How should the onset of type 2 diabetes be treated?

Metformin is the most commonly prescribed medication to treat diabetes. In this video, endocrinologist Jack Merendino, MD, explains why it's so popular.

Transcript

00:00

There's some consensus about the way you should treat diabetes at the very outset. [EASY LISTENING MUSIC]

00:15

Everybody would agree that changing a person's diet and exercise so that they're living a healthy lifestyle

00:21

is a critical element.

00:32

Many doctors, and in fact, the American Diabetes Association tend to feel that early on, people should be placed on metformin, which

00:39

is the most commonly prescribed first-line drug for diabetes.

00:53

And I think the reason that metformin is frequently recommended early on is that it's been around for decades, so we know that it's safe.

01:01

It has very few side effects in most people that are serious. A lot of people tend to get bloating gas or diarrhea, but that will go away if you stop the drug.

01:13

And actually n experimental studies with animals, it tends to enhance the longevity of the animals,

01:19

and may prevent certain cancers. And in fact, clinical trials are ongoing at present to see about cancer prevention with the drug.