Metformin, diabetes drugs caused death, low blood pressure, slowed heart rate, reduced blood flow to brain & organs. 90% + of diabetes is reversible with diet but professionals push drugs that harm.

Professionals avoid telling the simple truth about the effectiveness of low carb diets and push profitable drugs that cause harm. In 2023, the FDA approved more drugs to treat diabetes in children.

Death, [low blood pressure], and resistant bradyarrhythmias* have been reported due to metformin-associated lactic acidosis*.

Drugs.com

“If you have bradyarrhythmia, your heart beats slower than 60 beats per minute and does not beat from the sinus node, the natural pacemaker of the heart. As a result, blood flow to the brain and other organs can be reduced, leading to fainting and other potential complications.” [source]

“Lactic acidosis is the buildup of lactic acid in your blood. Lactic acid is a substance that can build up in your body if you are not getting enough oxygen.” [source]

The evidence that low-carb diets can effectively treat diabetes has been around at least since before insulin’s discovery in 1921, when doctors often prescribed very low-carb (ie low-sugar), fat-rich diets to their patients. In the late 18th century, as recounted in Gary Taubes’s book Rethinking Diabetes… a Scottish doctor by the name of John Rollo helped two patients with diabetes (a rarer condition in those days) return to health by restricting their carbohydrate intake… In 2019, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) quietly and grudgingly acknowledged the low-carb diet’s effectiveness… The ADA still sees diabetes as a progressive disease that gets worse over time. It still sanctions insulin therapy for people with type 2 diabetes, a remedy many doctors say will harm patients in the long run… ‘The reality is that if you want to treat type 2 diabetes effectively, the first thing you have to do is throw out the ADA’s dietary guidelines,’ Sami Inkinen told me… The ADA’s messaging seems almost calculated to add to the confusion – as if, after 80 years of existence and billions of dollars spent on medical research, the ADA is merely a helpless observer in the low-carb diet debates.

The Guardian

Contents

1. Diabetes Terminology

2. Diabetes Drugs, Metformin

3. Evidence of Harm

4. Videos

5. Alternatives & Considerations

6. Context: See how this subject fits in the bigger picture, and get links to related topics

Diabetes Terminology

• Diabetes / diabetes mellitus — Conditions defined by a blood glucose level that is too high; this occurs due to the body not making enough insulin or not using it well, resulting in glucose not being properly transported to cells [source and source]

• Type 1 diabetes — An autoimmune disorder involving the pancreas, resulting in the body making little or no insulin [source and source]

• Type 2 diabetes — The most prevalent type of diabetes (comprising 90-95% of cases) wherein the body isn’t using insulin properly [source] and thus, the body’s blood sugar levels are too high [source]

Diabetes Drugs, Metformin

• Type 1 diabetes treatment is most often insulin. “There are more than five classes of insulin sold in the U.S.” [source]

• Type 2 diabetes drugs include Acarbose, Actoplus, Alogliptin, Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitors, Amaryl, Avandamet, Biguanides, Blyburide, Bromocriptine, Canagliflozin, Canagliflozin, Dapagliflozin, Dopamine-2 Agonist, DPP-4 Inhibitors, Duetact, Empagliflozin, Ertugliflozin, Farxiga, Gliclazide, Glimepiride, Glipizide, GLP-1 Receptor Agonists, Glucotrol, Glucovance, Glumetza, Glyburide, Glynase, Glyset, Glyxambi, Insulin, Invokamet, Invokana, Janumet, Januvia, Jardiance, Jentadueto, Juvisync, Kazano, Kombiglyze, Linagliptin, Meglitinides, Metformin, Miglitol, Nateglinide, Nesina, Onglyza, Oseni, Pioglitazone, PrandiMet, Prandin, Qtern, Repaglinide, Riomet, Rosiglitazone, Saxagliptin, Segluromet, SGLT2 Inhibitors, Simvastatin, Sitagliptin, Starlix, Steglatr, Sulfonylureas, Synjardy, Thiazolidinediones, Tradjenta, Trijardy, and Xigduo. [source]

Evidence of Harm

1. GLP-1 RAs Cause Kidney Failure, Pancreatitis, Thyroid Cancer, Gallbladder Issues, Depression, Severe Stomach Problems, Bone & Muscle Loss, Blindness, and Death — For evidence of the deadly harm from GLP-1 receptor agonists (used for both diabetes and weight loss), see Weight Loss Drugs. See also: Study Finds Link Between Popular Weight-Loss Drug and Rare ‘Eye Stroke’; “A potential… increase in the risk of a rare eye condition that is sometimes called ‘eye stroke’ was found in patients with Type 2 diabetes who use semaglutide, also used for weight loss, new research finds.” See also: Are Your Diabetes or Weight Loss Drugs Putting You at Risk for Suicide?

