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Metformin Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effects of metformin include diarrhoea, nausea, and blood glucose increased, based on 496,211 FDA adverse event reports from 2004 to 2025. 4.1% of reports found the drug to be ineffective.

Metformin side effects

Percentages show how often each reaction appears relative to total reports for metformin.

1
Diarrhoea5.2%25,638
2
Nausea4.9%24,284
3
Blood Glucose Increased4.2%20,616
4
Drug Ineffective4.1%20,567
5
Fatigue4.0%20,012
6
Acute Kidney Injury3.9%19,590
7
Lactic Acidosis3.6%18,107
8
Vomiting3.3%16,588
9
Off Label Use3.1%15,290
10
Dyspnoea3.0%15,098
11
Dizziness2.7%13,554
12
Headache2.7%13,401
13
Weight Decreased2.7%13,281
14
Pain2.6%12,939
15
Blood Glucose Increased2.4%12,074

These are voluntary reports and do not establish that metformin caused these reactions.

Report severity

67.5%Serious334,975 reports
36.0%Hospitalizations178,583 reports
8.2%Fatal40,708 reports

Seriousness is determined by the reporter, not by OpenClaim.

Metformin drug interactions

Other drugs that appear in adverse event reports alongside metformin. Drugs flagged as a suspected cause appear in the first column. Drugs taken at the same time but not suspected appear in the second.

Also suspected

1
Exenatide-synthetic5.6%27,759
2
Insulin4.9%24,305
3
Sitagliptin4.0%19,678
4
Rosiglitazone-maleate3.2%15,907
5
Dulaglutide2.7%13,593
6
Adalimumab2.5%12,604
7
Empagliflozin2.2%10,973
8
Lenalidomide2.1%10,177
9
Atorvastatin-calcium1.9%9,304
10
Hydrochlorothiazide1.8%8,737
11
Omeprazole1.7%8,507
12
Dapagliflozin1.6%8,126
13
Aspirin1.6%7,715
14
Amlodipine1.5%7,267
15
Canagliflozin1.4%7,160

Taken alongside

1
Aspirin15.6%77,544
2
Atorvastatin-calcium14.0%69,609
3
Insulin13.6%67,299
4
Lisinopril10.5%52,038
5
Amlodipine9.6%47,407
6
Levothyroxine-sodium9.3%46,264
7
Hydrochlorothiazide8.7%43,049
8
Acetaminophen8.6%42,657
9
Simvastatin8.4%41,595
10
Furosemide8.3%41,054
11
Metoprolol8.3%40,963
12
Omeprazole8.2%40,806
13
Ergocalciferol7.6%37,757
14
Gabapentin6.4%31,700
15
Losartan-potassium6.1%30,263

Co-occurrence in adverse event reports does not establish a drug interaction. Patients often take multiple medications, and these lists reflect prescribing patterns rather than causal relationships. Consult a healthcare provider about potential drug interactions.

Who reports metformin side effects

50.0% of metformin adverse event reports involve female patients and 42.8% involve male patients. The largest age group is adult at 52%. These figures reflect who reports side effects, not underlying risk.

Sex

Female50.0%
Male42.8%
Unknown7.3%

Age group

< 20.3%
2–110.1%
12–170.5%
18–6451.8%
65+47.2%

What is metformin used for

Conditions and purposes for which patients were taking metformin when the adverse event was reported.

Abdominal DiscomfortAbdominal PainAbdominal Pain UpperAbnormal Weight GainAbortion SpontaneousAcanthosisAcanthosis NigricansAccidental Drug Intake By ChildAccidental ExposureAccidental Exposure To ProductAccidental Exposure To Product By ChildAccidental OverdoseAcidosisAcneAcromegaly

Showing 15 of 1,094 indications

Metformin brand names and reporting trend

Metformin is sold under the brand name Rosiglitazone Maleate And Metformin Hydrochloride.

Brand names

Rosiglitazone Maleate And Metformin Hydrochloride147

Quarterly reports (20042025)

20052010201520202025

An upward trend reflects increased FAERS reporting overall, not necessarily increased risk.

Taking metformin with another medication?

Ask OpenClaim about your specific drug combination. Get a sourced report using FDA data, drug labels, and medical literature.