Alternative To Metformin – Why Doctors In The Know No Longer Prescribe Metformin
Alternative to Metformin – Side Effects of Metformin? Urgent news about Metformin – #1 Lie About Diabetes Meds Metformin Side Effects – Alternative to Metformin, Until recently, diabetics looking for doctor-approved, drug-free treatment options were out of luck. Type II Diabetes sufferers may soon be tossing their test strips, lancet needles, and prescription pills as you now have top rate Alternative to Metformin. But a growing number of health experts believe those days are behind us. A discovery by an Austin-based doctor may change how Type II Diabetes is treated and could even be a cure. Dr. Marlene Merritt suffered from high blood sugar for years and was determined to find a natural solution. “My motivation,” she says, “was to cast off the shackles of the daily monitoring, the shots and pills, and the drug side effects. I wanted to live a normal life again.” After two years of research and trial and error experiments, Dr. Marlene Merritt hit upon a practical diet and exercise regimen that doesn’t just control Type II Diabetes but actually reverses it. While the regimen eliminates a few foods, it most importantly adds a single food that has shown to have a big impact on the disease. The announcement of her discovery has sent shockwaves through the medical community, with some progressive doctors enthusiastically embracing it, and many conventional doctors taking a “wait and see” approach. Within weeks of adopting her own regimen, Dr. Merritt’s condition completely reversed. “It was just gone, and I had my life back,” she says. I then prescribed this drug-free solution to my diabetic patients and, in most cases, they too saw success in a matter of weeks.” Dr. Marlene Merritt (LAc, DOM(NM), MS Nutrition), an Austin-based doctor who used to Continue reading >>
Vibrant Health Network
Why Doctors In The Know No Longer Prescribe Metformin Until recently, diabetics looking for doctor-approved, drug-free treatment options were out of luck. But a growing number of health experts believe those days are behind us. Dr. Marlene Merritt (DOM, MS Nutrition), an Austin-based doctor who used to suffer high blood sugar herself, made a recent announcement that is sending shockwaves through the medical community. Dr. Merritt knew all too well that commonly-prescribed diabetes drugs like Metformin came with a host of unwanted side effects, and was determined to find a natural, drug-free solution that could actually eliminate the disease, not just treat its symptoms. After months of research, Dr. Merritt developed a simple diet and exercise regimen that had a profound success rate in treating and even reversing type II diabetes. Despite the regimen's clear effectiveness, medical journals were slow to publish her findings, perhaps due in part, some have speculated, to financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry. In response, Dr. Merritt took matters in to her own hands and shocked the medical community by partnering with independent health publisher Primal Health to make her diabetes-reversing regimen available to everyone in the form of an online presentation. The video has already gone viral, generating a huge range of response. Several viewers have noted the simplicity of the regimen, along with how non-restrictive the diet sounds. Unsurprisingly, many in the pharmaceutical industry have taken issue with the presentation's drug-free emphasis, but many doctors who have wished for a natural, drug-free treatment to share with their diabetic patients have been quick to embrace it. Dr. Merritt herself cautions viewers to exercise common sense and only go off your med Continue reading >>
Why Isn’t Metformin Prescribed More?
