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Type 2 Diabetes and metformin: How are they related? Does metformin help? It is safe? How is it consumed? Who should not take metformin? How does it work?

Diabetes is a typically chronic medical condition involving a lack of either insulin sensitivity or insulin as a whole. Type 2 diabetes, the most common type, involves your cells becoming resistant to insulin over time due to excess exposure to high blood glucose levels. Oftentimes, people suffering from type 2 diabetes are affected by their lifestyle factors like low levels of physical exercise and a high-glycemic load diet.

In terms of managing diabetes, metformin has proved itself as one of the most commonly prescribed medications. Metformin is a biguanide medication (a type of orally consumed diabetes medicine), which offers significant benefits to patients who have type 2 diabetes by improving sensitivity to insulin and decreasing glucose production in the liver. Instead of increasing levels of insulin in the body, metformin works by making your body more sensitive to the already present insulin in the bloodstream.

Metformin is always administered orally, with varying dosages depending on the healthcare provider’s analysis of your personal case. As well as that, it is usually taken post a meal to optimize the efficacy of the medicine.

Metformin is also supported by research. For example, this study titled, “UK prospective diabetes study” or the UKPDS, investigated and analyzed the long-term effect of consuming metformin in people with type 2 diabetes. They observed that metformin was directly related to a reduction in diabetes-related symptoms, increase in glycemic control in the blood, and a significantly lower risk of cardiovascular death and attacks.

Although metformin is used very often in people with diabetes, it is not safe for long term consumption. The medication significantly impacts the way the liver functions, and can affect the kidneys as well; individuals who have severe diseases in the liver of kidney must continually consult with their healthcare provider to ensure that all risks are minimized and their medication consumption is optimized. It can also lead to a Vitamin B-12 deficiency and cause nausea in some people.

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