The Pros And Cons Of Metformin For Diabetes

The Pros and Cons of Metformin for Diabetes

Metformin is #7 on the doctors’ hit parade of top 10 prescription drugs. Each year the number of prescriptions increases substantially. Last year there were 87 million metformin prescriptions dispensed in U.S. pharmacies. That does not count combo products that include metformin in their formulation such as Glucovance, Invokamet, Janumet, Kombiglyze XR, Metaglip and Synjardy, to name just a few. Metformin is clearly the #1 drug for diabetes and because the number of people with diabetes keeps going up, prescriptions for metformin are skyrocketing. That’s why readers of our syndicated newspaper column and visitors to this website are so desperate to learn more about metformin for diabetes.
How To Know If Metformin for Diabetes Is Right for You:
Here is a typical letter from a reader:
Q. I crossed the line a month ago from normal blood sugar to type 2 diabetes and was put on metformin. I hate taking drugs. What can you tell me about metformin?
Thank the Old Wives:
A. Metformin is one of the oldest and most well-studied diabetes medicines. It probably comes as a shock to most prescribers to learn that their favorite diabetes drug is available thanks to the old wives.
Practitioners of folk medicine discovered that French lilac (Galega officinalis) helped control the symptoms of a condition associated with “sweet urine.” An article in the Journal of Clinical Investigation (Oct. 15, 2001) noted:
“In medieval times, a prescription of Galega officinalis was said to relieve the intense urination accompanying the disease that came to have the name of diabetes mellitus [now Continue reading

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Is Drinking Coconut Water Safe For Diabetics?

Coconut water is one of the best natural drinks abundantly available around us.
I’m not kidding. One look at the web magazines and web pages, and you’ll see celebrities promoting this refreshing drink as their ultimate ‘weight control’ weapon. It’s sweet, tasty, nutrient-dense—all without being too high in calories. And this is why coconut water is often recommended to those with high blood sugar levels.
But, is it advisable to drink coconut water for diabetes? Let’s find out.
Coconut Water—A Brief
So, what’s so unique about this drink?
Coconut water is fresh, sterile, and devoid of artificial sweeteners and preservatives. It is, therefore, safe for all to consume coconut water without worrying about any health risk.
This drink is also an excellent electrolyte replenishment. It is rich in two essential salts—potassium and sodium, along with calcium, phosphorous, zinc, manganese, iron, copper, and fundamental amino acids. Coconut water also contains natural sugars like fructose (15%), glucose (50%) and sucrose (35%). Now let’s find out here can diabetic patient drink coconut water.
Coconut Water For Diabetes – Is It Safe?
Good news for people with diabetes around the world!
Call it a work of the plentiful natural sugars or its sterile nature—coconut water has joyfully passed the safety test for diabetes—as stated in the February 2015 edition of the Journal of Medicinal Food (1).
However, one should not exceed the limit of drinking coconut water every day, no matter how much you like it. This is because despite being a healthy drink coconut water d Continue reading

Lawsuit accuses drug makers of conspiring to hike insulin prices

More than 29 million Americans live with diabetes, and for some six million of them, insulin is a life or death medication.
Between 2002 and 2013, the price of insulin more than tripled, to more than $700 per patient. A federal lawsuit accuses the three insulin manufacturers of conspiring to raise their prices. The drug makers deny the allegations.
Those high prices, combined with rising insurance deductibles, mean many people who rely on insulin are feeling sticker shock. Even doctors say without a way to pay, some patients are left facing impossible choices, reports CBS News correspondent Anna Werner.
Contact us about this issue or other consumer problems you think we should look into at [email protected].
A cell phone video shows Dr. Claresa Levetan talking to her patient Shawna Thompson back in the hospital because she couldn’t pay for her insulin.
“One vial of insulin costs how much for you?” Levetan asked.
“One hundred and seventy-eight dollars,” Thompson responded.
It was the fourth time in just over a year that Thompson had to be treated for a life-threatening diabetic coma.
“Patients come in and say I can’t afford to take it, so I’m not,” Levetan said. She said it’s common for her now to hand out free drug company samples of insulin, just so patients can stay on their lifesaving medication.
“Patients are begging for samples because they can’t afford the insulin,” Levetan said.
“Not asking, you’re saying, begging,” Werner said.
“Begging,” Levetan said.
Like 74-year-old Kathleen Washington. Some months, her insulin runs over $30 Continue reading

Driving with Diabetes: Safety Precautions

People with diabetes are free to drive unless diabetes complications impair their ability to drive safely.
Complications that negatively affect drivers with diabetes include symptoms of low or high blood sugar, vision problems, and nerve damage in the hands, legs, or feet.
Risk Factors
More restrictions are typically given to drivers who manage diabetes with insulin even though in some studies insulin use is not correlated with a higher driving risk.
Other research shows that the one factor most often linked to driving collisions is a recent history of severe hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) related to any type of diabetes.
Diabetes Driving Precautions
In light of what is known about the risks of driving with diabetes, these eight precautions from the American Diabetes Association are offered to help those with any diabetes type navigate the roads safely.
Before getting behind the wheel, check your blood glucose level. Do not drive if your blood sugar is too low since your ability to focus and make good decisions will be impaired.
Check your blood sugar level at regular intervals on long drives. Your health care team can help you determine how often you need to monitor.
Have your glucose meter and a store of snacks with you when driving; snacks should include a quick-acting sugar source.
Pull over at any sign of hypoglycemia and check your blood sugar level. Signs include blurry vision, rapid heart rate, sudden nervousness, shakiness, as well as fatigue, headache, confusion, dizziness, hunger, pale skin, sweating, or chills.
If your blood glucose is low, consume a fast-acting Continue reading

Broccoli Compound Could Help Treat Type 2 Diabetes

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Some people don't like to eat their vegetables, but for obese people with type 2 diabetes, broccoli could hold the key to slowing, and potentially reversing, the disease, according to a new study.
Scientists used both computational and experimental research to zero in on a network of 50 genes that cause symptoms associated with type 2 diabetes. They also located a compound called sulforaphane — which is found naturally in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbages — that could turn down the expression of those genes, according to the findings, published today (June 14) in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
In the study, the scientists gave sulforaphane to obese patients, in the form of a concentrated broccoli sprout extract. They found that it improved the patients' systems' ability to control their glucose levels and reduced their glucose production — two symptoms of diabetes that can lead to other health problems, including coronary artery disease, nerve damage and blindness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"It's very exciting and opens up new possibilities for the treatment of type 2 diabetes," Anders Rosengren, an assistant professor at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, told Live Science. [Science You Can Eat: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Food]
Type 2 diabetes, the most common form of diabetes, affects more than 300 million people globally. For those with the disease who are obese, the excess fat in the liver makes the body less sensitive to the hormone insulin, which can make it diffi Continue reading