Since its debut in the United States in 1995, metformin has become the most popular oral drug for Type 2 diabetes in the country — and the rest of the world. Current guidelines by the American Diabetes Association state that unless there are special risks in a particular person, metformin should be the first drug prescribed to people with Type 2 diabetes. Yet perhaps due in part to its popularity, metformin isn’t free of controversy. As we’ve discussed previously here at Diabetes Flashpoints, there are concerns about prescribing metformin in people with kidney disease, and some doctors even question whether metformin deserves its status as the universally recommended first-line drug for Type 2 diabetes. In addition, there’s debate about whether metformin should be taken by more people with prediabetes. A recent study sought to explore the reasons why metformin isn’t prescribed as widely as clinical guidelines suggest it should be. Published last month in the journal Therapeutic Advances in Chronic Disease, the study notes that only roughly 65% of people with newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes are prescribed metformin — and that over time, this number drops to just 25% of people with the condition. As noted in a Pharmacy Times article on the study, researchers from the University of Colorado put together focus groups of relevant people — doctors, pharmacists, and other medical personnel — to ask about their perceptions regarding metformin. Based on these focus groups, the researchers found that three main factors affected how doctors prescribed metformin: concerns about when to start the drug, concerns about the drug’s known risks, and whether procedures were in place to notice and deal with any adverse reactions caused by the drug. Based on the focus grou Continue reading >>
How One Man Stopped Metformin After Losing Weight
Exercise and weight loss lower blood sugar because they both reduce the body's insulin resistance, the key problem in people with type 2 diabetes. Therefore, increasing exercise or losing weight can sometimes lower or eliminate your need for diabetes medication. It's easier to keep your blood sugar in check without medication if your body is more sensitive to the insulin your body does make (most people with type 2 diabetes make at least some of the hormone). I was able to stop taking metformin, the drug I had been taking to lower my glucose—Louis Sarkes, Type 2 Diabetes Patient Louis Sarkes, 50, was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2006 after a routine blood test during his annual physical exam. "I was surprised, but motivated to do something right away," said Sarkes, who is a money manager based in Baltimore, Md. He went to an all-day session on weight loss at Johns Hopkins University (where his doctor is based). He listened to doctors, nutritionists, and other patients talk about weight loss and exercise strategies, setbacks and successes. More about diabetes and exercise "I chose a diet low in sugars and high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and kept carbohydrates at 30 to 35 grams per meal, or no more than 100 grams in a day," says Sarkes. He didnt count every calorie, but kept a general sense and tried to keep the daily limit of calories to 1,800. "To get as much information as I could, especially on tips for sticking with the diet, I met with the nutritionist on my own, and also read everything on the Internet I could find," he said. He followed the advice of his nutritionist and didn't feel guilty if he went over his carbohydrate or calorie limithe just started again as soon a possible. He found healthy snacks he liked and avoided high-fat, high calori Continue reading >>
Diabetes Drug That Could Help Us All Live Longer: Doctors Say It Could Also Stave Off Cancer
A drug widely prescribed to treat type 2 diabetes could help us all live longer, a study says. Research suggests metformin, which controls glucose levels, may also stave off cardiovascular disease and cancer – whether someone has diabetes or not. Scientists who studied more than 180,000 people found a ‘small but statistically significant improvement in survival’ in those taking metformin, compared with those given older anti-diabetic drugs and a group without diabetes. Scroll down for video However, experts said the five-and-a-half year follow-up period was relatively short, considering the complications of diabetes get worse over time and are linked with a shorter lifespan. Lead author Professor Craig Currie, from Cardiff University’s School of Medicine, said further research into the effects of metformin on healthy people was merited, particularly as it had negligible side effects. The drug costs a little over 10p a day for the highest prescribed dose. He said: ‘Patients treated with metformin had a small but statistically significant improvement in survival compared with non-diabetics, whereas those treated with sulphonylureas had a consistently reduced survival compared with non-diabetic patients. 'Surprisingly, the findings indicate that this cheap and widely prescribed diabetic drug may have beneficial effects not only on patients with diabetes but also for people without. ‘Metformin has been shown to have anti-cancer and anti-cardiovascular disease benefits. It can also reduce pre-diabetics’ chances of developing the disease by a third.’ But he said patients with type 2 diabetes would eventually see their health deteriorate, regardless of what drug they took. ‘People lose on average around eight years from their life expectancy after developing Continue reading >>
Why Doctors In The Know No Longer Prescribe Metformin
Until recently, diabetics looking for doctor-approved, drug-free treatment options were out of luck. But a growing number of health experts believe those days are behind us. Dr. Marlene Merritt (LAc, DOM(NM), MS Nutrition), an Austin-based doctor who used to suffer type II diabetes herself, made a recent announcement that is sending shockwaves through the medical community. After nearly dying from diabetes complications during a bike ride, Dr. Merritt began extensive research, intent on reversing her type II diabetes before succumbing to diabetic amputation, blindness, organ failure, or any of the other side effects so commonly experienced by diabetics. Dr. Merritt knew all too well that commonly-prescribed diabetes drugs like Metformin came with a host of unwanted side effects, and was determined to find a natural, drug-free solution that could actually eliminate the disease, not just treat its symptoms. After months of research and self-experimentation, Dr. Merritt developed a simple diet and exercise regimen that had a profound success rate in treating and even reversing type II diabetes. Despite reversing her own diabetes, and helping many of her patients do the same, medical journals were slow to publish her findings, perhaps due in part, some have speculated, to financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry. In response, Dr. Merritt took matters in to her own hands and shocked the medical community by partnering with independent health publisher Primal Health to make her diabetes-reversing regimen available to everyone in the form of an online presentation. Continue reading >>
