Metformin is an Endocrine Disruptor and Threat to Humankind

originally posted by: rickymouse
I'm not sure that Metformin is a very good drug for Diabetis. I know a dozen people on it, it is used to treat symptoms. Two of the people are experiencing some bad effects from it, initially they felt better but later on they had some complications that were pretty severe. I guess it blocks folate absorbtion because it causes a lot of diarrhea in some people. Both people I know taking it and having problems have the diahrea problem. A simple multimineral and some real folate and a little B12 and they are fine now.

I found this really interesting. My grandmother has had diabetes for over ten years and I've been working with her recently in regards weight management and she tells me all the time her memory is shocking and she has a hard time walking around for an extended period of time (I believe it's a lack of oxygen in the body which would be related to B12 aspect of the medication) and has suffered with huge issues with digestional health. She was one of the first people I've ever known to be diagnosed with a wheat allergy and she's very restricted as to what vegetables she can eat because some have such a bad effect on her whole body.

Gonna research in to the effects of this a bit more. Thanks OP for arranging the information so well. S&F from me

edit on 2572017 by eire91 because: (no reason given)

edit on 2572017 by eire91 because: (no reason given)

edit on 2572017 by eire91 because: (no reason given)

originally posted by: TiredofControlFreaks
a reply to: NerdGoddess

There is nothing silly about diabetes. You are the silly one allowing scare studies to influence your choice of medication. Metformin is extremely effective for Type 2 diabetes.

Get your father into regular daily exercise. Its a better use of your energy than worrying about metformin

Thanks, he has started exercising and he is on a new diet. I'm just worried because he never used to be overweight and now he is and is losing his eye sight. Diabetes runs in our family but he just developed it unlike my cousin who was born with it.

It's def. a sign to me however because I eat just like my dad- so I'll be focusing on my health as well.

If he has to take it then I just hope it helps him and doesn't give him any adverse side effects.

-Alee

a reply to: NerdGoddess

Also keep something in mind.

We are told over and over again that obesity CAUSES diabetes.

That is a perversion of the actual truth.

Insulin is a natural hormone to the body. Its function is to cause the accumulation of fat!

www.diabetes.co.uk...

As diabetes develops, excess insulin starts accumulating in the body, particularly in the abdomen. This is NOT the diabetes fault, it is just of function of insulin resistance.

The key to losing wieght for a diabetic (at it is at least twice as hard as a normal person would have) is lots and lots and lots of cardio exercise and avoiding spikes in blood sugar.

If your father is able to lose wieght (and he might not be), he will find that his need for medication will be reduced. This is not a permanent effect (remember diabetes is a progress disease. However, fighting diabetes is a game of time . The longer you can stay in control and avoid the bad effects, the greater the chance that you will die of something else.

It ain't pretty but it is reality.

a reply to: NerdGoddess

Metformin does cause diarrhea. It is a negative affect that occurs for about 3 months. It causes weight loss and helps with diabetic control. After about 3 months, the diarrhea will stop.

You just have to suck it up for awhile. Thankfully the diarrhea is not constant.

a reply to: NerdGoddess

I have lots of tricks I use to prevent sugar spikes in the blood. If you are interested, just pm me and I will be happy to share.

originally posted by: TiredofControlFreaks
a reply to: NerdGoddess

Also keep something in mind.

We are told over and over again that obesity CAUSES diabetes.

That is a perversion of the actual truth.

Insulin is a natural hormone to the body. Its function is to cause the accumulation of fat!

www.diabetes.co.uk...

As diabetes develops, excess insulin starts accumulating in the body, particularly in the abdomen. This is NOT the diabetes fault, it is just of function of insulin resistance.

The key to losing wieght for a diabetic (at it is at least twice as hard as a normal person would have) is lots and lots and lots of cardio exercise and avoiding spikes in blood sugar.

If your father is able to lose wieght (and he might not be), he will find that his need for medication will be reduced. This is not a permanent effect (remember diabetes is a progress disease. However, fighting diabetes is a game of time . The longer you can stay in control and avoid the bad effects, the greater the chance that you will die of something else.

