Metformin HCL....acquiring knowledge

[jozifp103]

I've been reading up on this drug recently. Is there anyone with experience with it? It's supposed to up-regulate your insulin receptors to better allow your body to process carbohydrates and minimize fat storage. Similar to insulin it seems. I can't seem to find anything about negative side effects other than the rare possibility of hypoglycemia if not eating enough carbs. Nowhere near as common as with slin though.

Has anyone used this? How do the results compare to slin? Worth trying at some point down the road? Zilla? Halfwit? lol.


***This question is for educational purposes only. This is not something I plan on using in the near future. Just trying to gain some knowledge in case I decide to try something new down the road.

Thanks!

 

[jozifp103]

All I'm hearing is that it's a miracle drug with no side effects.....sounds too good to be true.

 

[Bigboss12]

i think it has something to do with regulating blood sugar. my dad is diabetic and he use to take that to help keep his blood sugar in normal ranges. i think it makes your body use insulin more efficiently while decreasing the amount of sugar produced through the liver

 

[Bigboss12]

Metformin Hydrochloride is usually well tolerated. However, like most medicines it can cause unwanted side effects in some patients.
Serious side effect:
There are only a few reported cases but some people have developed a condition known as lactic acidosis whilst taking Metformin Hydrochloride.
Lactic acidosis is caused by a build up of lactic acid in the blood (produced when glucose is turned into energy without oxygen).
Possible symptoms of lactic acidosis:
unexplained weight loss

feeling sick (nausea)

being sick (vomiting)

general feeling of being unwell

pain in the belly region

increased breathing rate
If you have or think you may have lactic acidosis, you should go to the hospital immediately as it is a medical emergency.
Side effects (usually short***8722;term)

feeling sick (nausea)
being sick (vomiting)
diarrhoea

weight loss
These side effects may be avoided by taking your medicine with or after food.
If you have any of these side effects important to continue taking your medicine as they normally disappear after a short time.
Other side effect

decreased vitamin B12 absorption
If any of these side effects get serious or you notice any
not listed, please tell your doctor or pharmacist.

 

[jozifp103]

i think it has something to do with regulating blood sugar. my dad is diabetic and he use to take that to help keep his blood sugar in normal ranges. i think it makes your body use insulin more efficiently while decreasing the amount of sugar produced through the liver

Ya that's what I've learned so far. I'm hoping to get some first hand experience. Maybe a comparison to gains on insulin etc. Dangers, side effects blah blah. I can't find anything bad about it on the internet.

 

[Bigboss12]

i haven't seen side effects. i read some and a lot of guys take it twice a day at like 500mg each dose. I'm sure you can find what works the best for you in terms of timing with meals. there is a small risk of hypoglycemia so much lower then with insulin. most guys seem to think it keeps fat off. I've never used it but i am interested in it now also. might be a good alternative to slin.

 

[Mprtz]

Have not used it, but from what I've read it has been around since the 1950s and is one of the most widely used and tested medications in the world.

 

[bbbjames]

All I'm hearing is that it's a miracle drug with no side effects.....sounds too good to be true.

I haven't done much research but Life Extension foundation swears by it and I trust them. I would check there site for articles and recommend anyone get their magazines. They are discovering more and more positives with this drug.

My old boss was prescribed this and he loves it. Claims his quality of life improved.

 

[jozifp103]

It seems to offer similar anabolic and fatloss benefits to a proper insulin protocol without the dangers of insulin. There's gotta be a catch or everyone would be running this...

 

[PrinceDianabol]

It seems to offer similar anabolic and fatloss benefits to a proper insulin protocol without the dangers of insulin. There's gotta be a catch or everyone would be running this...

When I used to work in pharmacuetical manufacturing I used to make Metformin tablets by the millions lol. They were about 5million tablets per batch, processed a couple batches a day.

If only I'd known I'd be into bodybuilding back then... hahaha

 

[snowpatrol123]

I tried it when I cycled off insulin six weeks ago or so, you can read my somewhat-more-detailed experience in my log but my experience was not good

 

[Megatron28]

I have always heard/read that gastrointestinal distress is pretty bad with this stuff. People are said to lose weight because of the diarrhea it gives them.

I have a whole bunch of it stockpiled but I never actually got around to ever trying it.

 

[cybrsage]

One of the things they are now studying is to see if Metformin can prevent diabetes by refreshing the insulin receptors and returning them to peak efficiency. This will allow the body to reduce the amount of insulin needed and hopefully reverse the plunge into diabetic state for those who are heading that way. It sounds like a great product, actually, as long as you already understand how your own body works AND you are willing to get a lot of blood tests every few weeks when you start to see what it is doing to your blood glucose level. Also, the sides seem pretty severe, so if you can handle them, go for it. I know I could not.

From another forum:

When your body releases insulin, over time, your insulin receptors get 'dull', less responsive. In advanced stages that becomes type II diabesis.

Metformin 'refreshes' those receptors, making them more sensitive to the insulin that your body releases.

It is a great product. Taken straight after a large meal, within the hor you will have EXTREMELLY full muscles. Dosages are 500mg after a normal to large carb meal, 1,000mg after a big carb meal and 1,500mg after all you can eat at Pizza Hut. You can take it after as many meals in a day as you wish, as long as those are large carb meals.

