What happens if a normal person takes Metformin

[Lily]

what are the side effects on a person with normal glucose & insulin levels of six months of metformin therapy? i have PCOS but i'm 5'0" & 110 lbs so i'm not overweight or insulin resistant. my doctor prescribed this to me.. just wondering why
i'm 22, female, mild PCOS, family history of type 2 diabetes.. my grandma got it when she was 55.

[Jennifer R]

I would like to expand a bit on the other answer provided. This is a complex topic and I would encourage you to ask follow-up questions to your doctor. It's important for you to understand why a particular course of action has been chosen, so you can also decide whether it's the right one for you. It's also your right to know what is happening with your health and your doctor's responsibility to help you understand.

Side effects of metformin: best to check the patient information leaflet which will be readily found online - type in the search term "metformin patient information". Side effects will not be hugely different for someone with or without Type 2 diabetes so although you will find mostly info for people with diabetes it will give a good idea.

As for "why prescribe metformin for PCOS" -

Short version - Metformin is known to work in Type 2 diabetes partly by improving insulin resistance. It is sometimes prescribed for PCOS because insulin resistance is also known to be a feature of PCOS.

Long version - The body needs insulin, a chemical (a hormone) that is made by the pancreas, to process carbohydrates ("sugars") properly. When insulin doesn't work properly the body is unable to process carbohydrates and this is what is meant by the term "insulin resistance". When insulin resistance becomes more pronounced, Type 2 diabetes develops.

Metformin has been used for many years to treat Type 2 diabetes and although it's not known exactly how it works, one way is by improving insulin resistance.

PCOS is also associated with insulin resistance which is why metformin is sometimes prescribed.

Here's a link to the Australian PCOS association website with a discussion about metformin as a treatment -

http://www.posaa.asn.au/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=78

I hope this hasn't created more confusion and best of luck with the treatment.

[Mitchell]

Don't play with something if you don't need it.