Just wanted to know the supplement that does the same as metforin? I've just been told i'm prediabetic after fasting glucose , then glucose intolerance and now they did a A1C at my primary care doctor. So i'm hoping that is what is behind the burning in the feet/lower legs and will be a reverse on the snf diagnosis as all other tests were normal ( nerve conduction )

Alpha Lipoic Acid and Benfotiamine are important.

There is not supplement exactly like metformin.

Metformin does several things in the body to control blood sugar.

One is that it stops the liver from making too much glucose, during fasting periods. I don't know a supplement that does this.

At times, some nutrient will be highlighted as equal to metformin, but that usually does not pan out in the long run.
For example for years d-chiro-inositol was suggested as doing this. Well it does work, in women with PCOS who are infertile, and when used "like" metformin it allows for ovulation to restart.
But it does not have the same "power" on blood sugar.

Lipoic acid will help alot. I'd suggest you use the new form,
Stabilized R-lipoic. It is more soluble and can work at much lower doses. Benfotiamine is good too.

here is the supplement thread:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread121683.html

I"m taking the alpha lipoic acid now but plan to switch to the stablized r-lipoic and when i do how many mgs a day is the norm? I've got benfotimine to start next week. What company or brands do you suggest for supplements. Thanks so much eb

The R-lipoic should work at 100mg a day.

To start with the Benfotiamine, I'd do 300mg a day in divided doses for at least two months.

I use Doctor's Best now for all my special supplements except B12.
I've found them better than NOW (for tryptophan) and
Theanine (Swanson's).

I've used the R-lipoic from them for several months now, and
always have used their Benfotiamine.

They are reasonably priced at iherb.com and Amazon now.

You order them on line ?

Yes, they are about 50% less costly online.

I mostly get mine from Amazon.com because of their lower shipping...at $25 shipping is free.

Other places you have to buy a higher amount to get lower shipping.

Most of the special supplements we use on PN forum, are not
commonly available in stores. The stabilized R-lipoic especially, but also the methylB12, and the others.

I saw R-lipoic at my drugstore and i did buy methylb12 there already. he told me he would get whatever brand in that I wanted jsut let him know . I think I"ll go to Amazon but someone else has mentioned that Life Extensions is good plus the magazine has lots of good info in it . So I'm on my own little journey to find out what works for me and feel that for now I'm going to use supplements /vitamins as the pain meds just knock me for a loop and if I can exercise to help then the pain doesn't seem to bother me as bad. Now that i've been found to be pre-diabetic I can work on that is hopes it will change things. I"m right on the border number of pre and normal so there is hope to avoid going higher . Thanks for all the wonderful things.

Doctor's Best is the most reasonably priced online.

Compare the prices, to what you pay at the drugstore.
I'd be interested to see how they compare.

I try to find the best quality at the lowest price, because PN needs
several supplements, and that can add up to quite a bit/month.

Oh I'm sure the price is better on line but he just wanted me to know that if there was a brand i was having a hard time getting ( he had heard of most of them ) then he could get it for me if i needed it but i'm sure there would be no savings for me on that. Thanks