I believe every human should be on metformin, as it helps keep your insulin receptors fresh and as such it will prevent typeII diabesis

metformin

There is also this:

Bodybuilding

Bodybuilders use metformin because it gives them several benefits:
Full muscles: Muscles will grow fuller when metformin is used with high carbohydrate diets.
Lack of fat storage: Metformin helps prevent fat from being deposited, so you get full benefits from carbohydrate heavy meals, without worrying to end up storing fat. This is why diabetics say they ***8216;lean out***8217; on this drug.
Insulin receptors: Metformin helps keep muscle cells sensitized for insulin that the body produces.
Appetite suppression: This drug will limit hunger, so it***8217;s perfect for those doing a ketogenic diet. Furthermore, on re-feed days it makes a perfect addition to your carbohydrate heavy cheat day.
Pumps: Bodybuilders claim to get tremendous pumps when using metformin.
I can't gain fat no matter what I eat; is a common thing bodybuilders say. However, at the same time, many complain about the side effects, which are universal.

Side Effects

These are some of the common side effects of metformin use:
Nausea
Vomiting
Gas
Bloating
Diarrhea
Appetite suppression

Many patients are unable to continue treatment due to these symptoms. One tip that may help alleviate stomach related side effects is to take metformin on a full stomach.

Dosing for Bodybuilders

The way metformin is taken will vary for bodybuilders. Full muscles can be achieved if 500-1000 milligrams (mgs) are taken within 1 hour after a large carbohydrate meal. The more carbohydrates there are in the meal, the higher the dosage should be taken, never exceeding 1500 mgs at a time. Nevertheless, metformin can be taken with as many high carb meals as you wish.

Please note, there are two important rules with this strategy, and close attention should be paid to the following:
1. The fast releasing version is recommended for this strategy.
2. At least 100 grams (g) of carbs must be taken for every 500 mgs of metformin. Otherwise hypoglycemic symptoms may occur.

Half Life
The half life is listed as 4-6 hours. However, there are slow releasing extended tabs available. Bodybuilders should stick to the faster acting version as mentioned above.

http://www.*****************/metformin-hydrochloride

 

[Megatron28]

It doesn't make sense that this would be "perfect" for someone on a ketogenic diet if a minimum of 100g of carbs must be consumed in a meal. This is contrary. My understanding is that ketogenic diets and metformin do not go together.

 

[DottHellboy]

I have heard it stops working after 20 days of usage, and you should not take more 2.5 mg - may cause hypo.

 

[halfwit]

It doesn't make sense that this would be "perfect" for someone on a ketogenic diet if a minimum of 100g of carbs must be consumed in a meal. This is contrary. My understanding is that ketogenic diets and metformin do not go together.

It won't do much if you're not a diabetic and are in a ketogenic state. With that said, it is a great drug, and I do totally recommend trying it out before taking the dive into actual insulin use. The acidosis reports are usually associated with diabetes, as that's a common issue for uncontrolled glucose.

I don't get the stomach issues, and I've been taking 2g ED for well over a decade. I do want to mention that the limit of diminished returns does occur at that dose though.

My .02c

 

[snowpatrol123]

I have heard it stops working after 20 days of usage, and you should not take more 2.5 mg - may cause hypo.

This is patently wrong.

I can't deal with the side effects, especially if you're trying to add weight being on the toilet and unable to eat most of the day due to nausea is unacceptable.

That was at 425mg (half of an 850mg tab)

I'm normally not one who has a strong negative response to drugs however this one kicked the shit out of me (pun intended)

On the other hand there are lucky ones like halfwit...

 

[oldmusclemike]

i think it has something to do with regulating blood sugar. my dad is diabetic and he use to take that to help keep his blood sugar in normal ranges. i think it makes your body use insulin more efficiently while decreasing the amount of sugar produced through the liver

I can't explain how it works but I'm a type II diabetic. I take Metformin @ a rate of 2,000 mg ED. 1,000mg tab twice a day. I have suffered a few hypoglycemic attacks but I am also on another med called Glimpride 8 mg ED. This helps keep my blood sugar level down. I'm still way above the normal range but that's because of my diet.

All I know is that if your Blood Glucose is in range it can stimulate a crash and thus the glycemic attack. I wouldn't mess with it. I think this can be dangerous. I say this because as I said I have had it happen, but I /we need to keep in mind the glycemic attacks may be stimulated from the Glimepiride and I tend to think that.

 

[oldmusclemike]

I have heard it stops working after 20 days of usage, and you should not take more 2.5 mg - may cause hypo.

WRONG, Totally wrong

 

[jozifp103]

Wow loads of info guys. Thank you. It seems this drug is very person dependent, but it seems to carry a moderate-low risk for dangerous side effects. Hopefully if/when I get around to trying this stuff, I'll be one of the lucky ones who tolerates it well.

I have a pretty good understanding of how it works and the possible side effects....now I'm curious as to the effectiveness of it. For example, running it on a bulk to keep the fat gains down and to assist in glycogen uptake in the muscles. Will this give noticeable gains, and fatloss comparable to insulin? Or not even close?