- Drug characteristics
- Mechanism of action
- Usage recommendations
- Indications
- Contraindications
Extra weight has long ceased to be only a cosmetic problem. In any developed country, obesity affects 10-20% of the population. Thus, the number of associated medical issues increases: cardiovascular and endocrine diseases, a rise in the number of deaths from heart attacks and strokes, high disability rate due to chronic diseases.
Traditionally, medicine fights against extra weight with drugs. If obesity is a disease, it should be treated with medication. Siofor, discussed in this article, refers to such an approach to treatment.
Drug characteristics
Siofor, or metformin, the active ingredient, was developed and patented as a hypoglycemic agent (used in endocrinology to treat patients with type 2 diabetes). This disease is associated with body cells losing sensitivity to the regulating effects of insulin and, as a result, losing their ability to absorb glucose from the blood. The vast majority of cases of type 2 diabetes are associated with obesity.
During treatment with Siofor, doctors noticed that diabetic patients also lose weight. Their appetite decreased, and their blood cholesterol levels returned to normal. Therefore, the drug began to be used for weight loss. The professional medical community and the Internet are still debating whether it can be prescribed exclusively for weight loss.
Composition and release form
Siofor is a trade name. The main component is metformin hydrochloride.
The tablets are available in three dosages: 500 mg, 850 mg, and 1000 mg. They are in a shell with a double-sided notch that allows breaking it in half.
Analogues: Bagomet, Glucophage, Gliminfor, Lanzherin, Metfogamma, Formetin, and others (25 names in total).
Consumers often ask the question: what is better for weight loss: Siofor or its analogue Glucophage? The answer is simple: if metformin is indicated for use, its effectiveness will not depend on the brand name.
According to the official instructions, the drug is classified as a hypoglycemic agent from the biguanide group. However, there is data from clinical trials confirming its effectiveness for weight loss.
Mechanism of action
To understand the principle of its operation, it is necessary to understand the principles of carbohydrate metabolism.
Why is glucose needed?
Cells need energy for their work. It is produced in the process of glucose molecule breakdown with the help of oxygen (aerobic glycolysis inside the mitochondria of cells). Glucose enters the body with food (sugar, vegetables and fruits, cereals, starch). In the small intestine, complex carbohydrates break down into simple ones that are absorbed into the bloodstream and carried throughout the body. Glucose can only penetrate the cell membrane with the help of the hormone insulin.
The body has a mechanism of glucose storage. In the liver, part of it is converted into glycogen, which is used when cells begin to experience energy starvation, and carbohydrates do not come with food. When liver glycogen is depleted and carbohydrates are still not enough, the body begins to break down its own fat from fat depots.
Conclusion. Weight loss is possible only with a lack of carbohydrates in the body.
How does metformin work?
The drug affects all areas of carbohydrate metabolism:
- Reduces the absorption of carbohydrates in the intestines.
- Increases the sensitivity of receptors to insulin, as a result of which glucose enters the cells unhindered.
- Slows down the formation of glycogen in the liver (the less glycogen, the faster the breakdown of fat stores begins).
- Accelerates the process of glucose uptake by tissues (this does not occur with insulin deficiency).
- Enhances the process of lipolysis (fat breakdown).
Due to its effect on carbohydrate metabolism, it can reduce the levels of triglycerides and cholesterol in the blood, which is important for people with obesity.
Mechanism of action
The use of Siofor in endocrinology for the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes made it possible to identify the main and additional effects of the drug, which are also important for those seeking to normalize their weight. Let’s list the main ones:
- normalizes this indicator with increased blood glucose;
- reduces body weight;
- reduces appetite;
