Today’s almonds have been activated by:

If you don’t have time to read the whole email today, here are some key takeaways:

Read on to learn more about these things, or click here to visit our archive

You can do this at home by yourself, no equipment, and promises relief within 30 seconds:

Click Here If The Embedded Video Doesn’t Load Automatically!

Sacroiliac menu:

Want to watch it, but not right now? Bookmark it for later 🔖

Today’s handy health-related item is a breath of fresh air. Rinse and repeat daily!

…that you can reply to any of our emails?

We love to hear from our readers—in fact, we actively encourage it. We want to make our content as relevant to your needs and interests as possible.

So, please do click reply to this email and send us any questions, feedback, or requests!

Metformin is a diabetes drug; it works by:

It doesn’t change how much insulin is secreted, and is unlikely to cause hypoglycemia, making it relatively safe as diabetes drugs go.

It’s a biguanide drug, and/but so far as science knows (so far), its mechanism of action is unique (i.e. no other drug works the same way that metformin does).

Today we’ll examine its off-label uses and see what the science says!

There are many reasons people take it, including just general health and life extension:

One of the cheapest diabetes drugs on the market can also slow aging and extend your life span. Here’s how

However, its use was originally expanded (still “off-label”, but widely prescribed) past “just for diabetes” when it showed efficacy in treating pre-diabetes. Here for example is a longitudinal study that found metformin use performed similarly to lifestyle interventions (e.g. diet, exercise, etc). In their words:

Source: Long-term effects of lifestyle intervention or metformin on diabetes development and microvascular complications over 15-year follow-up

But, it seems it does more, as this more recent review found:

Source: Metformin for diabetes prevention: update of the evidence base

We were wondering about that cardioprotective effect, so…

In short, another review (published a few months after the above one) confirmed the previous findings, and also added:

Real World Data: Off-Label Metformin in Patients with Prediabetes is Associated with Improved Cardiovascular Outcomes

We wondered about the weight loss implications of this, and…

The short version is, it works:

…and many many more where those came from. As a point of interest, it has also been compared and contrasted to GLP-1 agonists.

It’s not quite as effective for weight loss, and/but it’s a lot cheaper, is tablets rather than injections, has fewer side effects (for most people), and doesn’t result in dramatic yoyo-ing if there’s an interruption to taking it:

Comparison of Beinaglutide Versus Metformin for Weight Loss in Overweight and Obese Non-diabetic Patients

Or if you prefer a reader-friendly pop-science version:

Ozempic vs Metformin: Comparing The Two Diabetes Medications

For most people yes, but there are a stack of contraindications, so it’s best to speak with your doctor. However, particular things to be aware of include:

See also: Metformin: Is it a drug for all reasons and diseases?

As it’s a prescription-controlled drug, we can’t give you a handy Amazon link for this one.

However, many physicians are willing to prescribe it for off-label use (i.e., for reasons other than diabetes), so speak with yours (telehealth options may also be available).

If you do plan to speak with your doctor and you’re not sure they’ll be agreeable, you might want to get this paper and print it to take it with you:

Off-label indications of Metformin - Review of Literature

Take care!

Quest is a free newsletter aimed at helping you build a life with more energy, purpose, and joy.

Their name comes from how they offer in each edition:

You can opt in for free below:

Please do visit our sponsors—they help keep 10almonds free

We've written about sleep books before, so what makes this one different? Its major selling point is: most of the focus isn't on the things that everyone already knows.

Yes, there's a section on sleep hygiene and yes it'll tell you to cut the caffeine and alcohol, but most of the advice here is beyond that.

Rather, it looks at finding out (if you don't already know for sure) what is keeping you from healthy sleep, be it environmental, directly physical, or psychological, and breaking out of the stress-sleep cycle that often emerges from such.

The style is light and conversational, but includes plenty of science too; Dr. Porter knows her stuff.

Bottom line: if you feel like you know what you should be doing, but somehow life keeps conspiring to stop you from doing it, then this is the book that could help you break out that cycle.

Click here to check out Insomnia Decoded, and get regular healthy sleep!

Wishing you the very most well-informed start to the week,

The 10almonds Team