metformin. I have read about its possible age-reversing effects, but I have also read about some possible significant side effects, including GI problems like nausea and diarrhea, stomach pains or damage, and muscle weakness. I have a friend who is Type I diabetic, and he hated the drug. What is everyone's thoughts? Is there a better anti-aging drug to try? Against this, what benefits could I expect? I'm not particularly overweight, though I'd love to lose some more belly fat (who wouldn't!?).
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For me it was a surprise benefit that I'm much more 'in control' after a meal now. Example; the other day I ate lunch which consisted of a raw cabbage salad with tomato dressing, a lentil soup and banana. Healthy stuff, but still after lunch my energy rather crashed, until I realized I forgot to take my Metformin. It appears to be regulating my energy so much better with regards to meals.
LifeExtension has a protocol for starting it (250mg/1 wk, 500 next, 1000 next, then 1500) which worked for me - no side effects.
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Dan Thank you, that is very helpful! So you think it is mostly useful for regulating appetite/energy. I do get lots of cravings at night I guess I should look at life extension's protocol. My doctor prescribed the ER (extended release) version. Is that the one you've been using?
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Jeff Bennion no the life extension benefits is the main thing. I’m taking 2k of the regular tabs, might switch to ER. Also it greatly help with the 3am glucose response (eg im sleeping better too)
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Dan Do you have a reference/link to the LifeExtension protocol? I've seen a bunch of interesting articles there, but no specific protocol.
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I've been experimenting with metformin for about 4 weeks now. I usually take 500 mg, once per day. It seems to reliably make me less hungry. But other than that, I haven't noticed any effects. I haven't seen any weight loss yet.
I tried taking a second, 500 mg tablet in a day (so 1,000 mg total), and I was nauseous for the next 16 hours, and woke up the next morning with a headache. I'm not sure what that was about. I may try it again after a while, but I'm taking my time.
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Maximus Thank you, this is very helpful. I'm going to start with250mg at bedtime and go from there. I am hoping on losing some belly fat and improving my glucose tolerance (though I eat very little sugar these days), but the reviews on the weight loss are mixed it seems, at least for people not obese.
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Jeff Bennion Very good Jeff, you're welcome. I think a gradual approach is probably a diligent and safe one.
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Maximus I think the weight loss effect is pretty minor and depends on other factors anyhow. I find with Metformin that I'm able to tolerate and enjoy food better so am eating more anyhow, at least the temptation is to eat more because it's a fasting mimetic.
Also I think that program is too aggressive, I followed LE and started with 250mg for a week, then 500 the next, 1000 then 1500. No issues whatsoever and I'm prone to stomach upsets.
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Maximus
I have been on it for years. Only recently upping dose to 500mg two times/ day. This is a long term affect drug. Don’t expect to see any short term benefits. Bowel issues with dose change is the main side affect. I use ER version.
Two years ago I also started using Life Extension AMPK activator. I think it works differently, and provides another form of activation. The two together have made a great change in my fat loss (along with better diet/light exercise). Again slow. But about 1-2 lbs per month, steadily. Down 30 lbs in recent years. Down 80 from 16 years ago. I’m 68.
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Jeff Bennion
hi
i have been fighting high glucose levels for years, I am pre diabetic so I am planning to ask my doctor for Metaformin to regulate my sugar, I don’t eat much sugar but I still get high blood tests. I have just read in Life Extension tgat Metaformin also has an anti aging affect, has anyone tried this? Also, can I eat more carbs if I take Metaformin?
thanks
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Dyllis Wells Hopefully others can chime in here as well, but it is supposed to help you tolerate carbs/sugar better, but I think your doctor would encourage you to still limit your intake. Most of us here are interested in Metformin for the anti-aging and anti-cancer effects rather than the weight loss/diabetes issue. The effects appear to be subtle and long term rather than immediate, if I am correctly distilling what people are saying here. There can also be significant side effects.
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Jeff Bennion
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Dyllis Wells yes. Metformin seems to make me feel healthier. I see no down side to it but vitamin b12 absorption is reduced so add B12 suppliment.
