Glucophage, a brand name product containing the drug metformin, helps people with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes use insulin more effectively. Glucophage suppresses blood sugar production in the liver and improves the body's response to insulin, the substance that controls how much sugar is in the blood, according to the National Library of Medicine. In addition to using the drug to treat diabetes, doctors prescribe Glucophage to women with polycystic ovary syndrome, an endocrine disorder linked to infertility, obesity and insulin resistance.
Step 1
Eat a low-calorie diet of low glycemic index foods. Ninety percent of obese, nondiabetic women who took metformin and ate a low-calorie diet that contained limited carbohydrates lost at least 10 percent of body weight and 90 percent kept it off for a year, according to a 2003 study by researchers at New York Medical College and published in the journal Heart Disease. Taking Glucophage may decrease your appetite and reduce the likelihood that you'll overeat, both factors that contribute to weight loss. If you take Glucophage because you have insulin resistance associated with polycystic ovary disease, reduce your calorie intake to 1,800 to 2,000 calories per day to lose weight, the InterNational Council on Infertility Information Dissemination, recommends. Choose low glycemic index foods such as low-fat dairy products, apples, berries, nuts, beans, vegetables, whole-grain cereals, fish, chicken and beef.
Step 2
Exercise at least 2.5 hours weekly. People who take Glucophage or insulin often have difficulty minimizing weight gain. According to the Mayo Clinic, regular exercise is necessary to lose weight while taking diabetes medications. Physical activity lowers your blood sugar level, burns more calories and improves the likelihood you'll drop pounds. Talk to your diabetes doctor before attempting an exercise program; he or she may recommend you test your blood sugar levels or take your Glucophage at a different time than usual because both physical activity and Glucophage lower blood sugar levels. For people with diabetes, blood sugar levels that are too low can cause dangerous, life-threatening symptoms.
Step 3
Ask your doctor about taking exenatide. Exenatide, also known by its brand name Byetta, increases the amount of insulin the body secretes and lowers blood glucose levels. According to the American Diabetes Association, taking exenatide produces modest weight loss in people with type 2 diabetes who can't achieve good blood sugar control with Glucophage alone. Exenatide injections, administered at meals, often cause nausea, which may contribute to reduced appetite and weight loss.
References
- National Library of Medicine: Metformin
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: InterNational Council on Infertility Information Dissemination, Inc.
- Heart Disease; Long-term (2-4 year) weight reduction with metformin plus carbohydrate-modified diet in euglycemic, hyperinsulinemic, midlife women (Syndrome W); Mogul HR et al.; November 2003
- University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics: Glycemic Index
- Mayo Clinic: Insulin and Weight Gain: Keep the Pounds Off
