What is metformin?

Metformin is a prescription medication that has been shown to promote weight loss. How it works remains unclear. Medical researchers have suggested that there are a few ways that metformin might impact weight. One is that the medication can reduce your appetite. This is because metformin increases the body’s sensitivity to hormones such as insulin and leptin. Leptin is in charge of telling your body when it is full and should stop eating, so increased sensitivity to this hormone can result in you feeling less hungry. It is a daily tablet that will be monitored and adjusted over time.

Additionally, research suggests that metformin may increase secretion of the GLP-1 hormone, which suppresses appetite and can cause weight loss. In fact, a GLP-1 receptor agonist medication that targets this hormone specifically, semaglutide (Wegovy®), is currently FDA approved to treat obesity as well as type 2 diabetes. 

Metformin may also reduce weight by decreasing the amount of visceral fat in the liver and muscle tissue. Visceral fat is stored within the abdominal cavity, which contains several internal organs, including the liver, stomach, and intestines. It can also build up in muscles including the heart muscle. Visceral fat is considered more dangerous than subcutaneous fat because it is associated with an increased risk of various health conditions, such as heart disease.

You can read the complete medication guide on our website.