How Quickly Do You Lose Weight On Metformin

Metformin is traditionally reserved for those with diabetes or insulin resistance, but many studies show that it can be effective in overweight or obese patients without diabetes.

Use this post to learn everything you need to know about using metformin (both if you have diabetes or if you are simply just overweight):

The most popular of these medications is metformin (and the topic of our discussion today) which is being used by at least 120 million people worldwide.

Ozempic For Weight Loss: Does It Work?

Studies have shown(1) that patients who take metformin with insulin resistance do tend to lose weight – most studies show a “modest” amount to the tune of around 5-10 pounds.

Because these studies have been favorable to some patients (especially those with the conditions listed above), it’s normal to ask if it also works for patients who don’t have type II diabetes.

Secondly (and perhaps more importantly) is that metformin alters the production of glucose and the sensitivity of insulin in your liver and in other cells in your body.

Discover The Power Of Metformin: 6 Ways It Reduces Appetite And Aids In Weight Loss

While metformin was specifically designed (and most often prescribed) to those with diabetes it can actually be used in normal, overweight patients with potential benefits.

Patients treated with metformin lost on average 10-14 pounds (5.6% to 6.5% of body weight) compared to controls who gained 6-8 pounds during the same time period.

This means that if you are only 5-10 pounds overweight, it’s not likely that metformin will help you lose ALL of that weight, instead, it may only help you lose a couple of pounds.

Metformin Weight Loss: Everything You Need To Know

It’s estimated that up to 50% of the population of the United States has insulin resistance as defined as pre-diabetes or diabetes(5) (whether they realize it or not).

Insulin resistance is defined as having elevated insulin levels despite fasting and/or having an elevated blood sugar (usually higher than 90-100 over a 12-hour fast).

Those with even mild insulin resistance (who may one day develop diabetes) stand to benefit from the glucose-lowering effects of metformin which may be on the reasons that it helps most people lose at least some weight.

Metformin And Diabetes: Everything You Need To Know

Most people would consider a reduction in appetite a good thing, and in some cases, it may be, but in most cases, it may be damaging.

Conditions such as leptin resistance (which modulates brain satiety), food addiction, and binge eating disorders all result in the consumption of excess calories which may lead to weight gain long term.

This is one of the reasons why severely obese patients have very small muscle mass and muscle volume (they are starving from the inside even though they consume massive amounts of food).

Evaluating Whether High Doses Of Metformin Can Help With Weight Loss

There is a VERY high chance that it will help you lose some weight. How much weight is a different question entirely.

How much weight you lose will depend on the status of your diabetes, how much insulin resistance is present, and if you are taking insulin already.

The effect of weight loss in those with type II diabetes is around 5-10 pounds (if it will help you lose weight).

Diabetes Drug Works Better Than Diet And Exercise At Keeping Weight Off, Study Reveals

The problem with using metformin in those with type II diabetes is that in order to sustain the weight loss that they may achieve while using it, they have to continue to use it indefinitely.

If you lose 5-10 pounds while taking metformin, and then stop the medication, that weight is very likely to come right back.

With that in mind there are a few things you should consider if you are using metformin for weight loss and you have blood sugar issues:

Can You Take Metformin And Ozempic Together?

We will discuss the dose below, but for now, just realize that in order for the medication to be effective you need to be taking enough of it.

As you will read in most studies, they always recommend the COMBINATION of metformin with changes to your diet and exercise routine.

By combining supplements with metformin you can improve your weight loss results but also keep your dose of metformin down lower (thus reducing negative side effects).

Is It Possible To Lose Weight With Metformin?

Some people may not realize it, but dosing matters quite a bit – especially with weight loss (of all medications and supplements).

In order to obtain certain and specific results, you must ensure that you get enough of the substance you are consuming to achieve therapeutic benefit.

Taking 500mg of metformin daily is not likely to help you with weight loss! And this is a standard starting dose of metformin that most physicians give out.

Will Metformin Help Me Lose Weight

What this means is that you need to be taking somewhere between 1, 000mg to and 2, 000mg per day in order to get optimal results.

