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Does Metformin Cause Kidney Damage?

Posted on Mon, 21 Nov 2016

Question: Does Metformin damage the kidneys?

Answered by Dr. Kathy Robinson (8 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
no, not if used appropriately

Detailed Answer:
Hello and thank you for the question.
Metformin is a great drug for treating diabetes. It is one of the only drugs for diabetes that has been proven to improve survival.
One reason someone may think it damages the kidneys is that if you have kidney damage they take you off the metformin, but the damage to the kidneys is not from the metformin, it is just that people with underlying kidney disease can't take metformin.
The disease of diabetes damages the kidneys so if you get kidney damage your doctor may need to stop the metformin, but it is not because the metformin caused the diabetes.
It is a great drug. Your doctor that prescribes it will monitor your kidney function to make sure it continues to be safe for you to take it.
Regards,
Dr. Robinson

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Kathy Robinson (21 minutes later)

I had class 3 kidney damage when I started taking Metformin. It's been that ever since. Should I stop taking it?

Answered by Dr. Kathy Robinson (12 hours later)

Brief Answer:
no, not necessarily

Detailed Answer:
Hello and thanks for the follow up.
It depends entirely upon your glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Your doctor can calculate this based upon your blood tests. If your GFR is above 45 then metformin is safe. If it is between 30 and 45 then it is probably safe but more frequent monitoring is needed. If it is below 30 then metformin should be stopped.
Talk to your doctor about your GFR and concerns about your kidney disease.
Regards
Dr. Robinson

Note: For further follow-up, discuss your blood glucose reports with our diabetologist. Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar