Influence of phenformin and metformin on exercise induced lactataemia in patients with diabetes mellitus

The effect of long-term treatment with phenformin and metformin respectively on blood lactate concentrations in relation to submaximal muscular exercise has been examined in 21 maturity-onset diabetics, using a cross-over method. At similar degrees of diabetic control the mean blood lactate concentration during exercise and shortly thereafter was significantly higher when the patients had received phenformin. The mean fasting lactate concentration was 1.07 mmol/l with phenformin and 1.03 mmol/l with metformin and the peak concentration was 2.56 mmol/l and 2.19 mmol/l respectively. The mean fasting blood glucose concentration before the exercise was 11.2 mmol/l with phenformin and 11.3 mmol/l with metformin; the glucose output in the urine during the preceding 24 hours was 93 mmol and 105 mmol respectively. The mean work load during exercise was 60 watts.