Monday, October 21, 2013

Metformin Weight Loss Myths.

By Aurelio Chabolla


Metformin is also known by its generic name, Glucophage. It was initially marketed to help Type II diabetics to lose weight quickly. Type II diabetes is much improved when the patient is no longer obese. It was discovered that Metformin could also help non-diabetics lose weight too. For non-diabetics the greatest weight loss success occurred when Metformin was used in conjunction with a healthy diet and a reasonable exercise program.

Metformin governs the amount of sugar in the body and how it is absorbed by the tissues. It does this in three ways. First, it stabilizes the amount of sugar in the blood. Second, slows the production of glucose by the liver. Finally, Metformin heightens the level of sensitivity the tissues have to insulin.

Metformin is used extensively to treat mental disorders too. It has proven particularly useful in helping lose weight who had previously gained a lot of weight because of taking antidepressants and other psychotropic prescriptions. The magazine Redbook published a study showing that over three quarters of the people who took Metformin lost ten percent of their body weight. Other studies claim many people have lost as much as thirty pounds.

Insulin is the mechanism that causes someone to gain weight. After a meal, blood sugar level rises which prompts the pancreas to secrete insulin. Insulin then triggers a hunger response in the brain and we eat. If this cycle continues out of balance, we tend to eat too much and too often and we gain weight.

Avoiding foods laden with refined sugars and carbohydrates, like breads and sweets, is an early step in preventing weight gain and obesity. It's also the first step in losing weight. Processed carbohydrates are trigger foods that cause the blood sugar to quickly spike and fall.

To look at the process more closely, it is vital to understand what happens when we eat. A meal is broken down in the intestines where the sugars from the meal pass into the blood. From our blood, sugars then enter the liver. The liver, in turn, releases glucose into the circulatory system. This then triggers the pancreas to produce insulin to prevent the glucose in the blood from rising too fast and causing damage.

When insulin lowers the blood sugar, the brain gets a hunger signal. This makes us eat which starts the process over again. Eating dumps sugar into the blood which makes the pancreas dump insulin into the blood to protect the organs and lowers the blood sugar. Metformin breaks this cycle by preventing the pancreas from manufacturing excess insulin. In this way, Metformin keeps us from getting as hungry so we don't eat as often.

Metformin, like any medication, has benefits, risks and drug interactions. Be sure you understand this balance before you take Metformin for weight loss. Speak to your doctor to determine if Metformin is your best choice for weight loss. Also, consider which lifestyle changes you can make to reach your weight loss goals.




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