Another Study Shows Metformin Effective in Helping Minimize Weight Gain when Using Antipsychotic Medications
There is good news for people fighting weight gain due to antipsychotic medications. In the past year studies have come out that indicate that the common medication side effects of increased weight gain can be minimized or eliminated by good lifestyle and nutritional programs, as well as by use of the diabetes medication called "Metformin".
This week another study published in the American Journal of psychiatry demonstrated that Metformin helps to halt the weight gain that is common when people are on the antipsychotic medications like Zyprexa.
In the study, 40 patients started the study and 37 completed treatments.
Additionally, in the study:
The weight, body mass index, waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio levels increased less in the olanzapine plus metformin group relative to the olanzapine plus placebo group during the 12-week follow-up period. The olanzapine (Zyprexa) with placebo group increased their weight by more than 7% (over 10lbs for a 150 lb person).
The insulin and insulin resistance index values of the olanzapine plus placebo group increased significantly. In contrast, the insulin and insulin resistance index levels of the olanzapine plus metformin group remained unchanged.
Metformin was tolerated well by all patients.
Metformin was effective and safe in attenuating olanzapine-induced weight gain and insulin resistance in drug-naive first-episode schizophrenia patients. Patients displayed good adherence to this type of preventive intervention."
Read the scientific study summary: Metformin Addition Attenuates Olanzapine-Induced Weight Gain in Drug-Naive First-Episode Schizophrenia Patients: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study
Related Reading:
New Program Demonstrates Weight gain Induced by Antipsychotic Medications can be Avoided
New Study Shows how to Reverse Weight Gain Common with Antipsychotic Medications
Posted by szadmin at March 7, 2008 11:42 AM
More Information on
Schizophrenia Med Side-effects
Yes this does sound like good news but then again I must question why always depend on medication to do something a person can do on there own. Please forgive me but I feel I have shown through exercise and diet one can lose the excess weight some medicines cause. In the past two and one half years I have lost over 55-60 pounds and I have done this through exercise and healthy eating. I want to show others that while I take 600 miligrams of Seroquel at bedtime I have gone from a size 16 to a size 8. I am a 48 year old female who stands five feet five inches tall.
Posted by: Janet Kuhn at March 7, 2008 12:22 PM
Regarding weight gain and exercise, maybe someday the hospitals could do experiments with depressed patients to see if they can exercise them out of a depression. Exercise is good for schizophrenics, too, although I'm not sure it's possible to take on schizophrenia with exercise alone.
Posted by: ZyprexaCop at March 9, 2008 10:28 AM
My psychiatrist told me not to try Metformin because my blood sugar was normal. He wasn't sure what the medicine would do on me.
Posted by: Robert at March 10, 2008 09:40 AM
I forwarded this information to Cassie's psychiatrist and his reply was that there aren't enough studies to prescribe Metformin for weight loss for those taking psychotropic medication. Cassie's doctor is also concerned of his patients developing ketoacidosis, a very dangerous condition.
Here is what I learned about ketoacidosis from the internet:
Glucose (a type of sugar) is the body's main energy source. But when the body can't use glucose for fuel - like when a person has untreated diabetes - the body breaks down fat for energy instead. When fat is broken down, the body produces chemicals called ketones, which appear in the blood and urine. High levels of ketones cause the blood to become more acidic. This is known as ketoacidosis (it's called diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA, when uncontrolled diabetes is the cause).
Ketoacidosis is a severe life-threatening condition requiring immediate treatment. Symptoms of ketoacidosis include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, rapid breathing, and, in severe cases, unconsciousness.
Posted by: yaya at March 10, 2008 12:20 PM
Yaya,
Interesting - but I wonder how common this problem you mention is - is it 1 in 100, 1 in 1,000 or 1 in 10,000 people?
The Government's Medline reference only identifies Lactic acidosis as a risk, and even then - only rarely:
See this link:
Medline Entry on Metformin
Does anyone know how common Ketoacidosis or Lactic acidosis is with Metformin use? this would seem to be the key question that people should ask their doctors.
Posted by: SzAdmin at April 6, 2008 09:38 AM
Interesting reading. Does anyone know if this medicine is available in the u.k.?
Posted by: sheila at April 20, 2008 04:22 AM
Early
Schizophrenia Screening Test
Yes this does sound like good news but then again I must question why always depend on medication to do something a person can do on there own. Please forgive me but I feel I have shown through exercise and diet one can lose the excess weight some medicines cause. In the past two and one half years I have lost over 55-60 pounds and I have done this through exercise and healthy eating. I want to show others that while I take 600 miligrams of Seroquel at bedtime I have gone from a size 16 to a size 8. I am a 48 year old female who stands five feet five inches tall.
Posted by: Janet Kuhn at March 7, 2008 12:22 PM
Regarding weight gain and exercise, maybe someday the hospitals could do experiments with depressed patients to see if they can exercise them out of a depression. Exercise is good for schizophrenics, too, although I'm not sure it's possible to take on schizophrenia with exercise alone.
Posted by: ZyprexaCop at March 9, 2008 10:28 AM
My psychiatrist told me not to try Metformin because my blood sugar was normal. He wasn't sure what the medicine would do on me.
Posted by: Robert at March 10, 2008 09:40 AM
I forwarded this information to Cassie's psychiatrist and his reply was that there aren't enough studies to prescribe Metformin for weight loss for those taking psychotropic medication. Cassie's doctor is also concerned of his patients developing ketoacidosis, a very dangerous condition.
Here is what I learned about ketoacidosis from the internet:
Glucose (a type of sugar) is the body's main energy source. But when the body can't use glucose for fuel - like when a person has untreated diabetes - the body breaks down fat for energy instead. When fat is broken down, the body produces chemicals called ketones, which appear in the blood and urine. High levels of ketones cause the blood to become more acidic. This is known as ketoacidosis (it's called diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA, when uncontrolled diabetes is the cause).
Ketoacidosis is a severe life-threatening condition requiring immediate treatment. Symptoms of ketoacidosis include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, rapid breathing, and, in severe cases, unconsciousness.
Posted by: yaya at March 10, 2008 12:20 PM
Yaya,
Interesting - but I wonder how common this problem you mention is - is it 1 in 100, 1 in 1,000 or 1 in 10,000 people?
The Government's Medline reference only identifies Lactic acidosis as a risk, and even then - only rarely:
See this link:
Medline Entry on Metformin
Does anyone know how common Ketoacidosis or Lactic acidosis is with Metformin use? this would seem to be the key question that people should ask their doctors.
Posted by: SzAdmin at April 6, 2008 09:38 AM
Interesting reading. Does anyone know if this medicine is available in the u.k.?
Posted by: sheila at April 20, 2008 04:22 AM