Learn about the side effects of metformin, from common to rare, for consumers and healthcare professionals. Learn how metformin treats type 2 diabetes, including dosage, side effects, warnings, and its off-label use for weight loss and PCOS. Reviewed drug info Learn about side effects, how it's taken, and more of metformin. It's a generic prescription drug that's used to help manage blood sugar levels in adults and some children with type 2 diabetes. Find patient medical information for Metformin (Glucophage, Glumetza, and others) on WebMD including its uses, side effects and safety, interactions, pictures, warnings, and user ratings Metformin doesn’t just manage diabetes—it reshapes copper, iron, and zinc levels in the body, a potential clue to its broad protective effects. Metformin is a common treatment for diabetes. But it can cause digestive problems and other side effects. Learn more about the uses and side effects here. Metformin is used alone or with other medications, including insulin, to treat type 2 diabetes (condition in which the body does not use insulin normally and, therefore, cannot control the amount of sugar in the blood). Metformin is in a class of drugs called biguanides. Metformin helps to control the amount of glucose (sugar) in your blood. It decreases the amount of glucose you absorb from. Metformin should be taken with meals to help reduce stomach or bowel side effects that may occur during the first few weeks of treatment. Swallow the tablet or extended-release tablet whole with a full glass of water. Metformin, sold under the brand name Glucophage, among others, is the main first-line medication for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, [13][14][15][16] particularly in people who are overweight. [14] It is also used in the treatment of polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, [15] and is sometimes used as an off-label adjunct to lessen the risk of metabolic syndrome in people who take. Metformin is a generic drug prescribed to treat high blood sugar levels caused by type 2 diabetes in adults and some children. Metformin comes as a tablet that’s typically taken one to three.