Common Diabetes Drug Metformin Could Cause Thyroid And Heart Problems, Experts Warn
A drug widely prescribed to those with diabetes could cause thyroid, heart and a host of other health problems, a study has warned. Metformin is commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes. It lowers blood sugar levels by reducing glucose production in the liver. But new research, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, found the drug is linked to having an underactive thyroid. And the increased risk of producing low levels of the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), can lead to complications, scientists have warned. The condition can cause heart disease, goitre - a lump in the throat caused by a swollen thyroid - pregnancy problems and a life-threatening condition called myxoedema coma. Both men and women can have an underactive thyroid, though the condition is more common in women. In the UK, it affects 15 in every 1,000 women and one in 1,000 men. The condition can also develop in children. The amount of metformin an individual needs to control blood sugar levels is worked out by a person's doctor or diabetes team. However, some previous research has raised concerns that the drug may lower thyroid-stimulating hormone levels. The study, published in Canadian Medical Association Journal, examined data on 74,300 patients who received metformin and sulfonylurea, another common diabetes drug, over a 25-year study period. Of these people, 5,689 were being treated for an underactive thyroid, and 59,937 had normal thyroid function. In the group with an underactive thyroid, there were 495 incidences of low thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) (119.7 per 1000) per year compared with 322 in the normal group (4.5 per 1000). In patients with a treated underactive thyroid, metformin was associated with a 55 per cent increased risk of low TSH levels compared with treatment wit Continue reading >>
Vibrant Health Network
Why Doctors In The Know No Longer Prescribe Metformin Type II Diabetes sufferers may soon be tossing their test strips, lancet needles, and prescription pills. A discovery by an Austin-based doctor may change how Type II Diabetes is treated and could even be a cure. Dr. Marlene Merritt suffered from high blood sugar for years and was determined to find a natural solution. My motivation, she says, was to cast off the shackles of the daily monitoring, the shots and pills, and the drug side effects. I wanted to live a normal life again. After two years of research and trial and error experiments, Dr. Marlene Merritt hit upon a practical diet and exercise regimen that doesnt just control Type II Diabetes but actually reverses it. While the regimen eliminates a few foods, it most importantly adds a single food that has shown to have a big impact on the disease. The announcement of her discovery has sent shockwaves through the medical community, with some progressive doctors enthusiastically embracing it, and many conventional doctors taking a wait and see approach. Within weeks of adopting her own regimen, Dr. Merritts condition completely reversed. It was just gone, and I had my life back, she says. I then prescribed this drug-free solution to my diabetic patients and, in most cases, they too saw success in a matter of weeks. Despite the regimens effectiveness, medical journals have been slow to publish her findings. And Dr. Merritt suspects the reluctance is due to the outsized influence of the pharmaceutical industry, which stands to lose billions of dollars on lost drug sales. The makers of Metformin, one of several drugs Dr. Merritts natural regimen would replace, had no comment. All diabetes drug sales are expected to reach $32 billion in 2017, according to industry a Continue reading >>
Why Doctors In The Know No Longer Prescribe Metformin?
Why doctors in the know no longer prescribe Metformin? Doctors are urging every American with type II diabetes P A I D A D V E R T I S E M E N T Itching THIS Part of Your Body Is a Sign of Alzheimer's Latest research from scientists at a leading University from the United Kingdom have discovered a surprising link between having a desire to itch in an odd certain part of your body and the onset of Alzheimers.If you find yourself wanting to itch/scratch this part of your body scientists are saying this is a signal for the onset of the deterioration of neuronal pathways in the brain, and ultimately Alzheimers.Find out if you are showing the early warning signals of Alzheimers right now. >> Click here to learn these unbelievable signals of Alzheimers Remove me from list Contact us by mail: Feedback, 20 West 22nd Street, Suite 908, NY, NY 10010 Privacy statement: P A I D A D V E R T I S E M E N T Urgent news about Metformin Doctors are urging every American with type II diabetes to read this trending news story: Why doctors in the know no longer prescribe Metformin To your health,Jim Gray, Editor Remove me from list Contact us by mail: Feedback, 20 West 22nd Street, Suite 908, NY, NY 10010 Privacy statement: You may qualify for a clinical trial to test CBD GS Handbook 16-17 August 2016 I Graduate School 2016-2017 HANDBOOK for Graduate Students Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information presented in this handbook. It is intended as a resource guide for graduate students. The Graduate Catalog is the official University of Florida (UF) publication for graduate policies and procedures and will take precedence if there are any discrepancies between the two publications. The University of Florida is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Continue reading >>
What Is Metformin?
