#263

I am not surprised. Hong Kong is rarely the cheapest for anything.

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#264

Picked up my Acarbose today and had a nice chat with the pharmacist about it. Here are some tidbits I learned.

  1. You should start at 100 mg and only move to 50 mg if you cannot tolerate the side effects or if you are very lightweight.

  2. acarbose and Metformin are synergistic so you can take both together.

  3. Metformin has worse side effects than Acarbose. Acarbose is a very gentle drug as he called it.

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#265

Dear De Striderthank you for your message, it was very helpful. May I ask if the doctor instructed you to take 100mg before each meal or only before the meal containing carbohydrates? Thank you!

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#266

He said 3 times a day, once with each meal. I didn’t ask if I should take it if I am not having carbs. Sorry!

Most meals usually have carbs though. At least my meals. :slight_smile:

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#267

This was posted in another thread by Brimstone, but I think it is important for everyone taking Acarbose to read. It appears that taking Acarbose might be worse than metformin for gaining or retaining muscle mass.

Association of Acarbose with Decreased Muscle Mass and Function in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Retrospective, Cross-Sectional Study

“Acarbose treatment was associated with decreased muscle mass and strength”

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#268

I’m not worried about this acarbose/muscle study. It was done in a group of hospitalized diabetic patients, so they weren’t getting any exercise and were even more sedentary than the average sedentary person. Since acarbose essentially cuts caloric intake (since carbs are never absorbed in the first place), then of course non-exercising patients who cut calories are going to lose muscle mass and strength.

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#269

Please clarify for me.

I was under the impression that acarbose inhibits the enzyme alpha-glucosidase, slowing down, but not preventing digestion and absorption of carbs. So you are saying its not a matter of delaying absorption by acarbose but rather its preventing absorption. Thus acarbose reduces the total caloric intake of the meal.

1 Like
#270

Since the carbs don’t get absorbed in the small intestine and then get passed to the large intestine to act as an energy source for the growth of bacteria colonized therein, the net energy absorbed is overall decreased (even though some of it is recouped as short chain fatty acids formed by the colonic bacteria).

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#271

Here ya go, I decided to actually read the paper :slight_smile: From the Discussion section:

“The association between acarbose and low muscle mass and function should not be totally unexpected, as acarbose is an α-glucosidase inhibitor that inhibits the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates in the small intestine. This effect of acarbose on absorption of carbohydrates leads to reduction of energy, especially in Asia where rice forms a major component of the diet and the dietary contribution of carbohydrate is high”

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#272

Just reviewed an interesting article about role of iron in aging. Acarbose is mentioned as one of the medications which causes low iron. I am wondering if a combination of Rapamycin with Acarbose have a cumulative effect in causing iron- deficiency anemia and low ferritin level in some patients.

Acarbose extends lifespan in mice [47]. Acarbose increases fecal excretion of iron and has been known to be a cause of iron-deficiency anemia in humans [48, 49].

4 Likes
#273

Just reviewed an interesting article about role of iron in aging. Acarbose is mentioned as one of the medications which causes low iron. I am wondering if a combination of Rapamycin with Acarbose have a cumulative effect in causing iron- deficiency anemia and low ferritin level in some patients.

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#274

Thanks a lot. Very good find!

1 Like
#275

So, I have been taking Acarbose for a few days now. Here are some observations:

  1. A lot more gas. I feel like all my defecations are a lot more explosive.

  2. The gas is odourless yet loud. However I am a fairly regular guy so I don’t keep much crap in the system. So that may be why.

  3. The fecal matter seems to be less processed and closer to the original form of the food. Maybe less processing is going on?

4 My gut feels great. However I did just finish a course of antibiotics and am now taking probiotics. I used to have more intestinal discomfort that seems to have resolved itself.

  1. I find I am eating less. I don’t feel the need to overstuff my self as much as before.

Hopefully all of the above will lead to a healthier life. I am willing to give it a try. That and I bought 9 boxes of Acarbose pills


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#276

UPDATE: After about 5 days of extreme flatulence, my gas levels have returned to normal. I am unsure why this is happening because if anything I am eating more carbs - rice, pasta, and sweet potatoes. I was recovering from COVID during this period and taking an antibiotic. However, I stopped the antibiotic and started taking a probiotic. Maybe this helped? My gut feels fantastic and I have much less diarrhea than before.

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#277

That’s great to hear! Someone posted on this thread, maybe a couple of months ago, their pharmacist’s recommendation to start very small (1/4 tablet) and very slowly work up to the full dose over time to allow the bowel flora to adapt. Sounds like it eventually adapts, whether you go all-out with the full dose and just endure the diarrhea/flatulence or work up slowly with less side effects but perhaps longer time to adaptation. I might give it another go (if my wife will let me!)

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#278

Yea this def works on sugar, dont eat candy while on this :sweat_smile::dash::dash::dash::dash::dash:

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#279

I have found the acarbose is actually reducing my appetite. I am eating a lot less. Probably from the mild bloating making me feel full


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#280

Now that you mention it I have noticed it too that I eat slightly less volume of food or I feel full longer. Bloating after around two months taking acarbose is almost non existent.

Btw does anyone know if there is any reduction from caloric intake when taking acarbose? I was searching studies on this and they are really not specific, but some suggest there is some caloric reduction in carbohydrates ingested since bacterial breakdown of CH is not as effective as enzymatic
 studies with glifozins (SGLT2 inhibitors) are more specific on this subject.

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#281

Yes I researched it also. There is a caloric reduction, offset slightly by gut microbiota use of the carbs.

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#282

Anyone know if acarbose work while having a beer?

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