What is metformin used for?

Metformin is a prescription oral anti-diabetic medicine that is used to prevent and treat type 2 diabetes mellitus.

How does metformin work?

• Metformin works in several different ways to control blood sugar levels: 
• Metformin improves insulin sensitivity, i.e., it increases the body’s response to the insulin hormone. By decreasing insulin resistance, the cells in your body can absorb and use sugar more effectively, which, in turn, reduces the amount of sugar in the blood.
• Your body also produces sugar naturally. Metformin reduces the amount of glucose made by the liver, where most sugar production occurs. 
• Sugar enters your body through food and beverages. Metformin reduces the amount of glucose absorbed from food through the intestines. As a result, less sugar makes it into the bloodstream. 

By controlling blood sugar levels, metformin helps prevent potentially life-threatening complications of diabetes, such as heart disease and stroke.

What are metformin doses?

Metformin is available as an immediate-release tablet, extended-release tablet, and oral suspension (liquid). 

The immediate-release tablet is taken with meals 1-3 times a day. The extended-release form is taken once a day with the evening meal. The available Metformin doses are 500 mg, 850 mg, and 1000 mg.

Doctors usually prescribe metformin 500 mg twice daily by mouth or 850 mg once daily by mouth with meals as a starting dose. 

Do not take more or less metformin than prescribed. Your doctor will start you on a low metformin dose and slowly increase the dose based on your response to the medicine and tolerability (side effects). The dose may be increased no more often than once every 1-2 weeks. Metformin’s maximum recommended daily dose is 2550 mg in adults and 2000 mg in pediatric patients (10-16 years), given in divided doses with meals. Doses above 2000 mg are typically better tolerated if the medicine is taken three times a day with meals. You will need to monitor your blood glucose levels carefully to see how well metformin is working.