It ain't pretty but it is reality.

Insulin's function is not to induce fat accumulation. Glucose uptake by cells in muscle and adipose tissue requires insulin. Glucose is an energy source for cell function.

Initially, the pancreas tries to compensate for the rise in blood glucose levels by increasing insulin production. Eventually, the pancreas cannot produce adequate amounts of insulin needed to successfully compensate for the increased post-prandial blood glucose levels. When this happens you have insulin resistance and pancreatic beta cells become impaired and damaged, and the cells within muscle and adipose tissue can no longer uptake glucose sufficiently.

In T2D you no longer have glucose homeostasis. Metformin does not adequately control post-prandial glucose levels. If one takes the new inhaled meal-time insulin which mimics the endogenous secretion of insulin like that of a healthy pancreas, one controls post-prandial blood glucose levels the right way, the way the body is suppose to naturally control post-prandial blood glucose. This is what the compensatory response within the body failed to do in the first place. Simple, no conspiracy to it.

• Take a look at Metformin's safety profile. It is the Primary Suspect of thousands of deaths:

I was diagnosed with T2D in 2011, I take 2000mg of metformin and 25mg empagliflozin (Jardiance) a day. I've never had diarrhea, but have had awful sickness to the stomach. It's an awful feeling that can last from a couple of hours to a full day.

a reply to: Cropper

I'm sorry to hear that. My wife had similar issues but eventually get off of it entirely.

Non-hocus pocus comment here, but have you ever tried Cannabis? There is an abundant amount of scientific literature on Cannabis and diabetes. The endocannabinoid system regulates insulin secretion and glucose homeostasis. It turns on fat burning via the CB2 receptor. Many people, myself included, can vouch that this medicine works and is safe (actually should be an essential nutrient in everyday life).

Take care.

a reply to: M4ngo

I haven't tried it yet but I definitely believe it's a great healer.

a reply to: TiredofControlFreaks


Yes I have been taking it for 3 weeks and its effects on HBS are clear.

a reply to: M4ngo

I don't disagree with you.

Please explain the average age of death in the 70s and 80s???????

Also what are you going to say to the people who can't afford hundreds of dollars a month for insulin costs as opposed to $4.00 for metformin???????

Plus the cost of the blood test strips at a dollar a piece???????

Which big pharma do you work for? Its clear your purpose of the OP was not to inform about environmental concerns but to get people off of metformin?

a reply to: Cropper

I recently started taking juardiance about 3 months ago. I still take metformin but the Jardiance is to induce wieght loss. I lost 22 pounds to far (nice slow healthy wieght loss).

I was concerned about the side effects of taking jardiance (dry mouth, bladder infections, kidney problems) so I proactively upped my water intake and started taking cranberry extract supplements.

So far so good. I am slowly reducing Lantus insulin as I lose wieght. Only 2 units so far. I have had no blood sugar spikes although it seems jardiance is not quite as good at stablizing the blood sugar (maybe that is only so far.)

a reply to: Logarock

Metformin has been the drug of first choice for diabetics for decades now.

You can post all the links you like to deaths of people in the old age dying of metformin. This may or may not be a downside of metformin but the other side of the coin is the number of diabetics who made it to their old age because of metformin.

Do watch out for the diarrhea. It can be quite severe. Make sure and drink lots of water. I like to drink chicken broth to replace the lost salts and potassium.

a reply to: Cropper

Cooper

Jardiance works by interfering with a natural hormone that stops you from losing glucose in your urine.

If you are feeling bad, its possible that you are losing too much fluids and salts. Up your water intake. Try drinking chicken broth (or soup) to replace the lost salt and potassium.

Just wanted to drop in and applaud both TiredofControlFreaks and the OP for their input and debate. I know it's tough to refrain from condescending remarks, but I see you both making an effort and feel that you both have solid points. These threads can be useful to those inquiring about issues. Yes the doctors opinion is critical and should be initial source for advice, but I don't think the quest should stop there because from what I have observed, many doctors do not keep up with current research and findings and their initial education is often limited as far as considering natural alternatives, which I understand the attitude, with liability and so many patients over-confidently bringing up internet ideas.

