Publication Date: 10/28/2004
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Remember that the information presented here is not intended to replace the care of your own doctor. Before making any changes in the management of your own illness, you should consult your physician or other qualified medical professionals.
Question
Can Glucophage cause muscle loss when taken for several years? If not, what would cause a someone who has diabetes and is only on pills (not insulin) to lose muscle mass?Answer
The aging process and/or lack of regular exercise are two factors I can think of (not related to metformin). I have never heard of this as a side-effect of longterm metformin, though!There are some situations where people with diabetes could experience muscle loss (called diabetic amyotrophy). To check this out, you should have an evaluation by a neurologist.
Since more than 90% of people with diabetes have high cholesterol and since most of them are taking a statin drug, it is the statin that I would suspect, if you are taking one.
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