Metformin slows growth of tumors lac... 
Aharleygyrl
17 y
3,940
† Cross †
August 15, 2007
The July, 2007 issue of Cancer Research published the results of research conducted at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine which determined that metformin, a drug commonly used for diabetes, destroys tumor cells lacking a regulatory gene known as p53, which acts as a tumor suppressor. The gene is estimated to be lost in over half of all human cancers.
Studies have found that diabetics who use metformin have a lower risk of cancer and mortality within a given period than those who don't use the drug. In research funded by the National Cancer Institute, University of Pennsylvania Professor of Cancer Biology and Medicine Craig B. Thompson MD and colleagues injected human colon cancer cells with normal p53 into one side of mice and the same cells lacking p53 into the other side. After four days, the mice received daily injections of metformin or saline. The dose of metformin administered in the study was equivalent to that used by human diabetics.
At the end of the four week treatment period there was no difference among the animals in the size of tumors with normal p53, however, tumors lacking p53 in mice that received metformin were half the size of those in the saline-injected animals. The team discovered that the drug instructs cells to switch metabolic pathways from oxidative phosphorylation, the most energy efficient pathway, to a stress related one used when the cells are deficient in oxygen, glucose or other nutrients. Normally when p53 is absent, the cells are not able to perform the switch. “Without p53, if we force cells to live on alternative substrates, they can’t do it,” explained Dr Thompson .
He announced, “This is the first time you can show that tumor growth is impaired by a diabetes drug. It is specific for tumors that lack p53, which is the most common mutation in human cancer.”
—D Dye
LEF.com
- Re: Metformin slows growth of tumors... spinetrooper
17 y
3,773
This is a reply to # 942,751What is your opinion on the long term effects of metformin on the liver, kidneys, or heart? It seems that long term dosing is unsafe. The edema and vitamin b leaching can be replenished but what scaress me about this med is the effects it has on the liver and kidneys.
- Re: Metformin and Lactic Acidosis Celcius
17 y
3,604
This is a reply to # 942,851
Metfromin is a dangerous life threatening pharmaceutical drug!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactic_acidosis
- Re: Metformin slows growth of tumors... Aharleygyrl
17 y
4,015
This is a reply to # 942,851
For liver and kidney and heart problems, it is fine if you do not already have those.
Metformin is not recommended for people who have a history of kidney or liver disease, or a history of congestive heart failure. People with a history of alcohol abuse should also avoid taking the drug, as serious lactic acidosis can develop in these individuals.
http://curezone.com/blogs/m.asp?f=1184&i=141
The only side effect I have witnessed in about 10% of my patients is stomach upset and diarrhea. I've found, however, that almost everyone can build up a tolerance to it. I suggest that my patients start with a low dose, as little as one, or even a half tablet per day for a week or two, and then gradually increase the dose as they develop a tolerance. There is a theoretical problem of lactic acidosis in patients with impaired kidney function, but in practice, I have never seen this, despite monitoring thousands of patients on Metformin. Nevertheless, I believe that anyone with impaired kidney function should take Metformin only under the care of a physician, and should have their blood levels of lactic acid checked periodically.
Metformin has been shown to impair the absorption of vitamin B12, so it is probably prudent to make sure that you’re taking plenty of B12. I don’t have to tell my patients that, of course, as they’re usually already taking plenty of vitamins. Metformin has also been shown to raise homocysteine, so extra folic acid and Vitamin B6 should also be taken. If homocysteine levels are elevated, I recommend adding Anhydrous Betain (Trimethylglycine) in a dose of about 6-9 grams per day. If a patient is diabetic, or a starch junkie, the starch blocker Acarbose (Glucobay) can also be used. If the patient is a diabetic, I would add Actos or Avandia to the Metformin. These are also insulin receptor sensitizing drugs which can enhance the glucose-lowering efficacy of Metformin by up to about 30%.
http://www.antiaging-magazine.com/interviews/interview_1.html
- Re: Metformin slows growth of tumors... spinetrooper
17 y
3,632
MoreThis is a reply to # 942,905Another quick question:
When is it best to take Metformin. My father was prescribed 1000 mg. to be taken after dinner. This does not make sense to me.
