Understanding Metformin: How Does It Work for People With Diabetes?

Understanding Metformin:
Everything You Wanted to Know and Were Afraid to Ask

Metformin is considered the first line of defense for people with type 2 diabetes, as it is safe, effective, and affordable. For most people with type 2 diabetes, metformin works to bring down blood sugar gradually when combined with a healthy diet and exercise. It’s not a quick fix, but rather an important part of a health plan to keep the condition manageable.

While millions of people around the world with type 2 diabetes take metformin, many people have questions about its use – including side effects, typical doses, and more. We created this guide to answer the questions you may be afraid to ask about metformin as part of a treatment plan for type 2 diabetes.

What’s in the Guide

In this guide, you’ll find answers to questions like:

• Who should take metformin? Including people with Type 2 diabetes, Metformin can be effective for people with prediabetes, Type 1 diabetes, gestational diabetes, and more.

• Is metformin dangerous? Read more about how metformin causes minimal side effects for most people and has gained a reputation as one of the safest, least costly, first-line drugs for Type 2 diabetes.

• What is the “faux low”? Learn about a common side effect of Metformin called the “faux low”, in which people taking metformin for the first time experience a drop in blood sugars to a “normal” range after running consistently high.

• What’s a normal dose of metformin? Find out the different doses that metformin is typically prescribed, and the treatment plans that go along with them.

• What else can metformin do? Read more about how researchers are currently studying whether metformin can help in the fight to treat and protect against other long-term diseases.

diaTribe Learn provides free, cutting-edge diabetes insights and actionable tips for people with type 1, type 2, and prediabetes. Our mission is to help individuals better understand their diabetes and lead healthier, happier, and more hopeful lives. diaTribe Learn is run by The diaTribe Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit. Learn more at diaTribe.org.

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