Hi last PSA 8.1 with psadt of 1.5 months so waiting for inevitable crpc news. Wondering why I should continue with Metformin which has caused me b12 malabsoption problems.
Would love to stop but probably will continue minimum dose that could have heart and kidney benefits as highlighted in the following links.
hello Rickytarr, I’m not sure if Metformin will benefit your heart but when it was prescribed to me for Type 2 diabetes my docs warned me that Metformin can kill my kidneys. I was told to double my water intake to fend off kidney damage.
Ricky - My understanding is that the metformin risk to kidneys is only for people with moderate to sever CKD.
If concerned about kidney function, you could consider switching to the supplement Berberine, which has similar effect on serum glucose. (I've been taking berberine continuously for over 6 year and my kidney function has been excllent throughout that time - and its seems that the ever-persitent gut microbiome has a role here too.)
Berberine ameliorates chronic kidney disease through inhibiting the production of gut-derived uremic toxins in the gut microbiota, Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B, Volume 13, Issue 4, April 2023, Pages 1537-1553
Outstanding...and berberine plays a role in the microbiome... as well as blood sugar levels... That Berberine is a busy bioactive compound... wish my workers were that active...
Ricky - The standard dosage (on the bottle) is 500 mg x 3 times a day (preferable at meal time), but since I usually only eat 1-2 meals (sans energy snacks related to exercise, etc.), I'm normally just taking 1-2 caps per day with/before meals. (2 being more my norm over time.)
I should also note that having zero cardiac issues, my use of berberine is primarily for glucose control. The potential dampening effect on mTOR mentioned in your link is a known secondary benefit. I'm mostly WFPB and unrestricted on UNrefined carbs, as I shoot for the min RDA of 30+ grams of fiber per day - and whole grains are a fine source of fiber to do that. As some people seem to report some digestive issues with berberine, my suggestion would be the start with a once a day dosage and see how you respond. Also, as noted in your link, the cost of metformin is much less than berberine - but it also requires a script and berberine is OTC.
Since I have started fasting for all normal CBC labs, my glucose is still not as low as I would like it to be, but it does consistently stay below 100. I'm thinking of getting some sort of glucose monitor and doing some testing related to specific foods and glucose response. Most people I know who have done so, have found that their responses are not always what would be expected - which has allowed them to tweak their diets accordingly and get less spikes by eliminating/restricting certain foods.
Good Luck if you give it a try. And always try to Stay Safe & Well,
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