Metformin is used together with proper diet and exercise to treat high blood sugar levels caused by type 2 diabetes. This medicine reduces the absorption of sugar from the intestines, reduces the release of stored sugar from the liver, and helps your body use sugar better. Metformin is considered an antihyperglycemic drug because it lowers blood glucose concentrations in type II diabetes without causing hypoglycemia. Metformin's mechanisms of action are unique from other classes of oral antihyperglycemic drugs. Metformin is an oral antihyperglycemic agent that lowers both basal and post-prandial plasma glucose in T2D. In addition to increasing insulin sensitivity, it acts by decreasing hepatic glucose synthesis and intestinal glucose absorption. Metformin is used 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. Metformin is a first-line treatment used for type 2 diabetes in adults and children 10 years and older to help improve blood sugar levels. It is also used off-label to improve symptoms of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and other conditions. The American Diabetes Association and the American College of Physicians both recommend metformin as a first-line agent to treat type 2 diabetes. [35][36][37] It is as effective as repaglinide and more effective than all other oral drugs for type 2 diabetes. Learn about the side effects of metformin, from common to rare, for consumers and healthcare professionals. Metformin is a generic prescription medication used to help manage blood sugar levels in adults and some children with type 2 diabetes. It works by decreasing sugar production in the liver. Overview: Metformin is medicine you take to help keep your blood sugar from getting too high. Common side effects may include stomach problems, such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain. Metformin is a prescription medication used to treat the symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Learn about side effects, dosages, drug interactions, and more.