Any drug you take will have several effects on your body, those which we require are called the therapeutic effects of the drug, and those not desired but still part of the package is called side effects of the drug. So, it is no secret that every drug will have some side-effects, or you can say some undesired effects along with desired or therapeutic effects.
Hence all diabetes medication will also have some common side effects such as troubled breathing, Fatigue, Dark pee, Loose motion, or constipation but this does not mean every medicine has all these side effects. Each medicine has its set of effects and side effects. Let's start with Metformin. I chose metformin because it is the largest-selling drug for diabetes in the world.
Side Effects of Metformin:
Here I will not only tell you its side effects but also tell you the reason how it affects our body. When we take Metformin for diabetes control, it reduces the absorption of glucose in our stomach, and unabsorbed glucose reaches the small and large intestines, the bacteria present there will consume this glucose. When bacteria eat glucose, they produce some gas and acids, which may cause gastric trouble like acidity, gas, stomachache, diarrhea, or constipation. These are the common side effects of Metformin seen among people.
Note: Don’t take medication by yourself for any of the Diseases. you should consult a doctor, or you can take advice from diabexy doctors. To book a consultation you can click on the link.
Another work of Metformin is on the liver. Sometimes you have even noticed that after fasting for 10 -12 hours your sugar level is increased and this happens because the liver converts the protein, and fat into sugar and mixes it in the blood. In Science, we name this process Gluconeogenesis. So, Metformin stops the process of Gluconeogenesis in the Liver. This way metformin helps in controlling blood sugar levels. Now the side effect of this is that It makes a lot of lactic acid in our Liver and that becomes the main reason for pain in our body, Laziness, and Gastric disturbance and that also becomes the reason for distraction during working hours.
There are also chances, where metformin affects the male and female body differently and it is seen in some cases as well.
Metformin side effects in men:
In some cases, it is found that Metformin may cause erectile dysfunction in diabetes patients. A few years back a trial study found that metformin may reduce the testosterone level and sex drive, which in turn may cause erectile dysfunction.
Metformin side effects in females:
Metformin may also have some uncommon side effects in the female body; falling sick easily, having headaches, and may have trouble in their Menstruation cycle (periods) as well. These side effects are more likely to occur during 1st few weeks of taking metformin.
Conclusion: Overall, the common side effects of metformin are:
- Body pain
- Gastric Disturbance
- Loose motion
- Constipation
- laziness
Common Side Effects of Sulfonylureas:
There is another medicine in the market that is used by diabetic people known as Sulfonylureas. Before we start to move to its side effects let’s have a look at its overview.
In the 1920s when scientists were searching for antibiotics for Malaria, they developed a drug called Sulfa drug it has sulfonamide components and when they tested it on people, they noticed that it decreased their blood sugar levels. Now scientists have started using this medicine for diabetes. The first drug was called “Tolbutamide.” This medicine decreases the blood sugar level by increasing the release of insulin from the pancreas.
All medicines in this category will have “ide” at the end of their names like Glimepiride, Glibenclamide, and Glipizide Commonly we call these medications Sulfonylureas.
What are the Sulfonylureas’ Side Effects in Diabetes?
Let’s understand the side effects of sulfonylureas in diabetes. When we take the drug called Sulfonylurea it keeps stimulating the pancreas to produce more insulin continuously for several hours hence the probability of blood sugar going down drastically after 3-4 hours after a meal is very high. This low blood sugar situation is called hypoglycemia which might be very dangerous.
Another side effect of Sulfonylureas is that it may damage the Pancreas permanently because it keeps stimulating beta cells to work harder which might increase their death rate due to overwork, and once beta cells are dead, they cannot be regenerated. Gradual loss of beta cells will make a person dependent on insulin injection for a lifetime.
People who are consuming this drug for a long period their pancreas might also stop making Insulin, and the Person having Type 2 diabetes would have a higher chance of developing Type 1 diabetes status.
So, it is important to follow strict dietary discipline so that you can ask your doctor to stop or minimize your intake of these medicines.
SGLt2 Inhibitor, Action, and Side-effect:
This is an interesting type of diabetes drug. It helps in expelling the sugar from the blood through urine. SGLt2 drug works on the kidney and reduces the absorption of sugar back into the body hence a lot of sugar is washed away along with urine. Most importantly this medicine does not influence insulin or the pancreas hence it does not cause “Hypoglycemia”.
History of SGLt2 Inhibitors:
In the Early 1930s, Scientists observed that eating the bark of the root of an Apple tree decreases the sugar level of Blood but increases the sugar level of Urine and published it in their Research Paper.
But later on during the 1995s, when Scientists were studying the Theory of the 1930s, they found out that an increase in the sugar level in urine and a decrease in Blood sugar level happened because of the component Philozin available in the bark of the root of an Apple tree. In 2014 Scientists discovered a new drug to reduce blood sugar levels called SGLt2 Inhibitor.
Side Effects of SGLt2 Inhibitors:
When SGLt2 expels sugar through urine there are higher chances that some urine droplets containing sugar will remain on the genitalia. This sugar becomes a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi, causing frequent urinary infections, especially in females. Sometimes the situation becomes worse, and the Person has to go for surgery to get rid of this infection.
The second side effect of this medicine is loss of water through urine which may cause Low BP.
The third side effect of this medicine is If you take this SGLt2 for a long period it might damage your kidneys. That’s why doctors don’t prescribe this medicine to Type 1 diabetes patients.
Conclusion: In Conclusion, I can say that the Side effects of the SGLt2 Inhibitor are as follows
- Fungus
- Low BP
- Kidney damage