It’s also worth pointing out that if you see some weight loss at 1, 000mg per day you may not double those results simply by taking 2, 000mg per day.

Basically, once you have achieved some level of saturation in your body of metformin, further increases in metformin won’t increase your results.

I Have Been Diagnosed With Pcod And I Am On Metformin. How Can I Lose Weight?

If you are using metformin as monotherapy (meaning metformin is the only medication you are taking – which I don’t recommend) you should be taking a higher dose.

If you are using metformin as one of several therapies (which I do recommend) then you can get by with lower dosing of metformin – around 1, 000mg per day.

That means using 1 medication or targeting 1 pathway means you are only treating PART of the problem and not ALL of the problem.

Metformin For Weight Loss In Pcos

As an example, you can see the combination of a GLP-1 agonist plus metformin resulted in far greater weight loss than just either alone.

After reading all of this information it may be tempting to jump on the bandwagon and make an appointment with your doctor to get metformin, but does that mean you should?

Rarely, some patients may have more serious conditions such as lactic acidosis(9) – but this side effect is very rare and very difficult to miss.

Tips For Pcos Weight Loss

If you decide to start metformin you will need to start out at a low dose and slowly titrate your dose up to higher dosages (as tolerated).

While some supplements may be more effective than metformin, they can often cost significantly more, so this provides a viable alternative for those that need to be cost sensitive.

*Note: Because someone almost always asks, I don’t have any connection with the pharmaceutical company that creates metformin. I simply provide this information to help those that may benefit from it.

Does Metformin Cause Weight Loss? What To Know Before You Take It

It may take some convincing to get your doctor to prescribe metformin for you for weight loss (especially if you aren’t significantly overweight) even though studies indicate it does help in nondiabetic patients.

The best way to get around this is to simply print out an article listed in this blog post and bring it to your doctor.

Doctors understand the language of clinical studies and will be very likely to provide you with a prescription if you provide sources that prove it is effective.

Can Metformin Actually Help You Lose Weight?

Your starting dose should be around 500mg per day but you will need to get up to 1, 000 to 2, 000mg per day for optimal results.

Metformin is a great, cheap, and effective medication that may help with weight loss in those patients who are diabetic and those who are not.

It’s also a relatively safe medication to take and can be combined with other therapies such as supplements and other medications for even greater benefit.

Metformin (glucophage) And Weight Loss

Hey! I'm Westin Childs D.O. (former Osteopathic Physician). I don't practice medicine anymore and instead specialize in helping people like YOU who have thyroid problems, hormone imbalances, and weight loss resistance. I love to write and share what I've learned over the years. I also happen to formulate the best supplements on the market (well, at least in my opinion!) and I'm proud to say that over 80, 000+ people have used them over the last 7 years. You can read more about my own personal health journey and why I am so passionate about what I do.

I’m Dr. Westin Childs. I’ve spent the last 8 years of my life reading, researching, and helping people with thyroid problems, hormone imbalances, and weight loss resistance. Through my articles, videos, and supplements, I’ve been fortunate enough to help thousands of people take control of their weight, thyroid, and hormones.

This content is strictly the opinion of Dr. Westin Childs and is for educational and information purposes only. I go to great lengths to help my users better understand their health; however, the content you see here is not a substitute for medical advice. If you have questions regarding your health you should seek qualified information from a medical professional or your doctor.Are you struggling to lose weight? Metformin can do more than improve blood sugar control — it may also help you lose stubborn pounds. Here’s what you need to know about metformin and weight loss.

Metformin Weight Loss

Although metformin can cause weight loss, a healthy diet and regular exercise are still important if you want to keep the weight off.Darren Lehane/Alamy

If you’re managing type 2 diabetes with Glucophage (metformin), you may be well acquainted with the unwanted side effects of this drug — namely, upset stomach, diarrhea, muscle aches, and sleepiness. These can be a figurative and literal pain, but you may welcome one side effect of metformin with open arms, particularly if you’ve struggled