Does Taking Metformin Increase Your Risk for Lactic Acidosis?

A recent study documented the incidents of metformin-associated lactic acidosis at a poison center in Mainz, Germany.

Metformin-associated lactic acidosis is a rare but dangerous complication of metformin therapy.

From 1995 to 2003 there were 109 metformin-related inquiries at the poison center.

Lactic acidosis was present in 14 cases, with eight of the patients undergoing regular metformin therapy and six patients who had ingested large amounts of metformin in suicide attempts.

Of these 14 cases, four people didn’t survive. The patients (nine female, five male) had an average age of 57.7 years.