This web site includes an abundance of research and detailed information on PCOS, its causes, effects, and what you can do to improve your health - naturally. In order to provide you easy choices in learning about PCOS and Metformin we've provided "a Short Version" with the key information. For those of you who wish to read more in depth detail please read "The Whole Story" below.

We have also included four boxes (links) that provide a pathway to easily navigate a few key pages on this site. Please choose whichever path is most useful to you.

OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU

Before you read the Short and/or Long Version on PCOS and Metformin, please know we are committed help you every step of the way in your quest to reverse your PCOS and its related symptoms.

"The Short Version"

Metformin (Glucophage) is a pharmaceutical drug that was originally developed to treat elevated blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes. It is now commonly prescribed for women with PCOS.

Potential side effects include:

• Many women prescribed Metformin must discontinue its use due to the gastrointestinal side effects such as diarrhea, gas and bloating, abdominal discomfort, nausea, and vomiting
• Inhibiting of Vitamin B12 absorption - potentially lead to anemia
• Increased levels of amino acids found in the blood, which is a risk factor for atherosclerosis
• The contraindications in using Metformin include liver failure, alcoholism, compromised renal function, hypoxic conditions and moderate to severe infections.

There is a safe, effective alternative to using Metformin.

Click below to learn about Insulite's PCOS System

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"The Whole Story"

Metformin (Glucophage) is a pharmaceutical drug often prescribed for women with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome). It is an insulin-sensitizing biguanide commonly used to treat elevated blood glucose levels in people with Type 2 Diabetes and often employed as an off-label prescription for PCOS. This means that it was originally used only for individuals with Type 2 Diabetes but is now prescribed for PCOS patients because it has similar actions in both groups.

If you have PCOS, you may be insulin resistant. With this condition, the ability of your cells to respond to the action of insulin in transporting glucose (sugar) from the blood stream into muscle and tissue is greatly diminished. Metformin improves the cell's response to insulin, and helps move glucose into the cell. As a result, your body will not be required to make as much insulin (1).

PCOS and Metformin Studies

PCOS and it's symptoms of hyperandrogenism (acne, hirsutism, alopecia), reproductive disorders (irregular menses, anovulation, infertility, polycystic ovaries), and metabolic disturbances (weight gain) have been linked to hyperinsulinemia and Insulin Resistance (2). Therefore, it makes sense for you to address the hyperinsulinemia and Insulin Resistance caused by this condition.

Studies have reported the treatment of Metformin to improve hirsutism, induce ovulation and normalize menstrual cycles (1). For example, according to one study, which looked at 39 women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and hyperinsulinemia (excess insulin in the blood), treatment with Metformin for women with PCOS resulted in a decline of insulin as well as total and free testosterone, leading to significant improvement of clinical manifestations of Hyperandrogenism (the excessive production of androgens in women) and an improvement in menstrual cycles (3). However, studies have also shown weight loss through exercise and changes in diet and lifestyle alone to be as effective in regulating menstrual cycles and showing improvement in hyperandrogenism (4, 5).

Metformin - Side Effects

Many women prescribed Metformin must discontinue its use due to the gastrointestinal side effects. The most commonly reported adverse effects you may experience include diarrhea, gas and bloating, abdominal discomfort, nausea, and vomiting (1, 6). Another consideration of Metformin therapy is its effect on B12 absorption. Ten - 30% of people receiving long term Metformin therapy develop B12 malabsorption, which could potentially lead to anemia.

It has also been shown that treatment with Metformin may increase your homocysteine levels (amino acids found in the blood), which is a risk factor for atherosclerosis or fatty deposits in blood vessels (7).

The contraindications in using Metformin include liver failure, alcoholism, compromised renal function, hypoxic conditions and moderate to severe infections. These conditions predispose you to having lactic acidosis, which is a life-threatening complication and carries a mortality rate of 30% - 50% (1).

A Complete System for Reversing Your PCOS

Insulite Laboratories' view on the pharmaceutical treatment of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome - including Metformin - is that there is no one drug on the market that will change your condition. The only way to reverse the disorder is to reduce elevations in insulin which directly affect your testosterone and other hormonal changes that are responsible for causing PCOS. Metformin can impact weight loss, infertility, acne and other PCOS-related symptoms however, the results are variable. There are also many negative side effects with the treatment of Metformin that can impact your health.

To address the cause of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and Insulin Resistance, the Insulite PCOS System has several elements. The PCOS + formula is designed to reduce circulating testosterone, increase sex hormone binding globulin and support your liver function and hormone metabolism. The other elements are designed to reduce your insulin secretion, reverse damage to the cardiovascular system due to imbalances in glucose and insulin and prevent insulin and glucose spiking during mealtimes. Nutritional and exercise guidelines are provided along with a support network to enhance your weight loss success as this is a critical step in reversing Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.

The Insulite PCOS System has been designed specifically for women like you with PCOS. Because the genesis of most ovarian cysts is affected by insulin, the Insulite PCOS System is an important strategy for reducing not only the condition but also Insulin Resistant, a root cause of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.

• Can I take glucophage (Metformin) while using the Insulite PCOS System?
  
• Do I need a prescription for the Insulite PCOS System?
  

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(1) Metformin: an update - Kirpichnikov D, McFarlane SI, Sowers JR.
Ann Intern Med. 2002 Jul 2;137(1):25-33. Review.

(2) Metformin treatment of PCOS during adolescence and the reproductive period - La Marca A, Artensio AC, Stabile G, Volpe A.
Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2005 Jul 1;121(1):3-7

(3) ) Metformin therapy decreases hyperandrogenism and hyperinsulinemia in women with polycystic ovary syndrome
- Kolodziejczyk B, Duleba AJ, Spaczynski RZ, Pawelczyk L., Fertil Steril. 2000 Jun;73(6):1149-54 .

(4) Combined lifestyle modification and metformin in obese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.
A randomized, placebo- controlled, double-blind multicentre study - Tang T, Glanville J, Hayden CJ, White D, Barth JH, Balen AH., Hum Reprod. 2005 Sep 30

(5) Should patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome be treated with metformin? A note of cautious optimism
- Homburg R., Hum Reprod. 2002 Apr;17(4):853-6. Review

(6) Metformin in polycystic ovary syndrome: systematic review and meta-analysis
- Lord JM, Flight IH, Norman RJ., BMJ. 2003 Oct 25;327(7421):951-3. Review

(7) Homocysteine and steroids levels in metformin treated women with polycystic ovary syndrome
- Vrbikova J, Bicikova M, Tallova J, Hill M, Starka L., Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes. 2002 Apr;110(2):74-6