Infertility Treatment with Metformin

Metformin is a powerful drug known to reduce blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes treatment. Metformin also known as Glucophage is the drug of first choice among doctors for type 2 diabetes treatment involving overweight and obese people and also those with normal kidney function.

As an oral anti-diabetic drug Metformin reduces blood sugar levels by controlling the amount of glucose produced by the liver and also by metabolizing the sugar present in the liver and blood. Thus Metformin makes it easier for the body to utilize the low levels of sugar present in the blood in an efficient and effective manner.

Due to this very reason Metformin is beneficial for people with weight issues and people who are insulin resistant. Since Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) a condition found in women is related to insulin resistance, Metformin can prove to be beneficial in the treatment of PCOS among women.

It has been observed that a normal woman ovulates in a regular cycle of 14 days with menstruation occurring in 28 days. However in PCOS which affects nearly 5-10% women the body produces more than one egg in a cycle resulting in anovulation, irregular periods, hyperandrogenism leading to infertility.  PCOS today has been found to be one of the major reasons for infertility among women today.

PCOS women have also been found to have cardiovascular risk factors as similar to people with metabolic syndrome. This is mainly due to insulin resistance syndrome present in PCOS women, which if left uncured or untreated can lead to type 2 diabetes after the of 40 in as much as 40% of the cases.

In such a scenario oral anti diabetic medicine Metformin with its ability to reduce blood sugar levels and improving metabolic functions of the body can be extremely beneficial in the treatment of infertility among women with PCOS.

Metformin acts by lowering the tissue's ability to resist insulin thereby allowing muscle and adipose cells to utilize glucose at normal insulin levels. The drug by lowering the absorption of sugar by the intestines, decreases production the production of hepatic glucose, without causing hypoglycemia in either normal or patients with type 2 diabetes.

Metformin thus by controlling blood sugar levels, increasing metabolic function can help ease some of the chief symptoms of PCOS such as weight gain, insulin resistence, sluggish metabolism, irregular menstruation etc. So this type 2 diabetes treatment drug can effectively treat infertility among women with PCOS by correcting the very underlying cause of insulin resistance found in these women.

The recommended dose is 500 to 1,000 mg per day.

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Metformin is able to reduce blood sugar levels and treat type 2 diabetes

Metformin is a frequent prescription for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and is also being used to help patients that are obese and overweight. Metformin has demonstrated its ability to lower complications associated with cardiovascular, LDL (bad cholesterol), triglyceride level and diabetes.

Studies reveal how Metformin lowers hepatic gluconeogenesis but also lowers glucose absorption from the stomach and raises the sensitivity of insulin through an increased peripheral use of glucose.

Characteristics such as safety, ease of use, low cost, tolerability and fewer potential complications are looked for in diabetes medications by physicians. So it is no surprise that Metformin remains the first choice in treatment for type 2 diabetes as it is demonstrates the best risk benefit profile against any other diabetes drug.

In a report in the Journal Annals of Internal Medicine it was discovered by the Johns Hopkins team  that metformin was not only able to stabilize blood sugar levels but was also less likely to cause a gain in weight or an increase in cholesterol levels.

According to new John Hopkins research Metformin works just as well as newer and more expensive forms of diabetic medication and has fewer of the side effects associated with half a dozen of the others.

Metformin is able to reduce blood sugar levels through limiting the amount of glucose that is produced in the liver and through making cells more sensitive to insulin.

A study carried out on mice that was published in May 2009 proposed how Metformin performed to reduce blood sugar levels by stimulating a gene that is in the liver directly. This is how glucose production is closed off. Instead of just improving the sensitivity of insulin it is able to bypass the signaling for broken insulin.

Metformin for Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is different from diabetes and is a condition of the body when either the pancreas  produces insufficient amounts of the hormone insulin or the body becomes resistant to normal or even high levels of insulin or both. This leads to increased sugar or glucose levels in the blood thereby leading to a number of complications and problems.

To avoid this condition, it is essential to keep blood sugar levels under control before they reach a dangerous or alarming level. To help treat this condition several different types of oral medicines are available as prescription drugs for type 2 diabetes treatment.

Metformin is one such prescription medicine which is taken orally to reduce blood sugar levels in the body to a normal or optimal level for the proper functioning and health of the vital organs of the body. Though the exact functioning of this diabetes treatment is yet not known clearly, it is been noted that metformin helps in lowering the amount of glucose sent by the liver into the bloodstream by making the the cells of the body more responsive to insulin.

When the cells of the body become more sensitive to insulin they become automatically more adept in removing the excess sugar from the blood effectively. Not only that, metformin has also been observed to reduce blood sugar levels by decreasing the amount of glucose or sugar being absorbed by the intestines immediately after eating. Metformin thus proves to be an effective and efficient diabetes treatment.

However, for the drug to work effectively a balanced diet and an exercise regimen is necessary, without which the medicine fails to deliver its desired results. Also the drug must be taken at regular intervals before or after meals and on the same time each day for increased effectiveness. You should always consult a doctor before taking metformin for type 2 diabetes treatment, as metformin is prescription drug and any lower or higher dose than prescribed can cause serious complications.

Also you should avoid taking this medicine or consult a doctor if you any of the conditions like kidney problem, liver disease, heart disease or if you are suffering from some severe infection, as in such cases use of metformin can result in a life threatening condition called lactic acidosis.

Metformin is a safe medicine if taken in recommended doses under the supervision of a doctor. Few of the adverse effects include nausea, headaches, heartburn, acidity, gas, bad smell and stomach upset.

Read more:- Metformin for Type 2 Diabetes