Metformin helps in reducing depression and anxiety by increasing serotonin, the happiness hormone. Even more astounding, data suggests that women who take metformin may have a staggering 3.3 times lower risk of developing major depression.
With the administration of metformin, the numbers turned to 61% for weight gain and 39% for weight loss among the respondents. With the highest recorded proportion in the study, with the exception of menstrual irregularities, mood swings were indicated by 92% of the participants.
The most common side effects are feeling and being sick, diarrhoea, stomach ache and loss of appetite. Vitamin B12 deficiency is also a common side effect of taking metformin in higher doses or for long periods. Metformin does not cause weight gain, unlike some other diabetes medicines.
Taking metformin can cause vitamin B12 deficiency if you take it for a long time. This can make you feel very tired, breathless and faint, so your doctor may check the vitamin B12 level in your blood. If your vitamin B12 levels become too low, vitamin B12 supplements will help.
In severe cases, altered mental status, hypotension, and tachycardia can also occur. High serum levels of metformin can also cause hypoglycemia, especially when taken concomitantly with other glucose-lowering medications. Hyperglycemia has also been reported.
Thus, metformin does not cause depression rather it helps in treating depression in diabetic patients.
Metformin is the most commonly prescribed diabetes drug in the world. It works well, but it can cause vitamin B12 deficiency (Diabetes & Metabolism, Nov. 2016). Low vitamin B12 levels have been associated with depression (Fortify Your Life: Your Guide to Vitamins, Minerals and More).
Metformin also helps in increasing Serotonin and BDNF levels, which plays a vital role in neurogenesis. The risk of depression was not significantly decreased by the use of metformin (AOR: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.52-1.02; P = . 0621).
Metformin side effects include diabetic neuropathy, brain fog, and digestive issues. You can address them through diet, Vitamin B12, CoQ10, and exercise.
Does Metformin Affect Your Hormones? Metformin impacts a person's sensitivity to insulin, a hormone essential in metabolic functioning. Metformin also has the effect of lowering testosterone hormone levels in the blood.
The psychiatric conditions secondary to substance use (whether legal or illegal drugs) are well characterized and include psychosis, mania, depression and behavior changes.
More serious side effects are rare. They include severe allergic reactions and a condition called lactic acidosis, a buildup of lactic acid in the bloodstream. The risk for this is higher among people with significant kidney disease, so doctors tend to avoid prescribing metformin for them.
Common metformin alternatives are SGLT-2 Inhibitors (Invokana, Farxiga, Jardiance, and Steglatro), GLP – 1 Receptor Agonists ( Bydureon, Byetta, Ozempic, Adlyxin, Rybelsus, Trulicity, and Victoza), Sulfonylureas or SFUs { DiaBeta, Glynase, or Micronase (glyburide or glibenclamide) Amaryl (glimepiride) Diabinese ( ...
Metformin may produce antidepressant effects through improvement of cognitive function among depressed patients with diabetes mellitus.
Metformin may have an adverse effect on renal function in patients with type 2 DM and moderate CKD.
Metformin has a black box warning for lactic acidosis — a condition where too much lactic acid builds up in the blood. It's a serious problem and can lead to death. If you experience these symptoms, seek medical attention right away.
If you eat a lot of sugar while taking Metformin, your body will have to work harder to keep your blood sugar levels within a healthy range, and the Metformin will not be as effective for weight loss. However, if it happens infrequently, you should not suffer too many negative side effects. The key is moderation.
Metformin helps in reducing depression and anxiety by increasing serotonin, the happiness hormone.
How long to take it for. Treatment for diabetes is usually for life. But if your kidneys are not working properly, your doctor will tell you to stop taking metformin and switch you to a different medicine. Do not stop taking metformin without talking to your doctor.
Use of insulin, sulfonylurea and high doses of metformin were associated with higher risk of depression.
Why Shouldn't You Stop Taking Metformin? Metformin works by decreasing the amount of sugar your liver releases into your blood, making your body more sensitive to insulin's effects. If you suddenly discontinue use, it can lead to dangerously high blood sugar levels.
Further, it has been suggested that metformin reduces hyperandrogenism through its effect on both the ovary and adrenal gland suppressing their androgen production, reducing pituitary luteinizing hormone and increases the production of sex hormone binding globulin by the liver [Bailey and Turner, 1996].
A medical provider can run a few tests to see how metformin is affecting your health: Blood work can check if your glucose, insulin, and HbA1C levels are in range. If they are, the medication is working.