Glucophage is the brand name for a drug called Metformin.
Glucophage weight loss refers to weight loss that actually occurs as a
side effect of taking the drug for treatment of type II diabetes.
Glucophage, or metformin is also prescribed for Polycystic Ovary
Syndrome or PCOS.
Glucophage controls the level of glucose in the blood. It is essential
for diabetics to regulate glucose levels. Sometimes they need to eat
quick acting carbohydrates for energy during or after physical activity
and sometimes they need to need slower acting carbohydrates that are
low on the glycemic index , and consequently introduce lower levels of
glucose at a slower rate into the blood.
Insulin is used by the body to process glucose and allows it to be
either burned as fuel or stored as fat. Glucophage lets the body
process glucose with a smaller amount of insulin that would otherwise
be necessary. Diabetics do not produce enough insulin, which is why
glucophage is prescribed as a treatment.
There are some other interesting effects of taking glucophage besides
weight loss. For example, it not only reduces insulin and glucose
levels in the body but also testosterone. The reduction of testosterone
in turn helps to reduce hirsutism, the appearance of too much body
hair, but it can also precipitate balding in both men and women.
It improves amenorrhea, the absence of periods in
pre-menopausal women, which can help infertility, but it can also lead
to complications with pregnancy. Glucophage has also been proven to
reduce the incidence of acne.
Weight loss in people taking glucophage is not the primary purpose for
taking it, nor is it a primary benefit in those that do take it.
However, glucophage appears to contribute to weight loss in some
patients. There are negative side effects as well. Some people taking
glucophage report flu-like symptoms such as achiness and fatigue.
Glucophage can also cause anemia by reducing the amount of B vitamins
in the body. A significant number of people (about one third)
experience nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. This last symptom can be
combated by introducing small levels into the body and increasing the
dose over time as the body builds up resistance to the side effects.
Some scientists think that this latter symptom of diarrhea and vomiting
is the primary reason why glucophage weight loss occurs. In
short, you only lose weight because you are generally unwell and don’t
tolerate food as well as normal. Because glucophage acts on the liver,
your liver and kidneys must be in healthy condition in order for you to
Another side effect of taking glucophage is an elevated level of the
hormone homocysteine. This can cause complications with pregnancy and
lead to the dangerous condition of eclampsia which puts both the mother
and baby’s life at risk.
Glucophage is only available with a prescription and generally
prescribed for the treatment of diabetes and PCOS.
Glucophage patients are advised to improve their diet and to exercise
regularly. Proper attention to diet and exercise can help those at high
risk of diabetes from developing it in the first place. There are also
many herbal supplements that can control some of the other symptoms for
which glucophage is prescribed. Fish oils and B vitamins can
Glucophage weight loss, weight loss caused by lowering the amount of
glucose released into the blood stream, can be reproduced to some
extent by sticking to a low glycemic index diet.
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