Glucophage and Weight Loss

Weight Loss and Glucophage: An Overview

Glucophage^® (metformin) and long-acting Glucophage XR^® (metformin ER) are prescription medications licensed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. The medication is commonly thought to cause weight loss, although studies have shown mixed results.

 

Does Glucophage Cause Weight Loss?

In most of the studies of Glucophage before it was approved, people on Glucophage lost weight (1.4 to 8.4 pounds on average). However, the people in these studies who were not taking Glucophage also lost weight. The difference between the groups was not significant, meaning that there was no statistical difference between the two groups. In these studies, people were taking Glucophage to treat type 2 diabetes. It is not known if Glucophage has any effect on weight in people who do not have diabetes.

 

It is important to note that in most studies of Glucophage, people did not usually gain weight. Many other diabetes medications are known to cause weight gain, which is particularly undesirable for people with type 2 diabetes who may already have problems with weight gain. So, even if the medicine does not cause weight loss, it is often a good choice for overweight people with type 2 diabetes.

 

Final Thoughts

It is not entirely clear if Glucophage causes weight loss for most people with type 2 diabetes. At the very least, however, it seems that people taking Glucophage do not gain weight (a common problem with many other diabetes medications). It is not known if Glucophage has any effect on weight in people who do not have diabetes.