Yes there is much hype online with alternative medicine, but there are also personal testimonies to the benefit of alternative medicines too. And yes, corp funded research has to be cross referenced to get a clearer picture. I like the idea of scouring over all available information, and realize too that what works for one person may not work for another. This affliction is growing and destructive, so I feel that continued discussions are healthy.

a reply to: waftist

Thank you Waftist for compliment.

You are right of course, that all sides of an issue must be examined carefully before you make decisions about your personal health.

Its so easy to get scared off by one-sided studies

I have been of Metformin for 4 or 5 years. My doctor has slowly tapered me off to lower doses as my A1C improved.
As of TODAY, I am off of Metformin!!!
As long as I am vigilant on a limited sugar and carbohydrate intake, I will be off of it for good. Should know in 6 months.

a reply to: abago71

Congratulations arbago, I am sure it took alot of work to get to where you are.

Now keep monitoring your blood sugar. Diabetes is a progressive disease. there will come a time when lifestyle changes will not be enough and it can really really sneak up on you!

Lifestyle changes are not a CURE for diabetes. Its a delaying tactic only! You are still a diabetic.

originally posted by: kaylaluv
a reply to: TiredofControlFreaks

It's a fact that there are a lot more diabetics now than there ever was - and it's happening at younger and younger ages. The time of not accepting self blame is over.

Wow.

My Grandfather got diabetes in his 40s. He was fit and healthy, apart from mourning the loss of his wife and raising a young family. It wasn't his fault. What was his fault was in subsequent decades, after losing his second wife, he stopped caring for himself and ended up with gangrene in his leg which had to be amputated. Or was it his fault? I'll never truly understand because he died a year and a half later when a clot when to his brain.

I have a sibling with a form of diabetes too.

Myself, I have been "border-line". In my case it's a chicken-or-egg scenario. You are correct in assuming lifestyle - TO A DEGREE - is a factor in development but this isn't so for everyone. Please don't generalize people.

originally posted by: TiredofControlFreaks
a reply to: NerdGoddess

Also keep something in mind.

We are told over and over again that obesity CAUSES diabetes.

That is a perversion of the actual truth.

Insulin is a natural hormone to the body. Its function is to cause the accumulation of fat!

www.diabetes.co.uk...

As diabetes develops, excess insulin starts accumulating in the body, particularly in the abdomen. This is NOT the diabetes fault, it is just of function of insulin resistance.

The key to losing wieght for a diabetic (at it is at least twice as hard as a normal person would have) is lots and lots and lots of cardio exercise and avoiding spikes in blood sugar.

If your father is able to lose wieght (and he might not be), he will find that his need for medication will be reduced. This is not a permanent effect (remember diabetes is a progress disease. However, fighting diabetes is a game of time . The longer you can stay in control and avoid the bad effects, the greater the chance that you will die of something else.

It ain't pretty but it is reality.

This is where my "chicken or egg" case comes in - I've always been skinny, for a good period of my life that was self-induced. After my son was born I ballooned and found it hard losing abdominal fat. I don't drive either, I walk (waddle), and I'm always out and about.My blood sugar levels in the years after the birth were borderline. Unfortunately I was diagnosed last year with PCOS, and then just a week ago with Endometriosis. I also have a fatty liver (which concerns me because there's a serious history of auto-immune liver disease in the family).

I have discovered that the excess fat also causes excess in estrogens, which compounds the issues of the PCOS and Endo. But then, the consensus is -Is the excess actually causing the PCOS, or the other way round? Is it just compounding?

Then you throw insulin-resistance into the mix.

A side note: Cardio. Is there something low-impact for cardio that would be suitable for someone with arthritis in 5 foot joints? I have done aqua aerobics in the past but I'm unable to travel far to do it now.