4 ms·

Could this be replicating what fasting and caloric restriction do?

by api 5y ago

nate_meurer 5y ago
Yes, there's evidence for that. However the jury is still out on whether metformin is a net benefit for people with healthy insulin sensitivity. It appears there are negative effects: Derek Lowe talks about the negative effects of metformin on healthy people: https://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2019/06/24/me https://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2019/06/24/me... Peter Attia talks about the same, and some interesting other considerations: https://peterattiamd.com/191013/ https://peterattiamd.com/191013/
- dcolkitt 5y ago
  Metformin likely blunts the impact of high intensity exercise. But for the 65% of people living sedentary or low activity lives, it’s a straight win. Even for those who are consistent with physical fitness, the downsides can likely be avoided by waiting a few hours after the morning exercise session to dose.
  - electriclove 5y ago
    Right, and wouldn't the non extended release version work well if taken at night and exercise in morning (or vice versa).
- birriel 5y ago
  Folks that take metformin for anti-aging usually take it on exercise off-days. There was concern about lactic acidosis, but it's beginning to become clear that it mostly arises in patients with comorbidities.
238475235243 5y ago
Yes. And keto, OMAD, etc... They all do the "same thing" in reducing serum glucose and therefore all the downstream bad things that happen. Metformin forms the base plank of novel metabolic cancer regimens too.
- jcims 5y ago
  >Metformin forms the base plank of novel metabolic cancer regimens too. For which you'll likely have to lie to or find an alternative oncologist who's willing to tolerate adjuvant therapies that aren't 'standard of care'. There are organizations that are developing protocols that include metformin along with statins, anthelmintics and even some antibiotics that are showing promise across a variety of research and even some clinical trials to help fight cancer through a number of mechanisms. Independently they are not likely sufficient to beat cancer but may slow its roll through the body of the patient.
  - CodeWriter23 5y ago
    “alternative” practitioners have been keeping humans healthy for several millennia prior to the existence of the AMA and their so-called “standard of care”.
    - oivey 5y ago
      Sure, but evidence from last several millennia also show they haven’t kept people healthy quite as long.
    - nojokes 5y ago
      Those so called alternative practitioners lack scientific rigor, I am afraid of, or more likely just do not know what they are doing. Exceptions exists of course.
      - CodeWriter23 5y ago
        Many have more scientific rigor than AMA acolytes. Not all, of course. And then again the AMA and its ilk have plenty of breakdowns of scientific rigor. Let’s see now, vioxx, valsartan, omeprazole, to name a few. And let’s not forget the completely unscientific circus around hydroxychloroquine and those effectively denied treatment on that pack of lies (research surgisphere to get to the truth there)
    - hellbannedguy 5y ago

Could this be replicating what fasting and caloric restriction do?

by api 5y ago

Could this be replicating what fasting and caloric restriction do?

Yes, there's evidence for that. However the jury is still out on whether metformin is a net benefit for people with healthy insulin sensitivity. It appears there are negative effects: Derek Lowe talks about the negative effects of metformin on healthy people: https://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2019/06/24/me https://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2019/06/24/me... Peter Attia talks about the same, and some interesting other considerations: https://peterattiamd.com/191013/ https://peterattiamd.com/191013/

dcolkitt 5y ago
Metformin likely blunts the impact of high intensity exercise. But for the 65% of people living sedentary or low activity lives, it’s a straight win. Even for those who are consistent with physical fitness, the downsides can likely be avoided by waiting a few hours after the morning exercise session to dose.
- electriclove 5y ago
  Right, and wouldn't the non extended release version work well if taken at night and exercise in morning (or vice versa).
birriel 5y ago
Folks that take metformin for anti-aging usually take it on exercise off-days. There was concern about lactic acidosis, but it's beginning to become clear that it mostly arises in patients with comorbidities.

238475235243 5y ago

Yes. And keto, OMAD, etc... They all do the "same thing" in reducing serum glucose and therefore all the downstream bad things that happen. Metformin forms the base plank of novel metabolic cancer regimens too.

jcims 5y ago
>Metformin forms the base plank of novel metabolic cancer regimens too. For which you'll likely have to lie to or find an alternative oncologist who's willing to tolerate adjuvant therapies that aren't 'standard of care'. There are organizations that are developing protocols that include metformin along with statins, anthelmintics and even some antibiotics that are showing promise across a variety of research and even some clinical trials to help fight cancer through a number of mechanisms. Independently they are not likely sufficient to beat cancer but may slow its roll through the body of the patient.
- CodeWriter23 5y ago
  “alternative” practitioners have been keeping humans healthy for several millennia prior to the existence of the AMA and their so-called “standard of care”.
  - oivey 5y ago
    Sure, but evidence from last several millennia also show they haven’t kept people healthy quite as long.
  - nojokes 5y ago
    Those so called alternative practitioners lack scientific rigor, I am afraid of, or more likely just do not know what they are doing. Exceptions exists of course.
    - CodeWriter23 5y ago
      Many have more scientific rigor than AMA acolytes. Not all, of course. And then again the AMA and its ilk have plenty of breakdowns of scientific rigor. Let’s see now, vioxx, valsartan, omeprazole, to name a few. And let’s not forget the completely unscientific circus around hydroxychloroquine and those effectively denied treatment on that pack of lies (research surgisphere to get to the truth there)
  - hellbannedguy 5y ago