2. Metformin Caused Death, Low Blood Pressure, and an Altered Heartrate that Reduced Blood Flow to the Brain and Other Organs — “Death… [low blood pressure], and resistant bradyarrhythmias* have been reported due to metformin-associated lactic acidosis**. Onset may be subtle and include… symptoms such as [a feeling of uneasiness], [muscle pain], respiratory distress, [excessive sleepiness], and abdominal distress… The risk of lactic acidosis increases with [kidney issues, age]… a radiological [scan] with contrast [agent]… and surgery.”

3. Metformin Induces Vitamin B-12 Deficiency, Which Can Cause Nerve Damage (Demyelination, Neuropathy) — “There could be a severe complication of vitamin B12 deficiency in type 2 diabetes patients. The use of proton pump inhibitors, gastric bypass surgery, older patients and patients with a higher red blood cell turnover are factors that hasten the depletion of vitamin B12 reserves in the liver… Routine monitoring of vitamin B12, especially metformin users, for extended periods, is imperative to detect and address the deficiency in its early stages. Routine supplementation or dietary adjustments can mitigate the risk of adverse effects on hematological, neurological, and metabolic health.” See also: Vitamin B12 in Health and Disease (2010): “Some medications are thought to interfere with the absorption or metabolism of vitamin B₁₂. These include proton pump inhibitor (PPI) medications, metformin, nitrous oxide anaesthesia, some epileptic medications and colchicine.” See also: Warning Signs of a B12 Deficiency

4. Cancer Causing Contaminants (NDMA) Found in Diabetes Drugs — “Nitrosamines are a group of compounds that can damage DNA. Long-term exposure can increase the risk of developing cancer…. The first nitrosamine was identified in July 2018 in blood pressure medicines… The FDA has also found nitroamine impurities in other drugs… [including] Metformin, Glucophage, Riomet, Fortamet (extended-release formulas recalled)… Sitagliptin, Januvia (contain NDMA but in ‘accepted levels’ and not removed from the market).”

5. Diabetes is Verifiably Reversible with Diet, but Professionals Push Profitable Drugs that Cause Harm — “The evidence that low-carb diets can effectively treat diabetes has been around at least since before insulin’s discovery in 1921, when doctors often prescribed very low-carb (ie low-sugar), fat-rich diets to their patients.”

6. “Diabetes was hijacked as a business opportunity almost from the moment that insulin – the hormone that people with type 1 diabetes cannot produce – was first discovered” — “In 1923, the University of Toronto board of governors sold the patent for insulin to Eli Lilly and Company for $1, because Lilly was better able to manufacture and distribute the synthetic hormone. ‘Insulin does not belong to me,’ the insulin medication’s co-inventor, Sir Frederick G Banting, said. ‘It belongs to the world.’ … ‘The reason the insulin story is so outrageous is that the inventors of insulin wanted insulin to belong to everybody… Somehow these three drug companies got together to create a global oligopoly. It’s a remarkable thing when you consider the birth of insulin.'”

7. FDA Approved Diabetes Drugs for Kids; “Critic Says Clinical Trial Sample Was ‘Shockingly Low’” — “The FDA this week approved two drugs to treat Type 2 diabetes for children ages 10 and up, but critics accused the agency of failing to address the disease’s root cause and of approving the drugs on the basis of a clinical trial sample too small to adequately assess the drugs’ potential side effects.”

8. Metformin Contraindicated for Kidney Issues — Metformin contraindications include kidney disease, metabolic acidosis, extremely high blood sugar (diabetic ketoacidosis), and “any type of x-ray or CT scan using a dye that is injected into your veins.” [source] See also: These 7 Common Everyday Meds Are Harming Your Kidneys

A study that analyzed [more than 50,000] Type 2 diabetes patients found widespread nutrient deficiencies, with vitamin D being most common… followed by magnesium… and vitamin B12. Vitamin D deficiency significantly impairs insulin function and sensitivity, while increasing the risk of complications like diabetic retinopathy, kidney disease, and foot ulcers. Magnesium deficiency creates a vicious cycle among diabetics — low intake increases diabetes risk, while diabetes increases magnesium loss through urination, leading to poorer glycemic control. Metformin, the most prescribed diabetes medication, depletes vitamin B12 levels by interfering with B12 absorption, which can lead to nerve damage, numbness, and fatigue.

Dr. Joseph Mercola

Videos

7 min, Dr. Suneel Dhand, Diabetes is “very reversible”

4 min, Dr. Eric Berg, Fix Insulin Resistance

7 min, Dr. David Jockers, 3 Simple Blood Sugar Tricks

Alternatives & Considerations

1. Manage Vitamin D Levels, Address Absorption Issues — “Twenty-eight placebo-controlled trials representing 3,848 participants were included… which showed that vitamin D supplementation significantly improved glycemic measures and insulin sensitivity.” (source) “Glycemic outcomes were measured in two separate meta-analyses published in 2018, one of which reviewed 28 controlled clinical trials involving nearly 4,000 adults who were prediabetic, overweight or obese. Results showed that supplementation with vitamin D significantly improved glycemic measures and insulin sensitivity. (source)