MORE Metformin is a prescription drug used primarily in the treatment of Type II diabetes. It can be used on its own or combined with other medications. In the United States, it is sold under the brand names Fortamet, Glucophage, Glumetza and Riomet. "Metformin is very often prescribed as the first step in a diabetic's regime," said Ken Sternfeld, a New York-based pharmacist. How it works "When you're diabetic you lose the ability to use the insulin you need to offset the food," Sternfeld explained. "If you eat a carb or sugar that can't be metabolized or offset by the insulin you produce, your sugar levels will be higher. Metformin and drugs in that category will help your body better metabolize that food so that insulin levels will be able to stay more in line." Metformin aims to decrease glucose production in the liver, consequently lowering the levels of glucose in the bloodstream. It also changes the way that your blood cells react to insulin. "It makes them more sensitive to insulin," said Dr. Stephen Neabore, a primary care doctor at the Barnard Medical Center in Washington, D.C. "It makes the same amount of insulin work better. It transports the insulin to the cells in a more effective way." Metformin may have a preventive health role, as well. New research presented at the American Diabetes Association 2017 Scientific Sessions showed that long-term use of metformin is particularly useful in preventing the onset of type II diabetes in women who have suffered from gestational diabetes. Because metformin changes the way the body uses insulin, it is not used to treat Type I diabetes, a condition in which the body does not produce insulin at all. Metformin & PCOS Metformin is sometimes prescribed to treat polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), according to Neabore. "I Continue reading >>
The Diabetes Drug That Could Be An Anti-aging Miracle
In a slew of recent flashy endeavors, scientists, academics and exceptionally rich people have taken on the aging process. In 2013, Google launched Calico, its billion-dollar anti-aging research and development arm, which the following year formed a partnership with pharmaceutical giant AbbVie. Meanwhile, another major drug company, Novartis, is developing a patentable form of rapamycin—a biological agent discovered in the soil on Easter Island—which has been shown to boost immune function, and the company hopes it could become the first viable anti-aging pill. But, according to Dr. Nir Barzilai, a scientist based in the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City’s Bronx borough, we might already have the drug we need to slow the aging process—and it’s dirt cheap. Metformin is an old, generic diabetes drug, known for its blood sugar–lowering properties and for being quite safe. It’s common, and it costs about 35 cents per pill. It has also been found to stall the aging process in animal studies. In June, Barzilai, along with academics from the not-for-profit American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR), approached the Food and Drug Administration with an idea: the Targeting Aging With Metformin (TAME) study, to see if metformin could do for humans what it does for animals. It would be the first clinical trial to test if a drug could slow human aging. The FDA said yes, and since that June meeting the media has exploded with excitement over the purported “fountain of youth” drug, with rumors that it could extend human life span up to 120 years. The problem, though, is that no one has agreed to front the capital required to get TAME off the ground. That’s not surprising: There are plenty of reasons Big Pharma won’t fund a study that would m Continue reading >>
Metformin Side Effects And How To Deal With Them
Metformin side effects include diabetic neuropathy, brain fog, and digestive issues. You can address them through diet, Vitamin B12, CoQ10, and exercise. Let us understand the drug Metformin in detail and study different forms of metformin, its uses and common metformin side effects along with how to deal with them. Metformin: What Is It Used For? Metformin is an old warhorse in the pharma battle against diabetes. It has been the mainstay in the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes for more than fifty years, often matching or outperforming newer drugs. In fact, many new combination drugs are often created with metformin as one of the main ingredients. Thanks to its long run in the pharmaceutical world, the side effects of Metformin are also well known. The Metformin-PCOS connection has been studied extensively since a majority of health complications associated with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) are due to hyperinsulinemia (high amounts of insulin in the blood stream). Metformin is known to reduce circulating insulin levels. The use of this drug in women with PCOS has shown highly encouraging results. RELATED: 10 Easy Breakfast Ideas For Diabetics Most Prescribed Names in Metformin Category Include: Fortamet: It is an extended-release formulation that contains metformin hydrochloride. The tablets are designed for once-a-day administration. They deliver either 500 mg or 1000 mg of metformin. The tablet is made using a patented technology called SCOTTM that delivers the active compound slowly and at a constant rate. Glucophage: Glucophage tablets contain metformin hydrochoride. They contain either 500 mg, 850 mg or 1000 mg of the active compound. Glucophage tablets do not contain any special covering and need to be taken multiple times a day until the prescribed dosage is me Continue reading >>
