Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhy Metformin Can Cause DiarrheaWhen Does It Start and How Long Does It Last?Can You Prevent Diarrhea?Other Gut-Related Side EffectsManaging Metformin-Related Diarrhea

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Why Metformin Can Cause Diarrhea

When Does It Start and How Long Does It Last?

Can You Prevent Diarrhea?

Other Gut-Related Side Effects

Managing Metformin-Related Diarrhea

Metforminis a commonly prescribed medication taken to help control blood sugar in adults and children 10 years and older withtype 2 diabetes. It is usually taken along with diet and exercise changes.

Some tips for managing metformin-related diarrhea include taking your doses with meals or opting for its extended-release formulation (which poses a lower risk of causing diarrhea) instead.

Getty Image /Scott Olson/ Staff

A close-up of a bottle of metformin extended-release next to white tablets on the table

Metformin’s prescribing information indicatesdiarrheaas a common side effect. Up to 53% who take metformin will have diarrhea.Up to 46% of people who take metformin will stop taking the medicine due to stomach problems.

Metformin can cause diarrhea due to the following reasons:

In many cases, this side effect will generally go away after your body adjusts to the medication. Taking metformin with food may help settle the stomach. You should tell your healthcare provider if:

You can talk to your healthcare provider about ways to prevent diarrhea from metformin. Some steps that may help include:

Metformin is a first-choice medication for people with type 2 diabetes, often taken alongside lifestyle changes such as diet, exercise, and weight loss, if necessary. It is considered safe, effective at lowering blood sugar, and affordable. Additionally, metformin can reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death, and it may also aid in weight loss.

As a result, taking measures to prevent diarrhea so you can continue to take metformin is advisable. However, for those who have severe, persistent, or bothersome diarrhea, there are many other treatment options that you can discuss with your healthcare provider.

In addition to diarrhea, other gut-related side effects are common with metformin. These side effects can range in severity from mild to severe and may include:

Lactic Acidosis

Lactic acidosisis a rare, life-threatening condition that involves a buildup of acid in the blood. There are many symptoms of lactic acidosis, including gut-related side effects of potential stomach pains, nausea, and vomiting. Other symptoms of lactic acidosis that do not involve the stomach include:

Lactic acidosis is a medical emergency and must be treated in a hospital. If you have any of these symptoms, you should get emergency medical help.

Some of the management tips are similar to prevention tips. You can talk to your healthcare provider about the prevention and management of metformin-related diarrhea. Here are some tips that can help you manage it:

Additionally, you can trysome tipsthat can help with diarrhea from any cause:

For people who have chronic diarrhea after taking metformin for a long time, one option may be to ask your healthcare provider if you should stop taking metformin for two weeks to see if the diarrhea goes away. If the diarrhea does not stop, you may need further tests to find the cause.

Summary

Diarrhea is a common side effect of metformin, which is frequently taken as a first-line treatment for type 2 diabetes. In addition to diarrhea, other gastrointestinal issues such as nausea, vomiting, gas, stomach discomfort, and indigestion may also occur.

To help manage or prevent diarrhea, take metformin with meals and discuss with your healthcare provider whether a gradual dose adjustment or switching to an extended-release formulation might benefit you. Staying hydrated, eating small meals with salty foods and potassium, and avoiding foods that worsen symptoms can also help.

If diarrhea continues despite these measures, consult your healthcare provider. Maintaining metformin therapy while managing side effects can benefit you due to its proven effectiveness in treating type 2 diabetes. However, if your diarrhea is too severe or bothersome, other treatment options are available.

7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.DailyMed.Metformin hydrochloride tablet.Prescribers’ Digital Reference (PDR).Glucophage.Subramaniam K, Joseph MP, Babu LA.A common drug causing a common side effect at an uncommon time: metformin-induced chronic diarrhea and weight loss after years of treatment.Clin Diabetes. 2021;39(2):237-240. doi:10.2337/cd20-0101American Diabetes Association.9. Pharmacologic Approaches to Glycemic Treatment:Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2022.Diabetes Care.2022;45(Supplement_1)-S143. doi:10.2337/dc22-S009. PMID: 34964831MedlinePlus.Metformin.MedlinePlus.When you have diarrhea.Flaherty RJ.Case report: late-onset metformin-associated diarrhea.Am Fam Physician. 2023;108(2):.

7 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.DailyMed.Metformin hydrochloride tablet.Prescribers’ Digital Reference (PDR).Glucophage.Subramaniam K, Joseph MP, Babu LA.A common drug causing a common side effect at an uncommon time: metformin-induced chronic diarrhea and weight loss after years of treatment.Clin Diabetes. 2021;39(2):237-240. doi:10.2337/cd20-0101American Diabetes Association.9. Pharmacologic Approaches to Glycemic Treatment:Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2022.Diabetes Care.2022;45(Supplement_1)-S143. doi:10.2337/dc22-S009. PMID: 34964831MedlinePlus.Metformin.MedlinePlus.When you have diarrhea.Flaherty RJ.Case report: late-onset metformin-associated diarrhea.Am Fam Physician. 2023;108(2):.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

DailyMed.Metformin hydrochloride tablet.Prescribers’ Digital Reference (PDR).Glucophage.Subramaniam K, Joseph MP, Babu LA.A common drug causing a common side effect at an uncommon time: metformin-induced chronic diarrhea and weight loss after years of treatment.Clin Diabetes. 2021;39(2):237-240. doi:10.2337/cd20-0101American Diabetes Association.9. Pharmacologic Approaches to Glycemic Treatment:Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2022.Diabetes Care.2022;45(Supplement_1)-S143. doi:10.2337/dc22-S009. PMID: 34964831MedlinePlus.Metformin.MedlinePlus.When you have diarrhea.Flaherty RJ.Case report: late-onset metformin-associated diarrhea.Am Fam Physician. 2023;108(2):.

DailyMed.Metformin hydrochloride tablet.

Prescribers’ Digital Reference (PDR).Glucophage.

Subramaniam K, Joseph MP, Babu LA.A common drug causing a common side effect at an uncommon time: metformin-induced chronic diarrhea and weight loss after years of treatment.Clin Diabetes. 2021;39(2):237-240. doi:10.2337/cd20-0101

American Diabetes Association.9. Pharmacologic Approaches to Glycemic Treatment:Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2022.Diabetes Care.2022;45(Supplement_1)-S143. doi:10.2337/dc22-S009. PMID: 34964831

MedlinePlus.Metformin.

MedlinePlus.When you have diarrhea.

Flaherty RJ.Case report: late-onset metformin-associated diarrhea.Am Fam Physician. 2023;108(2):.

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