Wouldnt it be better to split the dose 500 mg at lunch and 500 mg dinner??
Also, wouldnt it be better to take it right before the first bite of the meal vs. after the meal when the stomach is full already?
Your opinion??- Re: Metformin slows growth of tumors... Aharleygyrl
17 y
3,754
This is a reply to # 942,922
yes, my mom was told to take it after meals, too. and she was told to take one big dose like that. later i think they had her take it two times a day.
The average dosage unless the physician indicate otherwise is the following- 1 or 2 tablets following each of the three main meals.
i think the theory is that the food doesn't raise the blood sugar right away, so it is ok to take it after meals. or, perhaps they don't want you getting your blood sugar too low (since there is no food in your stomach, it could happen). plus, metformin can supress appetite and maybe a person would not end of eating or eating that much.
BUT, i did find this:
Q. You have written that along with Metformin, that Dilantin ® is also useful as an insulin sensitizer. Is either one or the other better for this purpose, and how about potential side effects? Also can these be taken safely with meals during days that HGH is being injected? A. Comparative studies have not been done. At the low doses of dilantin that we recommend, side effects are generally non-existent. (Dilantin ® 200-300mg daily can significantly improve the Chol/HDL ratio).
I have used Dilantin ® (Phenytoin) and Metformin together for years (and have recommended this regimen to many patients, as well). Dilantin ® and Metformin can be taken with meals or on an empty stomach. Unlike other oral anti-diabetic agents, these substances do not cause hypoglycemia-in fact, they are helpful for those with hypoglycemia, as better use is made of the available glucose.
No problem taking them in conjunction with HGH.
myself, i take it at the same time as meals 2 to 3 times a day and have for 3 years.
- Metformin prevents high morning bloo... pb3046
17 y
3,916
This is a reply to # 942,922Of all diabetic drugs, metformin has the quality of keeping the liver from putting out glucagon during the night and therefore raising morning blood sugars. That is one reason to take metformin at night and why doctors often prescribe metformin with other diabetic drugs.
Often diabetics can have control over daytime blood sugars and their two hour post prandial (two hours after eating) blood sugars are good, but have morning blood sugars that are high. Metformin is useful is this regard.- Dawn Phenomenon Aharleygyrl
17 y
5,140
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This is a reply to # 943,027One of the most frustrating things that diabetics deal with is an unexpected rise in blood glucose overnight. You go to bed with a BG of 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L), and wake up with a BG of 130 (7.2)! You didn't eat, so what happened?
This results from two distinctly different processes: Dawn Phenomenon and Somogyi Effect. Here are some basics.
DAWN PHENOMENON
Everyone, diabetic or not, exhibits some Dawn Phenomenon. It is a natural part of our bodies' circadian rhythms. Some have said it is the way our ancestors had the strength to rise and slay a wooly behemoth for breakfast.
Since most of us fast while sleeping, with teenagers a possible exception, our bodies use stored energy during sleep. If you have read our Nutrition Section, you know that the body uses all three macro-nutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) to store energy.
The most easily used is the storage medium of carbohydrates, called glycogen. Glycogen is made from glucose, and is stored in the liver and muscles. Since it is basically nothing more than a complex matrix of glucose, it is easy for the body to store and use, something the body does all day long. The technical term for the act of creating and storing glycogen is glycogenesis. When the body calls for the conversion of glycogen back to glucose it is called glycogenolysis.
Another macro-nutrient that is available to be converted to glucose is protein. Most of us think of our protein as being stored in muscle, but the body has protective mechanisms to make muscle wasting its last choice. One of the most useful and readily available sources of protein storage is in blood components, i.e., albumin (plasma). The body uses a process performed in the liver to convert amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, into glucose. The name for this process is gluconeogenesis, literally "the creation of new glucose".
So, what does all this have to do with a high fasting BG? Overnight, usually between 4am and 11am, your body releases some hormones. These are Growth Hormone (GH) from the anterior pituitary gland, cortisol from the adrenal cortex, glucagon from your pancreatic alpha-cells, and epinephrine (adrenalin). These hormones cause an increase in insulin resistance, raising your BG. In addition, these hormones trigger glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis, adding stored or new glucose to your bloodstream.
