Diabetes affects over 30 million people a year in the U.S. alone. Due to the severity of diabetes and the millions of people it affects, millions of dollars have been spent on research and medications. One category of medication, in particular, has been catching a lot of attention. sodium-glucose transport protein 2 (SLGT) inhibitors. The specific brand name is known as Jardiance.
What is Jardiance?
Jardiance is an oral tablet taken once a day to treat type-2 diabetes. People prescribed this should also be consistent with their diet and exercise. The active compound found in Jardiance is called empagliflozin.
People with type-2 diabetes do not produce insulin properly. This causes the body to produce more glucose, leading to high blood sugar levels. Jardiance helps people with type-2 diabetes lower blood sugar levels by helping the body release glucose from the body. It is very effective in helping with type 2 diabetes. It is not prescribed as a type 1 diabetes medication.
It has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death and hospitalization due to certain heart conditions.
Does Jardiance Cause Weight loss?
As well as helping people with type-2 diabetes and some heart conditions. Jardiance has been shown to help people lose weight, although this is an off-brand prescription. One study showed that people with type-2 diabetes lost between 2% and 3% of their body weight just 24 weeks after starting Jardiance.
Weight loss results did vary from person to person.
Factors included things like:
● Lifestyle
● Diet
● Genetics
● Exercise
● Other medications
Jardiance has two dosages 10mg and 25mg. While Jardiance is not prescribed strictly for weight loss, there have been side effects that cause weight loss. You never increase the dosage of Jardiance just for the potential weight loss benefits. The FDA does not prescribe this as a weight loss drug; it should only be used to reduce high blood sugar levels safely.
While it is not intended as a weight loss drug, some doctors prescribe it as an off-labeled weight loss drug (similar to Victoza). You should be extremely cautious if you have any of the following conditions:
- Impaired renal function
- Type 1 diabetes
- Those who risk dehydration
- Any pregnant or breastfeeding women
How does Jardiance Work?
Jardiance is a unique oral medication. What makes it special is its ability to lower blood glucose levels independent of the effects of insulin. Sodium-glucose cotransporters are what make glucose reabsorb in the kidney. Jardiance (SGLT2) inhibitors block the transporters and make it to that the glucose is not reabsorbed in the bloodstream but instead urinated out. This unique way makes it why Jardiance has many special side effects.
Unlike other diabetic drugs, Jardiance does not have any appetite-suppressant effects. However, it does produce an excretion of about 75 grams of glucose excretion per day. This comes out to about 300 calories per day. With an excess amount of calories being released, this usually means about 1lbs of body weight reduction per week. Jardiance is commonly paired with Metformin.
What are Jardiance Doses?
Jardiance is a tablet taken orally once a day. It comes in two different doses 10mg or 25mg. It can be taken with or without food.
When beginning to take Jardiance, you’ll likely start out taking 10 mg orally every morning. They could raise your dose to 25 mg if your blood sugar remains high. Or alternatively, they could change all your diabetic medications to lower your blood sugar.
Side Effects of Jardiance
Jardiance is a well-tolerated prescription drug, meaning that not many people have adverse side effects. All prescription drugs have potential side effects, though. When taking Jardiance, you may experience some of these possible side effects:
- Genital infections
- Urinary Tract infection
- Dehydration
- Urinating more frequently
- Serious side effects are rare but can include:
- Ketoacidosis
- Kidney disease or kidney problems
- Allergic reactions
Be sure to inform your doctor about other medications you might be taking. Tell your doctor if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, as this prescription is for pregnant women. But, unlike Invokana, another SGLT2 inhibitor medication that may have heart benefits, Jardiance hasn’t been found to raise the risk of bone fractures or amputations.
Can I take Jardiance with Other Medications?
The effectiveness of Jardiance can be affected by other medications, herbs, and even vitamins.
The dosage of Jardiance might have to be lowered if you take other diabetic medications (such as Ozempic), as Jardiance’s purpose is to lower blood glucose levels. But it can be added to other diabetic medications. Some other diabetic medications that may be paired with Jardiance may include:
- Sulfonylurea
- Insulin
- Diuretics
Be sure you’re not using too many prescription medications that could cause low blood sugar, as this could lead to hypoglycemia.
If you’re taking a Diuretic and decide to take Jardiance, you should be mindful that you’re more prone to dehydration. A Diuretic helps the body get rid of excess water. Jardiance is known to help you urinate your excess blood sugar. These two factors combined could lead to dehydration, and you will be prone to going to the bathroom more frequently.
Jardiance (Empagliflozin)
$113.95What are the Benefits of Jardiance?
Aside from lowering blood glucose levels, causing weight loss, and being FDA-approved, Jardiance does have some other potential benefits, such as:
- Kidney benefits – Jardiance has been shown to protect the kidneys in those with type 2 diabetes. A study showed that for patients with a previous kidney problem, Jardiance lowered their chances of increasing kidney disease by 39%. This should be important because people with diabetes are more prone to developing kidney problems.
- Heart benefits – People with high blood sugar tend to have heart problems, especially those with type 2 diabetes. Studies show that people who have taken Jardiance have a cardioprotective benefit to them due to the nature of the drug.
- Lowers systolic blood pressure– Jardiance isn’t intended to lower blood pressure, but it does help lower systolic blood pressure. (The top number on the blood pressure readings)
Maximizing your Benefits
Jardiance, when taken properly, has been known to increase health benefits significantly. To maximize the effects of Jardiance, here are a few things you should do.
- Be aware of what other medications you take if you’re taking Jardiance to lose weight. Some medications may counteract the weight loss effects. Insulin has been known to reverse the effects of weight loss with those taking Jardiance.
- If weight loss is the primary goal when taking Jardiance, alcohol consumption should be limited. When you consume alcohol, your body processes it as sugar and stores it as fat. This can also contribute to insulin resistance.
- All people with type 2 diabetes should practice regular, intense exercise (within reason). Regular exercise will increase the fat-oxidation rate while protecting you against all-cause mortality.
- A low-calorie and, at times, very low-calorie diet has seen massive benefits in those with type 2 diabetes. You should talk to your doctor about how to do this safely and effectively.
Conclusion
Jardiance has been shown to lead to moderate weight loss when taken alone or when taken along other types two medication drugs. On average, patients should expect a 2%- 3% drop in their body weight. This does depend on multiple factors like diet, exercise, and lifestyle.
Jardiance has been shown to have other positive side effects, such as increased cardiovascular health. It has also positively affected weight goals, blood pressure, and kidney health. But, it should be noted that risk in hypoglycemia may be seen.
Jardiance is a pill that should be taken once daily, with or without food. Some side effects include genital yeast infections and urinary tract infections. Be sure to consult with your doctor about all the possible side effects that could take place when taking Jardiance.
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