Metformin: Improving Insulin Sensitivity

What You Should Know About Metformin

Side Effects: You may experience abdominal bloating, nausea, and diarrhea when you begin taking metformin. The recommendation is to start off with a low dose to determine both side effects and impact on your blood glucose. If you need more your health care provider can slowly up your dose. This tactic helps minimize or avoid symptoms, but some people just can't tolerate metformin.

A rare but potentially serious complication is lactic acidosis. When you metabolize metformin, lactic acid is produced and can, in rare instances, build up to toxic levels. This isn't typical and usually happens only if you have liver or kidney disease so patients with either condition are not good candidates for metformin.

If you take metformin, limit alcohol consumption to no more than two drinks a day for men or one drink a day for women. Alcohol and metformin together significantly raise the risk of lactic acidosis occuring.

Metformin may decrease the absorption of vitamin B12. Your doctor would find this during routine lab work.