Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsFoods to Avoid While Taking MetforminWhat Is Metformin?What to Do if You Eat Foods You’re Trying to Avoid on MetforminTips for SuccessOther Considerations
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Foods to Avoid While Taking Metformin
What Is Metformin?
What to Do if You Eat Foods You’re Trying to Avoid on Metformin
Tips for Success
Other Considerations
Metformin helps lower glucose levels and improves hemoglobin A1C, a measurement of blood sugar control over time.A healthy diet optimizes the effectiveness of metformin and can help prevent complications of diabetes.
Scott Olson / Staff / Getty Images
Nutrition therapy is a crucial part of diabetes management.However, there’s no specific diet plan that works for everyone.Making a long-term individual food plan that you can commit to is essential.
For many people, the concept of everything in moderation is a helpful starting place. Most things are OK to eat in small amounts or occasionally. That said, the American Diabetes Association recommends avoiding the following foods when possible:
Metformin is also available in combination with other classes of diabetes medicines, including the following.
Metformin lowers blood sugar in the body through several different mechanisms, including the following:
Metformin has proved to help control blood sugar in people with diabetes for over 60 years.In addition, it’s taken off-label. Off-label means the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hasn’t approved it for many other conditions, including the following:
You might inevitably eat foods you’re trying to avoid from time to time while taking metformin. When this happens, keep the following tips in mind:
If you take metformin, consider the following tips to optimize its blood sugar-lowering effects.
Certain health conditions, medications, and medical procedures can impact the effects of metformin in the body. Some to keep in mind include:
When to See Your Healthcare ProviderContact your healthcare provider if you have serious side effects from metformin. These include:Signs of lactic acidosis such as fatigue, muscle pain, trouble breathing, or stomach pain.Signs of hypoglycemia such as shakiness or dizziness. Keep in mind that hypoglycemia is more likely if you take metformin with other diabetes medicines or alcohol.Also, discuss metformin with your healthcare provider if you become pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
When to See Your Healthcare Provider
Contact your healthcare provider if you have serious side effects from metformin. These include:Signs of lactic acidosis such as fatigue, muscle pain, trouble breathing, or stomach pain.Signs of hypoglycemia such as shakiness or dizziness. Keep in mind that hypoglycemia is more likely if you take metformin with other diabetes medicines or alcohol.Also, discuss metformin with your healthcare provider if you become pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
Contact your healthcare provider if you have serious side effects from metformin. These include:
Also, discuss metformin with your healthcare provider if you become pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
Summary
Metformin is a common medication for managing type 2 diabetes. It is most effective when combined with dietary changes, such as limiting refined sugars, high-fat foods, and alcohol.
Lifestyle modifications are an essential part of managing diabetes. In addition to a healthy diet, these include exercise, hydration, and regular glucose monitoring.
24 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.
Sun ML, Liu F, Yan P, et al.Effects of food on pharmacokinetics and safety of metformin hydrochloride tablets: a meta-analysis of pharmacokinetic, bioavailability, or bioequivalence studies.Heliyon. 2023;9(7):e17906. Published 2023 Jul 1. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17906
Farmaki P, Damaskos C, Garmpis N, et al.Complications of the type 2 diabetes mellitus.Curr Cardiol Rev. 2020;16(4):249-251. doi:10.2174/1573403X1604201229115531
Sanchez-Rangel E, Inzucchi SE.Metformin: clinical use in type 2 diabetes.Diabetologia. 2017;60(9):1586-1593. doi:10.1007/s00125-017-4336-x
Iizuka K, Yabe D.Dietary and nutritional guidelines for people with diabetes.Nutrients. 2023;15(20):4314. Published 2023 Oct 10. doi:10.3390/nu15204314
Evert AB, Dennison M, Gardner CD, et al.Nutrition therapy for adults with diabetes or prediabetes: a consensus report.Diabetes Care. 2019;42(5):731-754. doi:10.2337/dci19-0014
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Choosing healthy carbs.
Singh A, Rourk K, Bernier A, et al.Non-nutritive sweetened beverages impair therapeutic benefits of metformin in prediabetic diet-induced obese mice.Nutrients. 2023;15(11):2472. Published 2023 May 25. doi:10.3390/nu15112472
American Diabetes Association.Understanding carbs.
Bradley P.Refined carbohydrates, phenotypic plasticity and the obesity epidemic.Med Hypotheses. 2019;131:109317. doi:10.1016/j.mehy.2019.109317
Galgani JE, Uauy RD, Aguirre CA, et al.Effect of the dietary fat quality on insulin sensitivity.Br J Nutr. 2008;100(3):471-479. doi:10.1017/S0007114508894408
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.GLUCOPHAGE® (metformin hydrochloride) tablets prescribing information.
Vlachos D, Malisova S, Lindberg FA, et al.Glycemic index (GI) or glycemic load (GL) and dietary interventions for optimizing postprandial hyperglycemia in patients with T2 diabetes: a review.Nutrients. 2020;12(6):1561. Published 2020 May 27. doi:10.3390/nu12061561
Atkinson FS, Foster-Powell K, Brand-Miller JC.International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values: 2008.Diabetes Care. 2008;31(12):2281-2283. doi:10.2337/dc08-1239
Christofides EA.Practical insights into improving adherence to metformin therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes.Clin Diabetes. 2019;37(3):234-241. doi:10.2337/cd18-0063
Lv Z, Guo Y.Metformin and its benefits for various diseases.Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2020;11:191. Published 2020 Apr 16. doi:10.3389/fendo.2020.00191
Jevtovic F.Combination of metformin and exercise in management of metabolic abnormalities observed in type 2 diabetes mellitus.Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2021;14:4043-4057. Published 2021 Sep 16. doi:10.2147/DMSO.S328694
Manders M, van Luin M, Kramers C, et al.Metformine-geassocieerde lactaatacidose [Metformin-associated lactic acidosis: an insufficiently recognised problem].Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. 2017;161:D1823.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Healthy living with diabetes.
Walker RJ, Garacci E, Campbell JA, Egede LE.The influence of daily stress on glycemic control and mortality in adults with diabetes.J Behav Med. 2020;43(5):723-731. doi:10.1007/s10865-019-00109-1
Goyal M, Singh S, Sibinga EM, et al.Meditation programs for psychological stress and well-being: a systematic review and meta-analysis.JAMA Intern Med.2014 Mar;174(3):357-368. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.13018
Koetsenruijter J, van Eikelenboom N, van Lieshout J, et al.Social support and self-management capabilities in diabetes patients: an international observational study.Patient Educ Couns. 2016;99(4):638-643. doi:10.1016/j.pec.2015.10.029
MacCallum L, Senior PA.Safe use of metformin in adults with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease: lower dosages and sick-day education are essential.Can J Diabetes. 2019;43(1):76-80. doi:10.1016/j.jcjd.2018.04.004
Hekmat-Ardakani A, Morshed-Behbahani B, Rahimi-Ardabili H, et al.The effects of dietary supplements and natural products targeting glucose levels: an overview.Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2023;63(23):6138-6167. doi:10.1080/10408398.2022.2028716
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
