Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Metformin And Weight Loss Research.

By Elroy Boykins


Metformin is the brand name of Glucophage. Originally, Metformin was promoted to help obese patients with Type II diabetes lose weight quickly. Diabetes is dramatically improved once a patient is no longer obese. However, it was found that Metformin also helps non-diabetics lose weight, particularly if the use of Metformin is combined with an exercise program and a healthy diet.

Metformin works by modulating the amount of sugar in the blood stream. Essentially, it slows the absorption of sugar by the body's tissues and organs. Metformin diminishes the sugar produced by the liver too. In addition to these mechanisms, Metformin boosts the sensitivity of the tissues to insulin so it can better serve the body.

Metformin has also been used to treat mental disorders. Specifically, Metformin can help people trim down who have gained weight because of psychiatric medications. Redbook Magazine published research that determined eighty percent of the people who took Metformin lost ten percent of their body fat when following a low-carbohydrate diet. Some studies reveal that the majority of participants taking Metformin lost 30 pounds.

Here's how Metformin works. Insulin is the culprit that causes weight gain. After we eat a meal our blood sugar rises. This stimulates the liver to pump insulin into the blood. The increasing insulin gives us a hunger message which moves us to eat. But, when we eat, sugar is dumped into the blood and the cycle continues.

Avoiding foods laden with refined sugars and carbohydrates, like breads and sweets, is an early step in preventing weight gain and obesity. It's also the first step in losing weight. Processed carbohydrates are trigger foods that cause the blood sugar to quickly spike and fall.

When we have eaten, the meal is broken down and sugar enters the intestines and then our blood, and then our liver. The liver then releases the sugar back into the bloodstream which triggers the pancreas to produce insulin to keep the blood sugar from rising high enough to damage nerve tissues, the kidneys and the heart.

Because insulin lowers the amount of glucose in the blood our brain thinks we are hungry. Naturally we want to eat when we feel hungry. But it was eating that dumped the sugar in the blood to begin with and triggered the pancreas to manufacture insulin which lowered the blood sugar. Here is where Metformin steps in to save the day. Metformin modifies the excess insulin so blood sugar does not drop so quickly. In other words, we don't feel hungry.

When using medication such as Metformin to lose weight, it is essential that the benefits are balanced with the risks. Obesity and Diabetes certainly have their health risks and losing weight can quickly improve both. However, medications should only be used as a last resort after exercise, diet and lifestyle changes have been thoroughly attempted.




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