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are we there yet
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are we there yet
we take Lypo Spheric B Complex and the same product in Vitamin C, , it is potent, much better than pills, it comes in a liquid form, we also have two 8 minute treatments a day in our PEMP mat for health . Thank you for your info on Metformin, I will ask my doctor for a prescription , what is the lowest dose?
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I have used Metformin several years with no detected side effects. For safety I take b12 vitamin supliments because some studies sugest metformin reduces b12. Rapamycin enhances metformin quite a bit in my aging symptoms.
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are we there yet
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are we there yet What aging symptoms have been improved by combining Rapamycin and Metformin?
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Christine .... for me at 71 years old, my mild left knee and right hip arthrirus went away excepts for very long walks. Lower Leg edema swelling went away and skipped heartbeats went from one per minute to less than one per 5 minutes. My dose of sirolimus is only 2 to 3 mg per week. I’m concervative. And about 1 to 1.5 mg metformin. Remember to take b12 supliments because metformin reduces b12 absorpton. Metformin only has an 8 hour half life so spread out its ingestion to early and late in the day.
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I've been taking it for years (for anti-cancer, not diabetic purposes) and honestly can't attribute any symptoms to it apart from occasional low blood sugar episodes, but that's probably exacerbated by my low-carb diet. Conversely, I can't proclaim observable benefits – I take it as a hedge based on what studies have shown.
By the way, if you travel internationally enough, you can come back with a number of months' worth of supplies cheaply and without a prescription. Countries like Costa Rica and Portugal don't require one.-
Applied Extropy it would be great if someone made a list of countries with pharmacies not requiring prescription in general.
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are we there yet That's a good candidate for a wiki article. The addition of a wiki is being discussed here: https://forum.age-reversal.net/t/36b4av/add-a-wiki-to-the-site
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are we there yet Cyprus $7
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I take 500mg of the ER two times a day (1gm total). There are some studies on the NIH website that show the ER is more effective for heath extension bio markers over the standard release version. I started the first month on just 500 ER before I doubled the dose, and I noticed I had a significant amount of gas when I first started and when I upped the dose, but my body adjusted after a week or two and I don’t have any side effects now. Also, my pharmacy mixed up the prescription once and gave me the standard release instead of the ER, which I had to take for 2 days before I got it fixed and I noticed it immediately caused me to have a lot of gas, so i think the ER is a lot easier on the GI system.
I havent noticed any effects of taking metformin, I haven’t lost any weight, and even though I’m not diabetic I do check my fasting glucose level 1-2 times a week and I haven’t noticed any change in my fasting glucose level either. However, the studies and data of people taking metformin long term are very compelling for overall reduction in cancer, heart disease, and all cause mortality. Considering it’s so cheap, $5 cash price at most pharmacies (and free with good insurance), it seems like a safe and cost effective bet.
For those who asked about ways to get it without a prescription, it seems far easier to call around and find a local Dr. who is up on the current research, my own family Dr. refused to write me a prescription, but a few phone calls and I found a Dr. who “gets it” and was taking it himself. I’m always wary of drugs manufactured in China and India, which is what you’ll get over the counter in foreign countries, but this stuff is so cheap I feel better getting it from a US pharmacy and verifying it was manufactured in the US.
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I have taken 1000mg/day of Metformin on and off, mostly on, for 13 years or so. Currently off as I wanted to find a lifestyle to maintain optimal glucose without medication, and will likely start again soon to see what happens when combining that with Metformin again.
I do experience some side effects to the GI in the first weeks of restarting it. They are however mild and I can still work and have fun. For me, very high carb or high fat meals provoke the GI issues with Met, but I also have more of an appetite for fresh, crisp foods like salad when starting. I'd recommend moderation with fat and carbs in the first weeks and with alcohol in general. I prefer taking my dose with my first meal.
I do notice some weight loss with Metformin, especially in the beginning when I had insulin resistance and weight loss was otherwise extemely difficult. My guess is that weight loss depends not only on the amount of body fat when starting but also on the initial glucose levels. What amount of excess weight are you carrying primarily due to insulin resistance?
