21 replies to this topic

[RichardAlan]

I'm in early 60s, BMI of 22, 68Kg, no pre-diabetes, low bp and all blood tests are within normal range.  

 

I started taking 500mg in the morning and 500mg in the evening with meals.

 

What I would like to hear from people here is, what dosage do they consider is needed to start having some anti-aging effects and do they consider that my dosage of 1g is enough.  

 

 

Edited by RichardAlan, 17 December 2018 - 04:03 AM.

[male_1978]

Hard to say whats a good dose for a healty person. I (90 kg) take 500 mg only occasionally after a larger meal, assuming that the anti-aging-effects have something to do with reducing glucose after eating. No noticable effects so far.

[jack black]

I also started at the low dose 500mg and had no effects whatsoever. Encouraged by this forum I kept increasing the dose and the first effects I felt were at the 1500mg/day dose (3x500mg). now, I take 2000mg a day (2x1000mg) and that noticeably contributes to my physical and psychological well-being (among with the rest of my stack). I feel younger by at least 10 years. YMMV.

 

Full disclosure: I'm a bit overweight (less now) and had prediabetes (not anymore)..

Edited by jack black, 17 December 2018 - 04:56 PM.

[YoungSchizo]

That's interesting, can someone redirect me to Metformin's anti-aging claims?

 

(I have bought a lot when I was on vacation and they're just laying around, wanted to use it to lose weight on antipsychotics but never really did use them.)

And I'm losing a lot of weight already by dumping Zyprexa and Mirtazapine and a strict dieting and exercise schedule, wouldn't my blood-sugar drop too low (that I'll faint or whatever) if I add Metformin on top of that?  

 

-edit- Did a quick search and read some articles (not studies).. I'm starting to fall apart at the age of 34 and while losing weight, if it's capable of making one look younger I might investigate it further. Though don't like the side-effect that it might lower testo and free-testo now that I'm back in normal ranges.. hmm..

Edited by YoungSchizo, 18 December 2018 - 11:50 PM.

[YoungSchizo]

Now I remember why I stopped taking Metformin in the past. The same reason I took it yesterday and really felt weak and had increased depressing/psychotics thoughts today.

 

Metformin has been shown to act via both AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-dependent and AMPK-independent mechanisms; by inhibition of mitochondrial respiration but also perhaps by inhibition of mitochondrial glycerophosphate dehydrogenase, and a mechanism involving the lysosome.

 

 

I don't know how this relates to schizophrenia but I guess I won't be able to enjoy the fountain of youth! 

[John250]

That's interesting, can someone redirect me to Metformin's anti-aging claims?

(I have bought a lot when I was on vacation and they're just laying around, wanted to use it to lose weight on antipsychotics but never really did use them.)
And I'm losing a lot of weight already by dumping Zyprexa and Mirtazapine and a strict dieting and exercise schedule, wouldn't my blood-sugar drop too low (that I'll faint or whatever) if I add Metformin on top of that?

-edit- Did a quick search and read some articles (not studies).. I'm starting to fall apart at the age of 34 and while losing weight, if it's capable of making one look younger I might investigate it further. Though don't like the side-effect that it might lower testo and free-testo now that I'm back in normal ranges.. hmm..

I think the anti aging mainly comes from mTOR inhibition and anything that inhibits mTOR is beneficial for anti aging.

[Puppalupacus]

Only thing Metformin (Glucophage) ever did for me was give me cramps.  I have a bit of insulin resistance, and it didn't even touch it.

[Engadin]

BTW, please be aware of this if aren't already:

 

"Metformin and exercise independently improve insulin sensitivity and decrease the risk of diabetes. Metformin was also recently proposed as a potential therapy to slow aging. However, recent evidence indicates that adding metformin to exercise antagonizes the exercise‐induced improvement in insulin sensitivity and cardiorespiratory fitness."

 

https://onlinelibrar...1111/acel.12880

 

I don't want to be labelled as a party killer but it came up this way.

[jack black]

 

I don't want to be labelled as a party killer but it came up this way.

 

party killer? no way. from the results:

 

 

Independent of treatment, AET decreased fat mass, HbA1c, fasting plasma insulin, 24‐hr ambulant mean glucose, and glycemic variability.

 

so, even in the metformin group there were benefits. looking at the graphs, the difference is minimal. I don't do aerobic exercise training, so the paper doesn't concern me as much. I see impact of metformin on my weight and functioning and I'm pleased with results.

Edited by jack black, 24 December 2018 - 03:46 PM.

[DeltaWave]

2000 mg is the optimal dose, 3000 mg is the max dose

[RichardAlan]

2000 mg is the optimal dose, 3000 mg is the max dose

 

Is that for an anti-aging regime?  Do you have any references that could point to that.  Thanks in advance.

[CedarWind]

300 mg every other night

[mkp6019]

I have been thinking about trying Metformin for a while. I had been testing my blood glucose in the morning after my primary doctor told me to watch my carbs. My dad has been labeled prediabetic and goes to same doctor. After a year of testing, I noticed my fasting numbers were getting high 95-105. I approached my primary about this and he took issue with why I would even testing in the first place. He measured my A1C in the office and told me I was fine.  I was also able to get a lab number that was 83 shortly thereafter which was 12 points lower than my home test a half hour earlier.  Perhaps my glucometer is off.

 

My question is who tests their own blood sugar levels to see how well Metformin is managing their numbers?  And how accurate are these machines?

