Metformin dosage for weight loss in non diabetics reddit

Objective: The efficacy of metformin for the treatment of obesity has been evaluated in few clinical trials with inconclusive results. Moreover, the effectiveness in a real-life outpatient setting has not been tested until today. In this study we aimed to examine the effectiveness of metformin as a weight reducing drug in obese and overweight patients with regard to their degree of insulin resistance.

Design and patients: We treated 154 consecutive patients with a body mass index ≥27 kg/m(2) in an outpatient setting over 6 months with metformin up to a dosage of 2,500 mg per day. Additionally, we included 45 untreated patients as controls. Patients were monitored for weight changes over 6 months. Before metformin treatment was started insulin sensitivity was determined in all patients by calculating HOMA index and Matsuda index after a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test.

Results: The mean weight loss in the metformin treated group was 5.8±7.0 kg (5.6±6.5%). Untreated controls gained 0.8±3.5 kg (0.8±3.7%) on average. Patients with severe insulin resistance lost significantly more weight as compared to insulin sensitive patients. The percentage of weight loss was independent of age, sex or BMI.

Conclusion: Metformin is an effective drug to reduce weight in a naturalistic outpatient setting in insulin sensitive and insulin resistant overweight and obese patients.

Metformin is a drug designed to treat patients with Type 2 diabetes, but it comes with an interesting side effect: weight loss.

And Reddit is filled with stories from people who have lost weight on the drug. “Was trying to lose weight for a long time with no success,” one person wrote of being prescribed metformin. “I’m on 1000 mg a day and am down 10 pounds.” “I saw weight loss at first with 500 mg twice per day,” another wrote. “The difference was almost immediate.”

While some people say the drug didn’t do much for them, others swear by it—even those that don’t have Type 2 diabetes, says Fatima Cody Stanford, M.D., an instructor of medicine and pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and obesity medicine physician at Massachusetts General Hospital. In fact, Cody Stanford says that she often prescribes the medication to overweight or obese people who don't have Type 2 diabetes.

Here’s what you need to know about the drug. (Take It All Off! Keep It All Off! is the no-gimmick, you-can-do-this, time-tested playbook packed with stories and secrets from women who dropped 20, 50, even 100 pounds and kept it off for at least a year!)

How It Works

Metformin causes a decrease in the release of glucose from a person’s liver. This helps to lower a person’s blood sugar when it’s too high and restore the way someone uses food to make energy, according to the Mayo Clinic. "Weight loss can occur because it decreases appetite in some people who take it," says women's health expert Jennifer Wider, M.D.

In order for the prescription to work effectively, the amount of metformin you take must be balanced against your diet and exercise because it helps level out your blood sugar, the clinic says. For that reason, if you change your diet or exercise, you doctor may need to change the amount of metformin you take.

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Can It Help You Lose Weight?

Cody Stanford says she uses the medication often in her practice among those with and without Type 2 diabetes—and it works. “While metformin is typically prescribed for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes, it has been shown to produce weight loss in some individuals with a low likelihood of adverse effects,” she says.

Here’s why: Regardless of whether or not the patient taking metformin has Type 2 diabetes or insulin resistance, the medication can improve a person’s insulin sensitivity. That increased sensitivity to insulin can keep a person's blood sugar level, which prevents the hunger and carb cravings that come with spikes and subsequent drops in blood sugar, Stanford explains. And with less cravings and carbs, you're more likely to have an easier time losing weight.

The meds also decrease a person’s glucose levels, which causes a lesser likelihood that excess sugar will be stored as fat tissue in the body, she says.

Finally, the drug can improve a person’s sensitivity to leptin, a hormone that makes you feel full and might increase your metabolism, Stanford says.

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Is It Dangerous?

The medication is considered safe to use, but the Mayo Clinic notes that it can negatively interact with certain medications like aspirin. It’s also not recommended that you drink alcohol on metformin, and you should be cautious about using the drug if you have conditions like anemia or a vitamin B12 deficiency. People with kidney and liver problems should also steer clear, Wider says.

The most common side effects of using metformin are nausea, loose stools, and abdominal pain, Stanford says. Obviously, it’s important to take the drug under a doctor’s care.

The Bottom Line

Metformin is a fairly popular drug prescribed by doctors, Stanford says, and has shown to help with weight loss. But the medication is only available by prescription, so you need to see your doctor for an evaluation to make sure it’s right for you.

Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a master’s degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.