2. Exercise or Walk with a Moderate to High Level of Intensity — “Squats are one of the best exercises for using up stored sugar in your muscles and helping the body to buffer any increase in sugar or carbohydrate intake for the next 2 hours.” (source) “Brisk walking may help cut diabetes risk by nearly 40%. The pace is key. Walk faster than 4 mph.” (source) “Taking a 30-minute brisk walk, five times per week… may reduce your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by as much as 58%. [ix] … The level of exertion when exercising is an important factor.” (source)

3. Be Aware of the Increased Risk from Statin Drugs — “Secondary effects from some medications can also increase the risk of developing diabetes. One of the most significant of those medications is statins. These are cholesterol-lowering medications with a long history of adverse events and side effects that could double the risk of diabetes with long-term use.” [source]

4. Replace Sugars and Other Carbs with Honey — “The group consuming honey experienced a 4.2 percent decrease in fasting blood sugar levels and improved insulin resistance… According to [another] controlled experiment published in 2017, healthy adults who replaced 25 percent of their dietary carbohydrates with honey for eight consecutive days experienced decreased post-meal insulin and blood sugar levels.” [source]

Berberine vs. Metformin

Berberine is often touted as a natural alternative to metformin… 2015 research published in Science Reports has found that berberine may work similarly to metformin… It may also have the ability to change the gut microbiome, which can help to improve diabetes and reduce obesity as well. A 2017 study published in Oncotarget has also noted that the effects of berberine on cholesterol may be similar to metformin but without the side effects of the medication… Berberine is an herbal natural supplement that may also help to improve blood sugar levels, diabetes, metabolic syndrome… Since everyone can sell supplements and they are not regulated, berberine supplements on the market may not be equal… Buying quality supplements is critical, whether it’s berberine or something else. A 2008 study published in Metabolism looked at the effects of berberine and 0.5 grams of metformin three times a day in participants with diabetes. They found that both berberine and metformin had similar blood sugar-reducing effects. Berberine helped to reduce hemoglobin, fasting blood sugar from postprandial blood glucose, triglycerides, and cholesterol. Researchers concluded that berberine may be a good candidate for treating diabetes.

Dr. David Jockers

Context, Organized Curation

This article is a subset of a vast resource curation on the failure and corruption of establishment medicine. See here for the entire curation, or select links below to focus on an individual subject.

The subject matter above is an excerpt from Harms by Drug or Test.

1. Failed Health Outcomes — The U.S. spends nearly twice the per-capita amount on healthcare than the next highest spender, yet Americans are the most chronically ill, and rank 48th in life expectancy, among other countries. In addition, medical misdiagnosis causes permanent harm and death to 795,000 people every year.

2. Verifiably Corrupt — Establishment medicine as a system* is verifiably corrupt, serving the interests of industry — not health. (*Obviously, not every individual working in establishment medicine is unethical. Rather, the system that educated / indoctrinated them, and that sets policy, hires, pays, and promotes them is verifiably corrupted.)

3. Big Pharma & Biotech: Immoral Business Model — Corporations, by design, are beholden to profit above all else, acting as powerful entities that are “essentially psychopathic and without conscience.” Pharmaceutical and biotech companies are the utmost example of corporate psychopathy, demonstrating inhumanity in response to human suffering.

4. Regulatory & Professional Betrayal — Government agencies entrusted to regulate the field of medicine fail to do so. The majority of influential professional organizations such as the American Medical Association are corrupted by industry.

5. Not Evidence/Science-Based — The bulk of establishment medicine’s standard of care is not backed by unbiased, reproducible science. (We prove it here.)

6. Harms, by Drug or Test — Establishment medicine providers routinely utilize diagnostic testing and “treatments” that cause harm (“adverse”, “side” effects). Get verifiable evidence of the harms, organized by drug, treatment, or test (mammograms, CT scans, antibiotics, statins, benzos, etc).

7. Failed Strategies & Procedures — The philosophies, strategies, and procedures used by establishment medicine are dysfunctional and irrational, including a focus on suppressing symptoms rather than understanding them. Providers do not seek to identify and resolve the root causes of illness, and diagnosis is simply an exercise in naming groupings of symptoms, disconnected from their purpose and message.

8. Root Causes of Illness — With knowledge of causal factors, true healing is possible. Quickly identify drugs, vaccines, toxins, and nutrient deficiencies that cause illnesses and symptoms e.g. depression, infertility, kidney issues, cancer, seizure, etc. Quickly verify documented “side effects” and evidence of harm.

9. Stifling Treatments That Don’t Enrich Industry — Healing modalities that don’t benefit industry are underutilized, suppressed, and disparaged. Providers who are perceived as a threat to establishment dictates or lucrative markets are condemned, intimidated and attacked.

10. Suppressed Cancer Treatments — Cancer treatments that don’t benefit establishment medicine are ignored and disparaged. This curation of more than 150 clinical studies and testimonials provides quick access to documented cancer reversal and recovery successes.

11. The Significance of Legal Precedent — Legal precedent, breach of duty, and “standard of care” are significant factors in the state of the medical industry.

12. Alternatives & Considerations — Alternatives, considerations, and what you can do.