How and when to take metformin (2024)

FAQs

How and when to take metformin? ›

Official answer

It's best to take metformin tablets with, or just after, your evening meal to reduce the chance of getting side effects. Swallow your metformin tablets whole with a drink of water. Do not chew them. If you're taking metformin sachets, pour the powder into a glass and add water (about 150ml).

Metformin alone: At first, 500 milligrams (mg) two times a day taken with the morning and evening meals, or 850 mg a day taken with the morning meal. Your doctor may increase your dose if needed until your blood sugar is controlled.

To work properly, the amount of metformin you take must be balanced against the amount and type of food you eat and the amount of exercise you do. If you change your diet or exercise, you will want to test your blood sugar to find out if it is too low. Your doctor will teach you what to do if this happens.

If you're taking extended-release metformin, you should take your dose once daily at night, with your last meal of the day. Doing so allows the drug to work properly in reducing your blood sugar level. If you have any questions about the best time of day to take metformin, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Many people with diabetes who are prescribed metformin lose around 2% to 3% of their body weight within the first year of starting the drug.

Rather, individuals at the highest risk for developing diabetes-i.e., those with FPG concentrations of 110-125 mg/dL (6.1-6.9 mmol/L) or A1C levels of 6.0-6.4% (42-46 mmol/mol) or women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus-should be followed closely and metformin immediately introduced only when they are ...

Following a single oral dose of metformin hydrochloride extended-release tablet, Cmax is achieved with a median value of 7 hours and a range of 4 hours to 8 hours.

Two signs that metformin is working are that you've seen a reduction in your blood glucose and hemoglobin A1C (your average glucose over the past 2 to 3 months). Nausea and diarrhea are common side effects of metformin, but they usually improve within a few weeks of starting the medication.

However, the toll it takes on the digestive system may prevent many people with diabetes from taking it for more than a week or two. “Metformin commonly causes gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea and flatulence,” explained a recent study published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.

What cancels out metformin? ›

Metformin can interact with some diabetes medications that decrease blood glucose, including insulin, glipizide (Glucotrol XL), and repaglinide. It may also interact with medications that can raise blood glucose. Examples of these medications include prednisone and hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide).

Your kidneys remove metformin from your body. If your kidneys are not working as they should, you'll have higher metformin levels in your system. This raises your risk of lactic acidosis. If you have mild or moderate kidney problems, a doctor may start you on a lower metformin dosage.

Standard metformin is often taken twice per day. Be sure to take it with meals to reduce the stomach and bowel side effects that can occur – most people take metformin with breakfast and dinner. Extended-release metformin is taken once a day and should be taken at night, with dinner.

Metformin may also reduce weight by decreasing the amount of visceral fat in the liver and muscle tissue. Visceral fat is stored within the abdominal cavity, which contains several internal organs, including the liver, stomach, and intestines. It can also build up in muscles including the heart muscle.

For example, by using one-night sleep polysomnography, a study among 387 outpatients with T2D found that those on metformin slept on average about 36 minutes longer and exhibited a 6.4% higher sleep efficiency compared to patients on non-metformin (mainly sulfonylureas) (5).

Metformin is a common medication to help treat type 2 diabetes. It can start to take effect within 3 hours but may take around 1 week to show signs that it's working. Metformin is one of the most common drugs to treat type 2 diabetes.

In some people, metformin leads to poor absorption of vitamin B12. That can lead to a vitamin B12 deficiency, though this only occurs after long-term medication use. Taking metformin might also lead to loss of appetite, which could cause a small amount of weight loss.