"Way back, when there really weren't too many other agents for obesity treatment," she'd prescribe more of it, she told Insider, but that was largely because "there wasn't anything else." But metformin's effects on weight loss are "kind of mild," compared to newer drugs like semaglutide, Apovian said, and persistent side effects like stomach cramps and diarrhea are a common concern among patients taking metformin
3 Still, it can take over 4 weeks for the drug to reach a steady state, where it maintains a higher level in the blood
Without insurance, it can be costly, but with planned coverage and the prior authorization provided by Klinic in Utah, many find it more affordable
Whether retatrutide-driven weight loss replicates this in a randomized setting is unknown, but the magnitude of fat loss achieved in Phase 2 makes a favorable signal biologically plausible