Metformin use should not be abandoned in those with Chronic Kidney Disease. Most paranoia about Metformin is based on its predecessor, Phenformin, which was discontinued in the U.S. in 1978, due to excess deaths due to lactic acidosis. Although Metformin, like Phenformin, is a biguanide, it is much safer, and rarely causes lactic acidosis. If one has CKD–even Stage IV–Metformin can be safely used if the dose is reduced (500-1,000 mg/day) and its effects and side effects are monitored.
“…rarely causes lactic acidosis.” Not good enough for me. I had a renal function panel just the other day. My GFR is 38, a pretty good number, but my CO2, a measure of lactic acid in the blood, was out of range at 17. Copyrighted in 2014, the time of the big rethink, the paper recognizes that metformin comes in toxic doses, and that the risks and rewards are probably higher for CKD Stages 4 and 5. I’m sitting nicely at 3b. I’ll get better results if I cut down on the beer and pizza, maybe once a month instead of twice.
People who are interested in Acarbose may also be interested in this new product out from a company co-founded by Robert Lustig of UCSF.
It seems to have many of the same properties (in terms of limiting increase in post prandial blood glucose) but without any gastro issues. And, its not a pharmaceutical/drug, but a supplement.
I’m always surprised when companies provide product comparisons that are convincing for competing products. See image from https://www.monchmonch.shop/ website. I think I’ll first give Metamucil (or just psyllium husk fiber) a go for $7/month instead of $150/month. What am I missing?
I have 20 gm psyllium husk every morning. The main plus is that it should turn into SCFA which helps build the barrier between bad guys in the gut and your bloodstream. Reduce microbial burden.
Metamucil is just psyllium husk plus some sweetener. The active ingredient is psyllium.
Yerba Prima is my go-to for psyllium. Since lead contamination is a known risk for psyllium products, YP have passed consumerlab.com tests every year. BTW make sure you know the difference between whole psyllium husk and husk powder (they sell both). The powder is 3 times more concentrated.
That being said, I don’t know how psyllium is relevant to acarbose. It certainly doesn’t block carbohydrate absorption.
Pendulum helps to structurally remodel the gut microbiome, so hopefully is a bit more long term / getting us to a new level (perhaps with lower intermittent maintenance doses), vs the Monch Monch seems to be more of a continuous everyday for as long as you want the results thing
The Microbiota Vault initiative is rather of the opinion that much of the useful microbiota isn’t to be found in the urban world, no matter what one eats.
From what I have read, diet is a more effective way to change the gut biome.
“our findings strongly suggest that correct dietetic approaches, even in the short term, may be effective in adjusting unbalanced gut microbiota profiles towards more favorable configurations, instrumental to maintaining health.”
“despite a number of animal studies showing how probiotic bacteria can alleviate diseases ranging from autism to osteoporosis, translation of these findings into human clinical trials that has efficacy has been slow to emerge”
“Intestinal lining samples taken 3 weeks into the intervention showed that the participants given probiotics fell into 2 camps: “permissive” or “resistant.” The permissive volunteers had a significant increase in probiotic strains in their intestinal lining, whereas the resistant volunteers’ guts weren’t significantly colonized”
I have never felt any benefits from taking probiotics. The only thing I noticed was increased gassiness when taking some of them. So, I think that I am in the “resistant” camp.
This may be the reason that the studies are so mixed. I didn’t know that there was a “resistant” camp.