Metformin and athletic performance

[sydneyanaconda]

Hi all, I've been diagnosed as being insulin resistant and have been prescribed metformin to help regulate my blood sugar and all the hormonal stuff that goes along with it.

I am otherwise a healthy, athletic invididual and box and play basketball pretty seriously. For a female, I am pretty muscular and favour power sports as opposed to endurance stuff.

If the pills work, I should have reduced testosterone running around my body so I wouldn't be surprised if i lose some muscle mass. Any other ideas how the pills will effect my performance? Better endurance with better blood sugar control? Better or reduced anaerobic capacity?

I've had a look around the Internet and there's lots of info on this drug helping people lose fat but not much info on what it would do to a sporty person.

[ETFnerd]

Hey, how did your boxing match go? Welcome back.

Sorry, I don't know anything about the question you posted.

[wildross]

find m00se, our resident MD..

[sydneyanaconda]

Hey! Thanks for remembering!

My match didn't go ahead, my opponent got injured. I'm going to hopefully schedule one for the new year.

[js290]

Hi all, I've been diagnosed as being insulin resistant and have been prescribed metformin to help regulate my blood sugar and all the hormonal stuff that goes along with it.

I am otherwise a healthy, athletic invididual and box and play basketball pretty seriously. For a female, I am pretty muscular and favour power sports as opposed to endurance stuff.

If the pills work, I should have reduced testosterone running around my body so I wouldn't be surprised if i lose some muscle mass. Any other ideas how the pills will effect my performance? Better endurance with better blood sugar control? Better or reduced anaerobic capacity?

I've had a look around the Internet and there's lots of info on this drug helping people lose fat but not much info on what it would do to a sporty person.

Doesn't metformin simply prevent the liver from producing glucose? But, isn't the job of the liver to produce glucose for the brain? Since being insulin resistant makes blood glucose even more toxic, wouldn't it be easier to simply limit the foods that easily turn into glucose in the blood? And, the benefit of being more muscular is insulin sensitivity. So, it doesn't make sense to me why one would take a drug that prevents the liver from doing its thing and has the potential side effect of reducing your musculature which can help with the problem that metformin is suppose to help. The reasoning seems a bit circular.

http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/content/1/1/2

http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/14045524.php

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-many-calories-does-muscle-really-burn-and-why-its-not-about-calories-anyway/

http-~~-//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToGt_GYCUmY

[sydneyanaconda]

Yes it inhibits glucose production in the liver but also reduces glucose uptake into the bloodstream and makes insulin receptor cells more sensitive.

The extra androgens good for muscle growth but overall not a good thing for a female and can cause some serious complications.

['Roos]

Hello! I'm also on metformin (have been for... yods) and this is what I've noticed:

1) when I'm good and take it regularly, my appetite is for better foods, and I'm not as hungry ALL THE TIME. So that improves my performance

2) No noticeable change in muscle building related testosterone effect. I've always put on muscle embarrassingly easy and on or off this continues to be the case.

You're also very right about the insulin receptors, which I think is the main mode of action. Can I get to feeling OK by eating just 'good stuff'? Yeah. But I get there easier and with less hunger-based anguish with the metformin.

One note - HAVE IT WITH FOOD. It says on the bottle, but I'm the type that's like, "That's just a suggestion." I really messed myself up one morning by having it with just a piece of dry toast, and went to the stable... NOT AN AWESOME MORNING. Have some good protein or fat with it and it's fine, though.