For a newly diagnosed diabetic, metformin is often the first oral therapy prescribed. Common brand names for metformin, which is also sold as a generic drug include: Glucophage, Riomet, Fortamet, Glumetza, Obimet, Dianben, Diabex, Diaformin. The active ingredient in all of these is metformin hydrochloride (hcl). Preferred by many doctors for its relatively gentle side effects, another appeal of the medication is its price. Metformin costs less than other forms of medications with an average cost of $0.35 per pill. Additionally, metformin has been found to be a good therapy for over weight and obese diabetes patients.
The Obese Diabetic – Metformin Therapy
In an efficacy test conducted in 1995, metformin was given to moderately obese type 2 diabetes patients over 29 weeks who were unable to control their blood glucose levels with diet and exercise alone or in combination with glyburide. Researchers measured plasma glucose, lactate, lipids, insulin, and glycosylated hemoglobin before, during, and at the end of 26 weeks. In comparison, individuals from the metformin groups had significantly reduced plasma total and LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride concentrations at the end of the study versus the other groups. The conclusion of the study found metformin mono- and combined therapy to be effective in reduction of glucose and lipid concentrations.
The Adolescent Diabetic – Metformin Therapy
In clinical trials metformin was shown to be an effective type 2 diabetes treatment in children between the ages of 10-16. There have been no clinical studies conducted on children under the age of 10. In 2000, Michael Freemark, M.D. and Deborah Bursey, M.D. researched the effects of metformin on body mass index (BMI) and glucose tolerance in adolescents with fasting hyperinsulinemia and a family history of type 2 diabetes. Using a test group of 29 mixed race adolescents between 12-19 with BMIs in excess of 30 kg/m2. At the studies end metformin has cause a decline of 0.12 standard deviation in BMI in all participants and a 5.5% reduction in serum leptin in girls. In contrast, in the placebo group leptin and BMI rose. Metformin also caused a decline in fasting blood glucose from a mean 84.9 to 75.1 mg and a decline in fasting insulin levels from 31.3 to 19.3 μU/mL. Short -ived side effects of stomachache and diarrhea were reported in 40% of the participants. There were no cases of lactic acidosis, a very rare side effect that occurs in one out of 30,000 people on metformin. The study concluded that early therapy for obese teens with a family history of type 2 diabetes might be a preventative measure for full development of the disease in adulthood.
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