Metformin: Get the Whole Story

By The Numbers

In the United States, approximately 26 Million people are diabetic, and of that 95% are Type II diabetics, a condition influenced by lifestyle not genetics. This is actually good news. Before one starts blaming the diabetic victims, please review articles on GMOs and addictive processed foods. Many of the health hazards of these foods are deliberately hidden from consumers and short of having a degree in chemistry it’s difficult for the individual to determine danger levels..

Metformin is the generic name, but is also found in brand names such as; Glucophage™, Glucophage XR™, Glumetza™, Fortamet™ and Riomet™. Metformin is an oral medication that lowers blood glucose (sugar) by influencing the body’s sensitivity to insulin and is used for treating Type II diabetes.

Metformin and the Liver

Metformin has even been used to treat liver disease. The problem with this application is that the liver is responsible for breaking down drugs. That Metformin is a drug that the body needs to detoxify makes us wonder about the effectiveness of this application as a drug versus a clearly more effective alternative.

The connection physicians make with Metformin, diabetes and liver disease does have a common thread.. The liver is responsible for regulating the insulin cycles. The work of the liver is to signal the pancreas to secrete insulin, breaking down insulin and storing much of the glycogen in the body.

The Root of the Problem

Mainstream medicine and the drug industry have historically misinformed the public that diabetes is a blood sugar problem when it is actually an insulin resistant issue as in the case of Type II diabetes. Treating a misinformed public can make people treatable patients, but does nothing to solve the underlying condition.. Responsible medical advice is to reduce or eliminate sugar or foods that quickly turn into sugar. Care must be taken to avoid regulating an insulin cycle that is trying to strike a balance in an out of balance system. This includes avoiding the grains we are told are so healthy for us coming from the Midwest grain belt.

This is typically made worse by a compromised gut lining, referred to as ‘leaky gut. Ingesting processed sugary foods boost candida populations. Along with food pesticides these compounds conspire to pit an intestinal lining that’s no longer sealing off partially digested foods and harmful organisms against the rest of the body. These sugars then travel to the liver for neutralizing. When the liver becomes overwhelmed, which is often the case, a fatty liver will result and liver function will suffer. This has serious consequences for regulatory responsibilities like insulin and blood regulation.

Insulin resistance in the case of Type II diabetes is the body’s defense response to an overload of sugar. When the cells receive too much glucose from the blood cells respond by limiting the signal to store more. This leaves the blood with excess free-floating sugar and will show on a blood sugar test as Type II diabetes.

Diabetic drugs will force sugar into the cells creating an imbalance in the body. The real solution is to reduce sugar and carbohydrate intake. The diabetic person must eat a diet high in protein, with clean healthy fats and vegetables.

Most recent studies show an even higher correlation between diabetes and Leptin than with insulin. Leptin is intricately involved in the process between brain and liver to determine how much glucose is stored in the body’s organs as opposed to how much glucose is released. An article on the important role of Leptin is forthcoming..

Dangers of Metformin

A recent study out of Washington University finds the heart burns more fat and less sugar under PET scans than normal in men taking metformin. This puts tremendous strain on the heart, leading to heart failure. Metformin also contributes to the deficiency of B12. This vitamin is hugely important to making sure the nervous system and blood cells are healthy. B12 also helps to reduce anemia in women.

Conclusion