Dawn Phenomenon, and its associated increase in insulin resistance, is the reason most diabetics are far more sensitive to carbs in the morning.
Dealing with Dawn Phenomenon
There are many ways of defeating Dawn Phenomenon. You will have to experiment with the following suggestions to see what works for you.
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Try eating no food after dinner. This works for people whose Dawn Phenomenon isn't very strong. Basically, it lowers their baseline BG, so that when DP does hit them, the increase keeps them below a certain level, usually 120 (6.7).
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Try eating a small snack of fat and protein before bed. Most find that a tablespoon of peanut butter, or some cheese and deli meat are effective. The theory here is that the slow-digesting fat and protein holds their BG high enough overnight to avoid Somogyi Effect (see below).
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Eventually, you will learn how the two disparate approaches above work for you. Hopefully, you will set personal targets to guide you, eg., if my BG is below XXX (insert your target here), I need a snack. If my BG is over XXX, I don't need a snack.
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The prescription medication Metformin HCl (Glucophage) is often very effective in limiting Dawn Phenomenon for Type-2s and insulin resistant Type-1s. Of course, Type-1s can adjust their basal (slow) insulin regimen to account for Dawn Phenomenon.
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Lastly, EAT BREAKFAST. The resulting increase in blood glucose from food will often turn off the continued rise. If you don't, some diabetics will continue to rise until 10-11 am.
SOMOGYI EFFECT
Somogyi Effect, named for Dr. Robert Somogyi, its discoverer, is a high morning BG due to a low overnight. It is most commonly seen with insulin using diabetics, but is also seen with overnight reactive hypoglycemics.
The mechanism is a low overnight, which causes the body to react by releasing many of the same hormones seen in DP. The strongest blood glucose increasing hormone, glucagon, plays an important role. It tells your liver to start glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis to provide enough glucose for your body to survive. This is sometimes referred to as a Liver Dump. Often, this mechanism over-produces, and you wake to a significantly higher BG.
Setting your bedtime BG target a bit higher, will usually prevent you from having a hypoglycemic event overnight.
http://www.diabetic-talk.org/dp.htm
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- Re: Metformin prevents high morning ... swethaishu
12 y
2,379
This is a reply to # 943,027i too continued metformin during pregnancy..checked with doc everytime i met her..she asked to continue for if i remember upto 5 - 6 months.. metformin during pregnancy
- Dawn Phenomenon Aharleygyrl
17 y
5,140
- Re: Metformin slows growth of tumors... Aharleygyrl
17 y
3,754
- Re: Metformin slows growth of tumors... spinetrooper
17 y
3,632
- Re: Metformin and Lactic Acidosis Celcius
17 y
3,604
- Re: Metformin slows growth of tumors... Tony Isaacs
17 y
3,769
This is a reply to # 942,751Are you sure you don't own any stock in Metformin? LOL
We have been over this debate before and I am not going there again other than to restate:
- Metformin is a drug and that leaves me out from the very beginning since I trust no man-made drug created, synthesized or isolated in a laboratory.
- I believe that man makes a mistake whenever he tries to interfere with, or replace, nature - and I believe that my best proof is the fact that over 95% of all FDA approved drugs have side effects. That indicates to me that either (a) we cannot get it right, or (b) it is deliberate or (c) it is often both of the above. Either way, count me out. I will let allopathic doctors mend my broken parts, something they excel at for the most part, and nature ward off and heal my illnesses.
- Metformin does have side effects, one of which is interference with the body's ability to absorb Vitamin B-12, which is crucial to a healthy body in so many ways - not least of which is mental health.
- Life Extension foundation themselves has information posted on their website indicating that a natural protocol outperforms Metformin by a significant margin.
DQ
- Re: Metformin slows growth of tumors... Aharleygyrl
17 y
3,865
This is a reply to # 942,950
And, Dr. Dean Ward has information indicating that Metformin is the most effective life extension drug there is. I was asked a question about dosage for someone's father who is on Metformin, so I answered it. I post on health and I take Metformin (so does my Mother). Owning stock would not influence me but, I don't buy from American companies because they way overcharge.
Incidentally, The Life Extension Foundation is where this article came from.
