🩺 Dr. Ahmad Shahzad
Founder | Lyallpur Diabetes Foundation
Consultant Diabetologist | Educator | Advocate for Preventive Care
Metformin tablet has been synthesized to contain metformin hydrochloride which is a common orally taken anti-diabetes medicine and its biguanide. It is used as the first-line drug with diet and exercise as a supplement to help control the glucose level of patients with diabetes type 2 by the inhibited production of glucose by the liver, the increased sensitivity to insulin, and improved absorption of sugars in the bowel. Other Glucophage tablet uses among many include the reduction of both fasting and post-meal glucose, modest weight loss, as well as penetrating low risk of hypoglycemia as compared to other drugs. It has remained one of the most prescribed drugs, which are used in controlling blood sugar all over the world, due to its safety and efficacy.
What Is Glucophage?
Medicine metformin is sold in the brand name Glucophage, which is a commonly prescribed oral insulin-independent antidiabetic drug. It assists the management of the amount of sugar present in blood, that is, in overweight individuals. Metformin has also various forms to fit different forms of patients:
- Extended-release tablets (Glucophage XR): Take once daily, normally with the evening meal.
- Immediate-release tablets: Take meals 1 to 3 times daily.
- Oral Suspension: Adequate for those who have difficulty swallowing tablets.
Glucophage works in the body through multiple mechanisms:
- Make the body cells insulin sensitive and facilitate a more efficient use of insulin as well as a more systemic uptake of glucose by the body.
- Reduced glycogen production by the liver thus reducing release of sugar into the blood.
- Reduces intake of glucose in the small intestines further assisting in negative sugar control in the bloodstream.
By enhancing the body’s response to insulin and reducing excess glucose, it plays a critical role in diabetes management.
Primary Metformin Tablet Uses
The use these tablets is majorly based on the administration and prevention of lifestyle diseases that are caused by diabetes. The salient symptoms are:
Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
- First-Line Therapy: The term metformin (Glucophage) is well known as the primary orally used drug in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. It may be employed independently (monotherapy) or together with other antidiabetic drugs or insulin in cases where physical activity and diet itself does not allow one to manage his/her blood sugar.
- Blood Sugar Control: Its mechanisms of action incorporate lessening glucose production by the liver, enhancing insulin sensitivity and diminishing intestinal glucose ingestion. This is used in regulating the blood sugar level and preventing complications of diabetes, which normally occur through cardiovascular disease, neuropathy, and retinopathy.
- Prevention of Complications: Clinical trials have reported reduction of blood glucose levels with metformin as well as a reduction in the risk of mortality due to diabetes and mortality in general in overweight diabetic patients with type 2 diabetes because of using metformin.
Uses in Prediabetes
- Delaying Diabetes Onset: The tablets can be prescribed to people with prediabetes and at high-risk of diabetes type 2 (younger than 60, BMI>35, or has a history of gestation diabetes). The idea is to avert or defer the development of full-blown diabetes at least, when lifestyle changes alone have no effect.
- Clinical Guidelines: Although not endorsed universally in the treatment of prediabetes, in specific high-risk individuals it has been considered in the guidelines regarding the reduction of type 2 diabetes incidence using metformin.
Management of Gestational Diabetes
- Alternative to Insulin: These tablets are prescribed in some situations of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) as an insulin alternative with no risk at all. With their assistance, it is possible to manage glucose concentrations in the maternal blood, decrease the infant weight trafficking, as well as dangers of birth complications including hypoglycemia and macrosomia.
- Safety Profile: Some regions allow its use during pregnancy; hence it provides a substituent oral alternative to insulin use by women who are unable to or opt to use injectable insulin.
All in all, there is no doubt about the uses of metformin tablets in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, the prevention of diabetes in persons at risk and as a choice of therapy in cases of gestational diabetes when it is clinically necessary.
Off-Label and Additional Uses of Metformin Tablets
Although Glucophage (metformin) is mostly used to treat diabetes type 2, other off-label and emerging uses of tablets include the following:
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
Restore Ovulation: It becomes an extremely popular treatment of restoring regular ovulation in the women with PCOS, which is the hormonal disorder that frequently causes the irregular menstruation and infertility.
Reduces Insulin Resistance: It reduces the level of androgens by enhancing the body to respond better to insulin and this can ease the symptoms that include too much hair and acne which are symptoms of PCOS.
Weight Management in Insulin Resistance
It may make it possible to decrease the amount of fat in the abdomen and enhance the cholesterol levels of some patients with the assistance of the medication.
Metabolic Syndrome & Antipsychotic-Induced Weight Gain
- Metabolic Syndrome: Sometimes this drug can be used to treat metabolic syndrome conditions such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar level, excess body fat around the waist, and unusual cholesterol levels.
- Counteracting Medication Side Effects: It is also use as an antimetabolic and anti-obesity effect antidote of some antipsychotic drugs, specifically in bipolar or schizophrenic patients.
Experimental and Emerging Research
- Cancer Prevention: Recent studies evaluating its possible benefits of metformin in the prevention of some cancers, especially colorectal cancer and breast cancer because of its impact in cellular metabolism and insulin resistance.
- Anti-Aging: This is preliminary research that holds promise of potent anti-aging effects such as better longevity and decreased age-associated illnesses. However, these applications are still theoretical and are yet to be used as a matter of standard practice.
Potential Side Effects and Precautions
Side effects – Nausea, Metal taste in the mouth and Diarrhea are the common side effects of Glucophage. They are mild symptoms, and they can be enhanced through dose or time correction. One of the rare, but rather serious, dissimilarities is lactic acidosis or accumulation of lactic acid in the blood because of which one develops pain in the muscles, weakness, abdominal pain, dizziness, shortness of breath. It is a life-threatening condition, which requires emergency treatment.
Kidney or liver disease increases the risk, and patients should use metformin with caution. Kidney function tests and monitoring of vitamin B12 levels should also de done when under treatment as long term administration may result to DEALING in vitamin b12. It is also important that a patient should not consume exorbitant alcohol as it encourages the development of lactic acidosis. It is better to consult the medical specialist to give the patient individual advice and support them through the method of treatment.
You may also like to read: Bronze Diabetes
Who Should or Shouldn’t Use Metformin?
Suitable for:
- Overweight or obese individuals with elevated blood sugar
- Patients with insulin resistance
- Some women with PCOS (as advised by a doctor)
- Individuals with Type 2 diabetes
Not Suitable for:
- Those with liver transplants
- People with severe kidney disease (eGFR < 30 mL/min)
- Patients undergoing contrast imaging procedures.
- Individuals with the history of alcohol abuse
- People with heart failure or recent heart attacks
🔍 Always consult a healthcare provider before starting Metformin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Glucophage work as fertility?
An oral drug called metformin (marketed as Glucophage) is a rather recent form of healing in treating ovulatory issues and women with polycystic ovaries disease.
Do you lose or gain weight on Glucophage (metformin)?
In the event you are handling type 2 diabetes with metformin (or Glucophage as some call it), you may be dealing with a little weight loss as a side-effect. Whereas Metformin is not necessarily weight loss medication, it can induce weight loss effects by minimizing food cravings and enhancing insulin sensitivity.
Why do I use (metformin) by night?
Research on a small number of diabetic patients revealed that administration of metformin, Glucophage retard at night as opposed to supper hours possibly enhances diabetes control by curbing hyperglycemia in the morning.