“I am gaining a lot of weight even when I exercise?”
I am 34 years old and I am on metformin to manage my insulin resistance. However, I am gaining a lot of weight, even though I try to work frequently. Why is this happening? Could it be a side effect of metformin?
5 Answers
Primarily because of food intake, both quantity and quality. It takes a very large amount of sustained aerobic exercise to burn up just one pound of fat. Exercise is still important, because it provides other important benefits. You should consult a dietitian, or physician, to adjust your diet.
You are building muscle as you exercise which reflects your weight gain. You should do more cardiovascular exercises versus weight bearing exercises while trying to lose weight. Stick to a 1200 calorie to 1500 calorie, three meals, two snack regime to lose weight. Do forget to check your thyroid levels.
Richard A. Guthrie
Endocrinology-Diabetes
I doubt that this is the effect of the metformin. This drug usually dulls appetite by leaving a small metallic taste in your mouth. I have used the drug on thousands of patients over the years and have not seen wt. gain. It is considered a "wt. neutral" drug. What else are you taking? Many drugs not necessarily associated with diabetes can cause wt. gain. Check with your doctor about this problem. It is important.
Weight gain with exercise is usually related to eating more calories. However, if your weight gain is due to increase in muscle mass, that is healthy. Metformin in not known to contribute to weight gain.
Joseph Gutman
Endocrinology-Diabetes
No it is not a side effect of Metformin. You should make sure that your thyroid is functioning well, and that your blood levels of Vitamin D are normal. Exercise without diet is not as effective as a combination of both
