Diabetes, is it true that metformin can cause damage to the body? – breaking latest news

I have type 2 diabetes and I take metformin: is it true that this drug can damage the whole body, as I read on the internet?

He answers frank gregoryHead of Diabetology Service of Jesi / Fabriano (Ancona), Association of Diabetologists (GO TO THE FORUM)

Since the Middle Ages in Northern Europe they were used in the treatment of polyuria (increased urinary volume)the extracts of a legume, the Galega officinalis. a perennial herbaceous plant found in the cool and humid regions of submontane Italy. In the’Herbarium Officinalis of Urbino, a precious manuscript from the early sixteenth century currently kept in the Vatican Apostolic Library, the Galician counted among the 62 main medicinal plants. Also referred to as Herba Superna or Capraia, it was celebrated as good at all infirmities. The pharmacologically active ingredient, the Galician, was modified in the 60s to enhance its antidiabetic effect and improve its tolerability. Therefore metformin to be considered as the improving derivative of a natural compound, that is ultimately a nutraceutical derivative. Metformin is currently recommended in guidelines worldwide as first choice treatment in oral diabetes therapy.

In July 2021 they were defined the new guidelines for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, developed by AMD (Association of Diabetologists), SID (Italian Society of Diabetology) and ISS (Higher Institute of Health) and published in the National Guidelines System of the Higher Institute of Health. It reads: The use of is recommended metformin as first-choice drug for long-term treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes without previous cardiovascular events. And again: The use of metformin, SGLT-2i and GLP-1 RA is recommended as drugs of first choice for the long-term treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes with previous cardiovascular events and without heart failure. In January of this year was published Note 100 of Aifa (Italian Medicines Agency)which has the objective of defining, on the basis of the main available evidence, the prescribability and reimbursement criteria by the SSN (National Health Service) of antidiabetic drugs. It reiterates that metformin was the first hypoglycaemic drug to have demonstrated efficacy in reduce the risk of death for cardiovascular causes in overweight or obese patients and has led us to recommend its use as a first-line drug in all patients with type 2 diabetes.

evident that the recent availability of new antidiabetic drugs (certainly much more expensive) has not deprived metformin of its pivotal role in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. a useful, effective and safe drug. In addition to its antidiabetic activity, decreases the risk of cardiovascular events (limiting platelet hyperactivity and activating fibrinolysis), reduces the neoplastic risk (unlike sulfonylureas which increase it) and even seems to confer some protection against Covid infection. Of course, like any drug, metformin also has side effects and contraindications: in particular not recommended in patients with renal insufficiency. I don’t know who provided the (absolutely false) information that metformin appears to be a harmful therapy, but I can assure you that it is utter nonsense. If anything, diabetes is the one that damages the whole body. Then pay attention to the (uncontrolled) news that circulates on the web and feeds disinformation on social media: it is not difficult to come across someone who writes wrong things, perhaps simply because they are hunting for followers.