Hi Fred! I was prescribed Metformin for my diabetes and to my horror, it altered my sense of taste so much that macadamia ice cream tasted like salty cold cream. It took a while for this strangeness to wear off, I urge your readers to be cautious and read all of the side effects from taking metformin. Just to show you I am serious about the risk here is a small segment from webmd.
One large study has linked long-term metformin use to higher chances of getting Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. But more research is needed to understand the connection better and what it means.
Rare Side Effects of Metformin
Some people (in one study, it was less than 5%) reported heartburn, headaches, upper respiratory infection, and a bad taste in their mouth when they took extended-release metformin. Up to 12% of people on the regular formula had those side effects. They also reported flu-like symptoms, sweating, flushing, heart palpitations, rashes, and nail problems.
As they say on the more optimistic sites, Your results may vary. I urge you all to do your own research.
Hi David. I did look at the Mayo Clinic info sheet on metformin and like any medication, there are contraindications for taking the drug: with a long list of other drugs; if you have a long list of conditions; and with the usual suspects for side effects that accrue when taken by patients at both tails of the tolerance curve, and not just the "average" patient who tolerates the drug well.
I don't expect FDA is going to approve metformin for off-label use if the risks are excessive. As always, caveat emptor.
Hi Fred! I was prescribed Metformin for my diabetes and to my horror, it altered my sense of taste so much that macadamia ice cream tasted like salty cold cream. It took a while for this strangeness to wear off, I urge your readers to be cautious and read all of the side effects from taking metformin. Just to show you I am serious about the risk here is a small segment from webmd.
One large study has linked long-term metformin use to higher chances of getting Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. But more research is needed to understand the connection better and what it means.
Rare Side Effects of Metformin
Some people (in one study, it was less than 5%) reported heartburn, headaches, upper respiratory infection, and a bad taste in their mouth when they took extended-release metformin. Up to 12% of people on the regular formula had those side effects. They also reported flu-like symptoms, sweating, flushing, heart palpitations, rashes, and nail problems.
As they say on the more optimistic sites, Your results may vary. I urge you all to do your own research.
Hi David. I did look at the Mayo Clinic info sheet on metformin and like any medication, there are contraindications for taking the drug: with a long list of other drugs; if you have a long list of conditions; and with the usual suspects for side effects that accrue when taken by patients at both tails of the tolerance curve, and not just the "average" patient who tolerates the drug well.
I don't expect FDA is going to approve metformin for off-label use if the risks are excessive. As always, caveat emptor.
You know we can trust the FDA, CDC, and the rest of our government so if they say it's OK let's go for it.