Metformin<\/a> is one of the most commonly prescribed medications for type 2 diabetes<\/a>, and it may also be prescribed to patients with prediabetes<\/a>. Metformin is the generic name most commonly prescribed, and the brand name for metformin is Glucophage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are two types of metformin \u2013 regular and extended-release (XR). Extended-release metformin is preferred if you experience side effects or prefer once-daily dosing with your medication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Metformin doesn\u2019t cause low blood sugar<\/a> (hypoglycemia), which is one of its major benefits. Because it doesn\u2019t cause low blood sugar, people with type 2 diabetes can take metformin along with other medications like sulfonylureas and injectable insulin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While metformin is most commonly used for type 2 diabetes, it\u2019s also used to help treat polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). PCOS<\/a> is a hormonal disorder in women often stemming from insulin resistance, similar to type 2 diabetes and prediabetes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the benefits of metformin is that it may support weight loss<\/a> and doesn\u2019t promote weight gain like some diabetes medications<\/a>. If you\u2019re overweight, weight loss of 5-10% of your body weight can improve your blood glucose levels and improve insulin sensitivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Metformin is available in tablet form, and it\u2019s meant to be taken one to three times daily. The typical dosage for metformin ranges from 500 milligrams to a maximum of 2,550 milligrams per day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The extended-release version of metformin is usually taken in the morning with breakfast or dinner, while regular metformin is taken with meals, typically 2-3 times per day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can take metformin with or without food. However, taking metformin with food can help reduce potential side effects, which tend to be gastrointestinal-related.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You should take as many tablets of metformin as your healthcare recommends. Don\u2019t reduce or increase your dose on your own, and don\u2019t cut extended-release metformin tablets in half.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes. One of the more common side effects of metformin<\/a> is diarrhea. If you experience diarrhea, you\u2019ll notice loose and watery stools that occur more often than you usually have a bowel movement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Some people taking metformin can have the opposite problem and suffer from constipation<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Gastrointestinal side effects like diarrhea are the most commonly reported symptoms from patients taking metformin. Up to 75%<\/a> of patients taking metformin experience some sort of gastrointestinal side effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to a study<\/a>, around 30% of patients taking metformin experience diarrhea. Another study<\/a> surveyed 360 patients with diabetes who took metformin and found that over 60% experienced diarrhea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Metformin is absorbed in your digestive system, which can alter the bacteria responsible for healthy digestion. These bacteria are your microbiome, which plays an important role in your overall health, not just your bowel patterns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Metformin also increases bile acid concentrations in your intestines, which can alter stool consistency and lead to diarrhea. (4<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are reasons that metformin causes diarrhea that aren\u2019t as clear, such as genetic predisposition to medication intolerance and varying factors regarding gut health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It can be helpful to avoid foods that might worsen diarrhea while taking metformin. You\u2019ll probably be able to reintroduce these foods later as your body gets used to metformin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Still, it can help boost your quality of life if you can minimize the more severe side effects when you initially start taking metformin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n High-sugar foods not only make it harder to manage your blood sugar levels<\/a>, but they might worsen diarrhea, too. Fructose is a type of sugar that might be especially problematic for causing diarrhea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n High-fructose foods (such as peaches, pears, cherries, and apples) or foods sweetened with fructose can cause your body to pull more water into your intestines, causing diarrhea. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Foods and drinks sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup are especially high in fructose, whereas fruits contain smaller fructose concentrations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Caffeine<\/a> is a stimulant that can cause the muscles in your digestive system to contract more, which speeds up digestion time. If your food doesn\u2019t have as much time to be digested, it can result in diarrhea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fat takes the longest for your body to digest than protein and carbohydrates. People with delayed gastric emptying from gastroparesis<\/a> (a type of diabetes complication) are especially prone to stomach upset when they eat high-fat foods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some people (even without gastroparesis) have issues digesting fried and fatty foods. If your body doesn\u2019t break down fats well, they go to your colon, which may trigger increased fluid secretion and lead to loose, watery stools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fiber is good for you, but if you eat a lot of insoluble fiber you might get diarrhea. Unlike soluble fiber, insoluble fiber doesn\u2019t absorb water. This means that insoluble fiber can speed up digestion, giving your intestines less time to soak up water during the process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Some foods that are sources of insoluble fiber include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n FODMAPs are a type of carbohydrate that can be poorly digested and lead to stomach discomfort. FODMAPs stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A low FODMAP diet is very restrictive and isn\u2019t meant to be followed for a long time. However, it can be helpful to experiment and reduce your intake of high FODMAP foods to determine if you\u2019re sensitive to any of them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For instance, you might find that high lactose foods trigger stomach discomfort and diarrhea, but gluten doesn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you start taking metformin and notice diarrhea, know that it\u2019s normal as your body gets used to the new medication. Your diarrhea will likely improve over the first few weeks of taking it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your diarrhea is severe and causes dehydration, extreme weight loss, or is otherwise impacting your quality of life, you should contact your healthcare provider for medical advice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You might be able to temporarily reduce your dose and gradually increase it, switch to extended-release metformin (which can reduce side effects), or switch to another diabetes medication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s impossible to predict who will experience significant side effects from taking metformin. If you do experience diarrhea while taking metformin, there are things you can do to help reduce the side effects and improve your quality of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take metformin with your larger meal(s) to help reduce side effects. Taking metformin on an empty stomach can cause more notable side effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As mentioned earlier, try to avoid common foods that can worsen your diarrhea. This includes caffeinated beverages like coffee and certain high-fiber foods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Diarrhea can quickly dehydrate you, so be sure to push fluids if you\u2019re experiencing diarrhea. Water, juice, and broth are good ways to replace lost fluids and electrolytes from diarrhea. Avoid caffeinated drinks like soda and teas when you have diarrhea, as well as alcohol. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A soft diet can help you get some nutrients without making your digestive system work hard to digest foods like high-fiber fruits and vegetables. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Protein foods like chicken and eggs<\/a> are a good choice, as are saltine crackers, applesauce, white toast, and bananas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re experiencing new-onset diarrhea, you might not want to plan any big trips where you\u2019ll be away from a restroom for prolonged periods. Plan small outings where you\u2019ll have access to a restroom as you learn how your body does in situations outside your home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You might want to bring an extra pair of underwear in the chance of an accident. Wearing a disposable pad in your underwear can help provide an extra sense of security in case you experience stool incontinence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Chronic diarrhea can quickly irritate the skin on and around your anus. You can help reduce the irritation by using a peri bottle to spray yourself clean with water instead of wiping with toilet paper, taking a warm bath after having a bowel movement, patting yourself dry instead of rubbing, and applying a protective cream like Vaseline or diaper rash cream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Anti-diarrheal medications can help ease diarrhea symptoms<\/a> as your body gets used to taking metformin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You shouldn\u2019t take anti-diarrheal medications for an extended time. If you use anti-diarrheal medications regularly, you should discuss ways to reduce your chronic diarrhea with your healthcare provider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most of the time, diarrhea from metformin goes away as your body gets used to it, the same as any side effect from a medication. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There is a chance that your diarrhea can persist even after you\u2019ve been taking it for a long time. If that\u2019s the case, you can discuss other potential metformin alternatives<\/a> and stopping metformin<\/a> with your healthcare provider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Besides diarrhea, some of the other common side effects of metformin include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Metformin can also reduce your body\u2019s ability to absorb vitamin B12, which can cause symptoms<\/a> like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Very rarely a metformin overdose<\/a> can lead to lactic acidosis<\/a>, especially if you also have kidney problems. Symptoms of lactic acidosis<\/a> include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Besides avoiding the potential diarrhea triggers mentioned earlier, you should avoid drinking excessive amounts of alcohol while taking metformin<\/a>, which may lead to low blood sugar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Try to eat a healthy diet while on metformin<\/a>, which can help you reach your blood sugar goals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n RELATED: <\/strong>Medications to Avoid While Taking Metformin<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Diarrhea is a common side effect of taking metformin. Most of the time, diarrhea will go away as your body gets used to metformin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As your body gets used to metformin, you can adjust your diet and lifestyle to ease the impact diarrhea has on your quality of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If diarrhea from metformin persists beyond a couple of months or is causing severe negative symptoms, you should speak to your healthcare provider about other alternatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow do I take metformin?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"glyco](\"https:\/\/blog.bensnaturalhealth.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Glucose-Control-Inline-1.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nDoes metformin cause diarrhea?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How common is diarrhea with metformin?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Why does metformin give you diarrhea?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"how](\"https:\/\/blog.bensnaturalhealth.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/HTRD-3-1.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n5 foods that cause diarrhea with metformin<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1) High-sugar foods<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2) Caffeine<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3) Fried foods<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4) High-fiber foods<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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5) High FODMAP foods<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What to do if metformin gives you diarrhea?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How to reduce metformin diarrhea<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Take metformin with meals<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Avoid diarrhea trigger foods<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Stay hydrated<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Eat a soft, low-fiber diet<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Be prepared when you leave the house<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Soothe the skin around your anus<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How to avoid or reduce the risk of metformin diarrhea?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Can you take anti-diarrhea medicine while taking metformin?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"medications](\"https:\/\/blog.bensnaturalhealth.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Medications-to-Avoid-with-Enlarged-Prostate-1-1024x256.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWill metformin diarrhea go away?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What other side effects does metformin cause?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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What should I avoid while taking metformin?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Explore More<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"what](\"https:\/\/blog.bensnaturalhealth.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/what-to-eat-when-you-have-diarrhea-1-1024x217.png\")
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