[YoungSchizo]

I have been thinking about trying Metformin for a while. I had been testing my blood glucose in the morning after my primary doctor told me to watch my carbs. My dad has been labeled prediabetic and goes to same doctor. After a year of testing, I noticed my fasting numbers were getting high 95-105. I approached my primary about this and he took issue with why I would even testing in the first place. He measured my A1C in the office and told me I was fine. I was also able to get a lab number that was 83 shortly thereafter which was 12 points lower than my home test a half hour earlier. Perhaps my glucometer is off.

My question is who tests their own blood sugar levels to see how well Metformin is managing their numbers? And how accurate are these machines?

My mom is diabetic and has such a machine, when I used metformin I tried it a couple of times (or sometimes just for fun :D ). Anyway, they're very accurate, my mom has to write down what the machine says for her diabetic nurse for control. They're changing her insulin according to what she writes down and it's helping.

Edited by YoungSchizo, 09 March 2019 - 02:25 PM.

[Heisok]

The doctor said your A1C was fine. Would you share what that number was? Anybody get lower leg swelling?

 

As far as glucometers. The following link involves a comparison.

 

"The Diabetes Technology Society Blood Glucose Monitor System (BGMS) Surveillance Program was established because of evidence that cleared BGMSs do not always achieve levels of accuracy matching either: 1) their performance that resulted in becoming cleared by FDA; or 2) international standards of accuracy.  Poor performance of these devices can lead to adverse clinical and economic consequences.  This surveillance program assessed the accuracy of 18 blood glucose monitoring systems (BGMSs) marketed in the USA across a wide range of blood glucose levels in the hands of trained professionals.  These 18 BGMSs represented approximately 90% of the commercially available systems that were used from 2013 to 2015 by diabetes patients and obtained from consumer outlets."

 

https://www.diabetes...veillance.shtml

 

Another accuracy test from pubmed: Image attached, and link follows.

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm...les/PMC5505415/

I have been thinking about trying Metformin for a while. I had been testing my blood glucose in the morning after my primary doctor told me to watch my carbs. My dad has been labeled prediabetic and goes to same doctor. After a year of testing, I noticed my fasting numbers were getting high 95-105. I approached my primary about this and he took issue with why I would even testing in the first place. He measured my A1C in the office and told me I was fine.  I was also able to get a lab number that was 83 shortly thereafter which was 12 points lower than my home test a half hour earlier.  Perhaps my glucometer is off.

 

My question is who tests their own blood sugar levels to see how well Metformin is managing their numbers?  And how accurate are these machines?

 

 

Attached Files

•  Screenshot_2019-03-09 Comparative Accuracy of 17 Point-of-Care Glucose Meters(1).png   171.11KB   0 downloads

Edited by Heisok, 09 March 2019 - 08:02 PM.

[Woody42]

Metformin is an interesting drug. It has multiple effects and one of these is it encourages the growth of 

Akkermansis Mucinphila. This bacteria is accociated with better blood sugar controle and a very slight

reduction in food intake. Using foods containing the soluble fiber inulinFOS lets this bacteria multiply

and reasults slightly less hunger and food intake. Metformin is famous  for diarrhea and although inulinFOS

being a soluable fiber does have a slight laxative effect it is a fast effective treatment for this diarea caused

by metformin.  One word of caution inulinFOS does cause flatulence especialy at first. Back to the glories

of inulinFOS I may have read one report that using it for 15% of the calories of some lab animals yielded a

15% life extension. I have type 2 diabetes and find using 10G of inulin FOS a day helps my morning blood 

sugar a great deal but that gas issue is a problem. I know this is about metformin but I can't take it for some

reason it makes me gain weight. This side effect is so rare it's not mentioned in the articles about it but it

ocasionaly happens.

[GABAergic]

i was wondering this. since metformin came from a plant. maybe there are other herbal alternatives out there that work in similar mechanism?

[Woody42]

Berberine may be what you are looking for it seems to be about as effective as metformin

with out all the side effects. And may even offer some advantages over metformin. But can't

say it's cheaper because generic metformin is almost free. 

[CedarWind]

Someone needs a reference for how much metformin I take? I expected people on here to not be idiots.

[GABAergic]

Berberine may be what you are looking for it seems to be about as effective as metformin

with out all the side effects. And may even offer some advantages over metformin. But can't

say it's cheaper because generic metformin is almost free. 

 

Although the clinical research has been low in quality, studies have been conducted to determine if berberine may affect diabetes^[7] or blood lipids.^[8][9] As of 2018, there is insufficient evidence to conclude that berberine is safe or effective for any condition.^[10]

 

8 years ago the wikipedia page of berberine was loaded with studies saying berberine cures everything but death. now, wikipedia has been cleaned up nicely with all that junk removed. i was a victim of all those interesting articles specifically for helping with depression and even being a nootropic. i brought a lot of it and i ended up with stomach ache and yellow color diarrhea. this stuff was junk. and no, it is not without serious side effects
 

[Woody42]

I realize this is a mouse study but similar results have been seen in human trials.  I believe

I  recall in the human trials they were able to reduce the dose of metformin by 82 % when it was

taken 3 times a day with 380 mg of leucine.  

 

 

https://www.research...uced_Obese_Mice

 

 

 

[GABAergic]

so you just want to lower your metformin dose without losing its effectiveness? is that really a big deal. i mean normal doses of metformin are tolerated in general. i dont see a particularly good reason to combine leucine with it