Will Metformin Hurt Our Kidneys
2014-01-19 01:43
Will metformin hurt our kidneys? This is a common question for diabetes patients. As we know, diabetes is one of the most common leading causes of kidney disease, the long-term uncontrolled high blood sugar will cause finally cause kidney disease. Metforimin is a common and effective western medicine for type 2 diabetes which can help control the high blood pressure, but some patients may be confused whether metformin will hurt kidneys or not.
Recently, a research shows that metformin will not cause kidney damage for people with normal kidney function, in turn it can help protect the kidneys. The metformin has the function of protecting kidneys by the increased levels of a molescule known as AMPK (AMP Kinase). The research concerned an adipokine, a hormone produced by fat cells, which is called adiponectin. Different from other substances produced by fat cells, adiponectin is good for people, which can help suppress inflammations and reduce the amount of protein in urine. Besides, the adiponectin can activate AMPD, and when the AMPD is stimulated, the kidney will stop leaking protein. In this aspect, we can find that metformin can help protect the kidney function for people who have healthy kidneys.
However, for kidney disease patients, metformin may cause further kidney damage. Because metformin is excreted through kidneys, the damage kidney function cant discharge the wastes promptly, which will cause the metformin build up in kidneys. When the metformin in blood reaches a dangerous level, it will cause lactic acidosis, which is a dangerous condition with a high mortality rate. So kidney disease patients with diabetes should eat metformin following the advices of their doctors.
Besides, metformin can also cause side effects, such as gastrointestinal distress, which will affect people’s appetite. Patients can take metformin with meals, besides they can also take yogurt and milk thistle which can also remit their GI symptoms.
From the above, we can know that metformin can help protect the kidneys for healthy people, and it will cause damage to kidney disease patients. Therefore, people should take this medicine depending on the advices of their doctors, and don’t take metformin to try to protect your kidneys if you don’t have type 2 diabetes.
- Tag: Medicine
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