Why Doctors In The Know No Longer Prescribe Metformin
A discovery by an Austin-based doctor may change how Type II Diabetes is treated and could even be a cure. Dr. Marlene Merritt suffered from high blood sugar for years and was determined to find a natural solution. “My motivation,” she says, “was to cast off the shackles of the daily monitoring, the shots and pills, and the drug side effects. I wanted to live a normal life again.” After two years of research and trial and error experiments, Dr. Marlene Merritt hit upon a practical diet and exercise regimen that doesn’t just control Type II Diabetes but actually reverses it. While the regimen eliminates a few foods, it most importantly adds a single food that has shown to have a big impact on the disease. The announcement of her discovery has sent shockwaves through the medical community, with some progressive doctors enthusiastically embracing it, and many conventional doctors taking a “wait and see” approach. Within weeks of adopting her own regimen, Dr. Merritt’s condition completely reversed. “It was just gone, and I had my life back,” she says. I then prescribed this drug-free solution to my diabetic patients and, in most cases, they too saw success in a matter of weeks.” Despite the regimen’s effectiveness, medical journals have been slow to publish her findings. And Dr. Merritt suspects the reluctance is due to the outsized influence of the pharmaceutical industry, which stands to lose billions of dollars on lost drug sales. The makers of Metformin, one of several drugs Dr. Merritt’s natural regimen would replace, had no comment. All diabetes drug sales are expected to reach $32 billion in 2017, according to industry analyst, Morder Intelligence. Dr. Merritt says “Diabetics need to know about this safer option.” To get the word out, s Continue reading >>
Why Is Metformin Considered The Drug Of Choice For Type 2 Diabetes?
Gunda Siska, PharmD, has worked in various fields within the pharmaceutical industry as a licensed pharmacist for more than 20 years. She is currently a staff hospital pharmacist assisting nurses and doctors with drug prescribing, administration, and dispensing, as well as independently monitoring and dosing highly toxic and dangerous drugs. For 2 years, she was concurrently a consultant pharmacist for skilled nursing facilities and nursing homes. Dr. Siska is a member of the New Mexico Society of Health-System Pharmacists and the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. Follow her on Twitter @GundaSiska Metformin is a medication that I believe is underappreciated by the general public. Many people ttell me that their doctor prescribed this drug for them, but they took themselves off of it, but if they knew what I know about metformin, they would have stayed on the medication. This is what I know: metformin extends life. It’s been proven in animal studies1 and in humans. A prospective observational study of nearly 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and arteriosclerosis found that metformin use was associated with 24% lower all-cause mortality compared to patients who were not taking metformin.2 It is also the number one go-to medication for type 2 diabetes for several years, despite all the new designer medications coming on the market trying to replace it. How does metformin save lives? Mainly through cardioprotection. Metformin reduces cardiovascular risk in humans.3 Most people with T2DM will most likely die from a cardiovascular event, especially if they are not on metformin.4,5,6 Metformin has so many positive effects on the body, no one really knows for sure all the ways it preserves life. It produces modest weight loss in the near term5 and blun Continue reading >>
Ignore The Clickbait: Metformin Still Prescribed For Diabetics
Dear Dr. Roach • I have read online and in our local newspaper that doctors are no longer recommending metformin as a treatment for Type 2 diabetes. Can you please explain why metformin is no longer being prescribed? — P.K. Answer • I, too, have seen online ads saying that doctors no longer prescribe metformin, and if you click through enough times, you find that “one weird food” cures diabetes, and that a special diet totally eliminates the need for medication for all diabetics. This is referred to as “clickbait,” and I encourage you not to pay attention to it. Metformin remains an important medication for many people with Type 2 diabetes, especially if they are overweight. For those people with diabetes who need medication despite an appropriate diet and regular exercise, metformin has been shown to be more beneficial, in terms of preventing diabetic complications and death, than most of the other medication options. It isn’t right for everyone, and people with poor kidney function may not be able to safely take it. Only your doctor, nurse practitioner or physician assistant knows what is best for you. Dear Dr. Roach • I started researching information about early dementia and also Alzheimer’s disease. I have perused numerous articles about cholinesterase inhibitors increasing acetylcholine levels that benefit the brain. Some medications are anticholinergic and might increase your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Many of these medications are everyday, over-the-counter drugs. Shouldn’t the public be made aware of these drugs and their possible effect on our brain? — P.C. Answer • One type of treatment for Alzheimer’s disease is a class of drugs called cholinesterase inhibitors. These include donepezil (Aricept) and others. Pharmaco Continue reading >>
