How To Use Metformin For Biohacking
Metformin is the main drug to treat type 2 diabetes. It helps cells absorb glucose better. Taking metformin in healthy people is safe, but it can cause side effects in the intestines (flatulence, abdominal pain, etc.). However, these gradually diminish over time. Some people who cannot lose weight through diet or exercise resort to using medical drugs. In biohacking metformin is one such medication. Sometimes, it is taken even by overweight people who do not have diabetes. Given the mechanism of action, the drug can indeed promote weight loss. But is it that easy and safe?
Contents
Highlights
- Metformin improves insulin sensitivity and lowers blood glucose levels.
- Healthy people use metformin for weight loss in biohacking trends.
- Average long-term weight loss with metformin is about 6.2%.
- Metformin aids weight loss but can’t replace diet and exercise.
What is metformin?
Healthy people and many sportsmen usually drink metformin to lose weight. This trend is becoming especially popular in biohacking. The main action of metformin is hypoglycemic correction, that is, lowering the concentration of glucose in the blood, as well as increasing the sensitivity of tissues to insulin, which is prioritized in weight loss.
Treating specialists for weight correction recommend using metformin only for those who suffer from diabetes and excessive fullness accompanying this disease since the drug is most often prescribed permanently.
The need for metformin in diabetes sufferers is constant. However, how else is it used? Here are the mechanisms of action of metformin:
- lowering glucose levels, glycated hemoglobin (“long” hemoglobin, shows blood sugar over several months);
- increases insensitivity to excess glucose – correction of prediabetes (predisposition, risk factors);
- reduces glucose absorption in the intestine (excess sugar does not enter the blood);
- metformin increases the susceptibility of cells to insulin;
- reduces glucose production in the liver (prevents the formation of excess glycogen – energy “reserve,” prevents lipogenesis – processing of excess glycogen into fat);
- participates in the normalization of fat metabolism in diabetes and insulin resistance (metformin reduces the concentration of triglycerides, LDL, and cholesterol without affecting the “good” cholesterol).
Use of metformin in biohacking
In a study of over 3,000 people, the average weight loss for those taking metformin was 2.5 kilograms. About a third lost at least 5 percent of their body weight after a year. And the longer they took the drug, the better the results were, with an average long-term loss of 6.2% of body weight.
Ways metformin can affect weight:
- The drug may reduce appetite. Metformin increases the body’s sensitivity to hormones such as insulin and leptin. Leptin is responsible for feelings of satiety, so increased sensitivity to this hormone may cause you to feel less hungry.
- Metformin can increase the secretion of the hormone GLP-1, which suppresses appetite and can cause weight loss. In fact, a GLP-1 receptor agonist drug that targets this particular hormone, semaglutide, currently exists and has already been approved by the FDA to treat obesity as well as type 2 diabetes.
- Metformin can also reduce weight by reducing liver and muscle tissue visceral fat. Visceral fat is stored around organs in the abdomen and is a bigger problem than subcutaneous fat.
Metformin side effects
When using metformin, the effects of the substance affect slightly more than 3 and less than 10% of patients. What can be a side effect?
- Metabolism: paradoxical reaction in the form of hypoglycemia, infrequent – lactacidosis.
- Cardiovascular system: single cases of anemia with erythrocytic insufficiency (megaloblastic form) against the background of Metformin inhibition of vitamins B9 and B12 absorption.
- Gastrointestinal tract: The body adapts to metformin’s action, and the initial stages of the course may be accompanied by intestinal disorders, nausea, and flatulence. Pain or unpleasant abdominal sensations pass if you organize Metformin intake during meals.
- Skin: dermatitis (rare), insignificant rash.
The doctor must know all the medications the patient is taking. Metformin may interact with other medicines and may offset their effects. Despite decades of use of metformin, it has not yet been possible to improve its formulation. Still, low statistics of undesirable manifestations support confidence in the effectiveness of the drug. And remember: no drug for weight loss will replace a healthy, balanced diet with a calorie deficit and physical activity.
To sum up
Metformin is, first and foremost, a diabetes medicine. Popular among biohacking groups Because of its potential to help with weight loss and improve metabolic health, its mechanisms – from lowering glucose levels to reducing insulin sensitivity – make it attractive to biohackers to improve their body. However, its use is not limited to treating diabetes, and there are risks. This includes gastrointestinal discomfort and rare side effects. Some of which emphasize the need for medical care. Metformin should not be viewed as a weight loss diet. Eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly remain the cornerstone for achieving and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
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