“Metformin 500 mg: Complete Guide to Uses, Dosage & Side Effects”
✅ What Is Metformin 500 mg?
Metformin 500 mg is an oral prescription medication used primarily for the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. It is the lowest available standard dose of Metformin and is often used as a starting dose to minimize side effects and assess tolerance.
✅ Indications & Uses
Metformin 500 mg is commonly prescribed for:
| Condition | Purpose |
| Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus | First-line treatment to control blood glucose |
| Prediabetes | To delay or prevent progression to Type 2 diabetes |
| Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) | Off-label use to improve insulin sensitivity and ovulation |
| Metabolic Syndrome | Reduce insulin resistance and improve lipid profile |
| Weight Loss (Off-label) | May aid in modest weight loss in insulin-resistant individuals |
✅ How Metformin Works (Mechanism of Action)
Metformin 500 mg helps lower blood glucose through:
- Decreasing liver glucose production
- Increasing insulin sensitivity in muscle and fat
- Decreasing intestinal absorption of glucose
💡 Unlike insulin or sulfonylureas, metformin does not cause hypoglycemia when used alone.
✅ Dosage and Administration
🔹 Typical Adult Dosage:
| Use | Dose |
| Initial Dose | 500 mg once or twice daily with meals |
| Maintenance Dose | 1500–2000 mg daily (divided doses) |
| Maximum Dose | Up to 2550 mg/day (IR) or 2000 mg/day (ER) |
- Extended-release (XR): Often taken once daily in the evening with food
- Immediate-release (IR): Taken once or twice daily with meals
Dose increases are typically made in 500 mg increments every 1–2 weeks to reduce GI side effects.
✅ Benefits of Metformin 500 mg
- Improves blood sugar control
- Weight-neutral or promotes modest weight loss
- Lowers insulin resistance
- Reduces cardiovascular risks
- Helps restore ovulation in PCOS patients
- Low cost and widely available
✅ Side Effects
🔹 Common Side Effects:
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Metallic taste
- Bloating or gas
These often resolve with continued use or dose adjustment.
🔹 Serious Side Effect (Rare):
- Lactic Acidosis: A rare but life-threatening condition more likely in patients with:
- Kidney or liver impairment
- Dehydration
- Excessive alcohol intake
- Heart failure or severe infections
Signs include: rapid breathing, muscle cramps, fatigue, and stomach pain. Seek medical attention immediately.
✅ Contraindications
Do not use Metformin 500 mg if the patient has:
- Severe kidney impairment (eGFR < 30 mL/min/1.73m²)
- Acute or chronic metabolic acidosis
- Unstable heart failure
- Liver disease
- Severe dehydration
- Recent use of contrast dye (pause Metformin temporarily)
✅ Drug Interactions
| Drug/Class | Effect |
| Alcohol | Increases risk of lactic acidosis |
| Contrast dyes | Can impair kidney function—pause Metformin |
| Cimetidine | May raise metformin levels |
| Other diabetes medications | May increase hypoglycemia risk |
| Diuretics and ACE inhibitors | May affect kidney function and metformin levels |
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