You said:
"I think we could argue this point indefinitely. If you vouch for them then that is good enough for me - you strike me as honest and sincere, so I accept that they are good folks who use a lot of natural things and also take approved meds."
Suffice it to say, you don't like Metformin and I do. To me, it is health news. You are free to post in opposition to my article, but I could do without the owning stock type comments.
_______________
Because of the depletion of B12, supplementation is recommended.
I will restate as well:
Many helpful side benefits
Metformin's multiple effects benefit individuals with a propensity to develop diabetes, cardiovascular problems, endocrine problems, retinopathies, nephropathies, cancer or decreased immunity, infections and weigh gain.(1-5,8)
As with diabetes, metformin has been shown to cause a reduction in appetite, weight, and the body's total fat content. In associated heart disease conditions, there is plaque build-up that lines the arteries. This build-up of plaque can lead to atherosclerosis.(8) Metformin reduces or lowers the chances of developing atherosclerosis and reduces the rate of pro-aging cross linkages of collagen, which plays a role in the scar tissue build-up that cccurs during wound healing.(4)
Metformin has been shown to reduce the amount of supplemental insulin needed by type II diabetics who become insulin-dependent. They are able to take a lower insulin dose in conjunction with metformin without the risk of becoming hypoglycemic. For 40 years metformin has been used to control blood glucose levels in patients with type II diabetes. Physicians are recommending it to patients who are predisposed to diabetes for the prevention of developing the disease.(8)
With the cluster of cardiovascular problems associated with hyperinsulinemia, metformin has proven effective in lowering total cholesterol, low density lipids, free fatty acids, tissue plasminogen activator antigen and insulin levels when patients present with symptoms of hypertension dyslipidemia, visceral obesity or hyperglycemia. Metformin prevents the acceleration of atherosclerosis and reduces the rate of pro-aging cross linking of collagen. The microvascular complications of hyperinsulinemia are improved by metformin due to the arterial clearance in small blood vessels of the eyes, kidneys and nerves.
There are other positive effects associated with metformin: decreased tumor growth and improved cellular immunity in individuals who are prone to chronic infections associated high blood sugar levels. In non diabetics, metformin reduced low density lipid, total cholesterol, free fatty acids, tissue plasminogen activator antigen, blood pressure and fasting triglyceride levels.(1-5,8)
Women suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome have been treated with metformin. Benefits include: lipid lowering effects, reduction in systolic blood pressure, hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance syndrome. Metformin has also been shown to aid in normal menstrual regulation and pregnancy.(10,11)
In conclusion, the scientific research points to metformin's multiple uses, with few drawbacks. Accordingly, the drug's numerous side benefits associated with the treatment and prevention of diabetes, as well as other disorders, appear to outweigh its limited side effects.
http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2001/sep2001_report_metformin_01.html-
Re: Metformin slows growth of tumors... Tony Isaacs
17 y
3,652
MoreThis is a reply to # 942,987I could do without the owning stock type comments.
Thus the LOL - indicating that I was joshing you. No offense meant, though I will fess up to poking a little barb in there.
As I said, I would state my piece and stop. And so I am. You are right, this is not a debate forum per se - but members who disagree with a posted news item, study, report or opinion may state their reasons for disagreement. In fact, I think we are obligated to do so if we strongly believe that remaining silent might cause harm or if our comments might prevent harm or help suffering.
DQ
- Re: Metformin slows growth of tumors... Aharleygyrl
17 y
3,680
This is a reply to # 943,165
True, but they were asking me a question about their father's dosage is why I just thought it was an odd interjection. But, by all means, do it if you feel so compelled. Let's hope for your sake that her father quits Metformin. On my end, I hope he takes it for life and reaps all the benefits.
- Re: Metformin slows growth of tumors... awebaby
17 y
3,567
This is a reply to # 943,165
I agree with you DQ
I'm gonna keep posting this video so people can get get another viewpoint - this is so inspiring and also fantastic news.
Please pass it on so people can get off these drugs and start living again!
awebaby
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpTWNrVFoVE&NR=1
- Re: Metformin slows growth of tumors... Aharleygyrl
17 y
3,680
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- Re: Metformin slows growth of tumors... spinetrooper
17 y
3,773
