Side Effects of Metformin as a Life-Extension Drug

As a mild mitochondrial poison, metformin carries a variety of downsides. Taking it may have about a 1-in-67,000 chance of killing you every year.

This is the fourth video in a five-part series. If you missed any so far, see:
• Naturally Boosting AMPK with Caloric Restriction for Life Extension ( )
• Naturally Boosting AMPK with Exercise for Life Extension ( )
• Does Metformin Work as a Life-Extension Drug? ( )

And stay tuned for The TAME Trial: Targeting Aging with Metformin ( ).

AMPK is one of the anti-aging pathways I highlight in my longevity book, How Not to Age ( ), available in print, e-book, and audio. (All proceeds I receive from the book are donated directly to charity.)

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Thanks for watching. I hope you’ll join in the evidence-based nutrition revolution!
-Michael Greger, MD FACLM

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Leroy Johnson
 

  • @davidjohn3533 says:

    Why does this video leave on a cliffhanger stating “which I’ll explore next” with then no way to find that “next” video – even this one is unlisted, meaning I can’t even look at all the channel’s uploads to see the next one in the sequence. This is incredibly frustrating.

    • @user-ds3tk1dc9p says:

      When you have the book, all the videos from that particular series are named in the same paragraph about metformin, which makes them easy to find.

    • @tahall5646 says:

      @@davidjohn3533 Be patient. He doesn’t upload all his videos at once.

    • @alfonso365 says:

      Why do people write negative comments without reading the description first?

    • @ballroomdru says:

      @@davidjohn3533 The description says this is the 4th video in a 5 part series. If you subscribe to the channel, the next video will probably be available at the same time tomorrow/ the day after this video was released.

    • @hctim96 says:

      If you subscribe to the channel……………….no worries mate…

  • @andrewjackson5704 says:

    Thankyou Very interesting and spot on with all the facts.Been on metformin since 2007 since my 30s.
    Cut my appetite drastically lost 25 kg and I’m not tall.
    Have in fact become. less diabetic over time on it.
    Looking forward to more facts on metformin

  • @NutritionFactsOrg says:

    AMPK is one of the anti-aging pathways I highlight in my longevity book, How Not to Age https://nutritionfacts.org/book/how-not-to-age/, available in print, e-book, and audio. (All proceeds I receive from the book are donated directly to charity.)

  • @1101naomi says:

    If it works against building muscle how does it affect the heart which is a muscle?

  • @Scottlp2 says:

    Berberine.

  • @badddkattt says:

    I wonder if a pause in use would allow muscle buildup; and if the mass would be maintained after resumption.

  • @hctim96 says:

    I’m curious if berberine has the same effect?

  • @michelem226 says:

    I took metformin for longevity for 3-4 years. I stopped taking it several months ago. I think it might have been lowering my testosterone (as a woman) and reducing my libido. It makes sense to me, because it’s a treatment for PCOS and those women have testosterone that is too high.

  • @koontroll3364 says:

    almost 60, i take metformin and i build muscles

  • @nicholas2275 says:

    I started on metformin at 32 when I found out I was diabetic, At 50 I keep getting told I look 35 🙂
    at 31 I felt 60, fixing my blood sugar made me feel 16. I never really exercised but 40 to 50 I walked a lot with my dogs
    Part of not exercising I always lost energy quickly since taking metformin, bicycling and climbing stairs even more so.
    Was a bit overweight but still walk faster than most thanks to my dogs.
    Too much metformin cramped my hands, but junomet solved that.
    Next with ozempic my doc plans on reducing metformin. I have lost 10 lbs on 0.50 weekly doses.
    Listening to this video explained lots, but maybe, just maybe I am just plain lazy lol

  • @karenseale9372 says:

    Informative. Thank you.

  • @rnp5157 says:

    Low voice.

  • @nazokashii says:

    Thank you so much <3

  • @dudleyhardial2273 says:

    I am dubious about the study that found people taking metformin live longer than healthy people who do not take the drug. How was the study carried out and did the good doctor critically appraise it? And are we confident that it was not biased in favour of the pharmaceutical companies that produce it. I believe that if something sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. Just my two cents worth.

  • @SkepticalCaveman says:

    Berberine is a safer alternative, so Metformin is not worth the risks.

  • @petervafeades4095 says:

    you turn on AMPK through exercise and/or fasting intermittently without affecting complex I in mitochondria – one should keep in mind the reduction in ACM (All Cause Mortality) risk with increases in VO2max that you sacrifice when exercising while taking metformin

  • @Ella.L. says:

    Yeah, definitely take a HIGHLY DOSED (at least 1000 mcg) b12 supplement, if you’re on metformin! I’m on metformin and learned it the hard way: I took my daily b12 supplement until i developed serious health complications – turned out, it wasn’t enough and I was deficient! Metformin is no joke!

  • @meganmanson6488 says:

    My side effects changed. In my 30s I took metformin for PCOS. Side effect was diarrhea . Stopped for almost a decade. Restarted this year. Side effects are heartburn and loss of appetite. Now I usually eat only breakfast and lunch plus take an acid reducer.

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